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Part 1 of What a Woman - The multiverse
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2022-09-27
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2024-01-17
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What a Woman

Summary:

Kate didn't believe in love, but that changes when she sees Yelena for the first time. Perhaps a bit cliché, but that's how the love story between the two girls began.
Not everything is easy and simple in life, Kate realizes that when she starts to win Yelena's heart. The good thing is that life will know how to reward her.

But Kate is not the only one who finds her happy ending, there are many other people around her who are proof of that.
Another remarkable instance of this would be Natasha Romanoff herself, who never thought she could overcome the ghosts of her past. However, once more, life has a way of rewarding those who are deserving.

Notes:

Dearest Readers,

In advance, I apologize if there are any grammatical errors. English is not my first language, but I will strive to do my best in each chapter.
I also want to express my gratitude for reading my story. Similarly, I hope you find enjoyment in the work and join me on this journey until the very end. I have many exciting plans for this story, and as the narrative unfolds, you will witness them taking shape.
Without any further delay, I sincerely hope you enjoy "What a Woman."

 

Yours Truly,
Chaxan

Chapter 1: The beggining

Summary:

Just the background.

Chapter Text

After the events of Civil War, Natasha reunites with her family and together with her sister, they destroy the Red Room.

Natasha is captured and later released to her colleagues who were also captured after the battle at the German airport. Team Cap (except for Clint and Scott) and she become fugitives, deciding to flee together to ensure their safety.

Strong bonds start forming within this unique group, not just friendships, but also romantic relationships. Natasha and Wanda slowly grow closer on an emotional level, but they are not the only ones. Steve and Bucky are also making up for lost time, discovering a new bond that may have always been there but was not an option to explore in their past lives. In mid-June, they leave the group with Sam to go to Wakanda, where Bucky can receive the help he needs.

This leaves the remaining group (Natasha, Wanda, and Pietro) with the option to go somewhere closer to their birthplace. The small group decides to briefly hide in the capital of Ukraine, Kiev. A few days after settling in the city, Yelena decides to visit her sister, not wanting to be away from her any longer.

Yelena quickly becomes a part of the Avengers group, developing a strong friendship with Pietro due to their similarities and shared sense of humor. However, it is with Wanda that she forms a much deeper and closer friendship, quickly becoming best friends. Eventually, their relationship grows even closer to the point of resembling sisters, which Natasha loves.

While in Kiev, Natasha adopts a cute black cat named 'Liho', who enjoys teasing both Pietro and Yelena. Interestingly, Liho only shows his adorable side when Natasha or her girlfriend, Wanda, are around.

The team's fortunes change at the end of August when Nick Fury and Maria Hill inform them that they have been exonerated of all charges thanks to modifications to the Sokovia Accords. Initially, they find it hard to believe, but the agents explain that SHIELD and the other Avengers (led by Carol Danvers) managed to modify the accords to reunite the team fully. The governments recognized the need for a complete team to face future threats, so they agreed to the requested modifications.

Carol wanted to personally deliver the good news to Natasha and the Maximoffs, knowing that T'Challa would inform the trio in Wakanda. Unfortunately, Carol had an emergency that required her to leave the planet for a couple of months, making it impossible for her to deliver the news. Fury assured her that he and Hill would take care of it, allowing her to focus on her mission.

In early September, they decide to return to the Avengers' compound in New York, except for Yelena, who returns to Melina's house to continue freeing the other Widows.

The team in Wakanda chooses to stay longer, except for Sam, who decides to return to New York when he feels he is not performing well. Upon their return, the compound feels similar to how it was before the battle, and Tony seems determined to put the past behind him. Natasha just needs more time to forgive Steve, but with him away, the atmosphere is less tense at the compound.

Things start to change for the Avengers as they have several discussions and reach internal agreements to prevent future conflicts among themselves. The last thing they want is another 'Civil War'.

With everything in order at the compound, Natasha invites Yelena, wanting to continue reconciling with her sister. Yelena tells her that as soon as she finishes her missions, the first thing she will do is go straight to New York.

Natasha's invitation to her sister, along with Clint training a highly skilled young woman to carry on his legacy, gives Tony an idea.

He had recruited Peter for the airport battle, and although he declined the invitation to become an Avenger after defeating the Vulture, Tony knew that the young man would eventually join the team. So, Tony discusses with Natasha and Clint about forming a small group of young Avengers. Unaware that Yelena is Natasha's sister, he sees her as a former companion from the Red Room.

The proposal is accepted, and Natasha mentions that it's just a matter of time before her sister arrives at the compound, where she will ask if she would like to be part of the team. Clint also plans to talk to Kate, the young woman he is training, to see if she would be interested in joining.

In early December, Peter and Kate start training at the compound and get to know the other Avengers who are there. Despite the five-year age difference, they quickly bond due to their shared nerdiness, being only children, and their tendency to talk rapidly when nervous or excited. They also develop a sibling-like relationship similar to that of Wanda and Yelena.

A few days before Christmas, Yelena arrives at the compound. Natasha extends the invitation to join the team, and Yelena accepts without hesitation. Kate falls head over heels for Yelena from the moment she sees her, and a strong attraction starts to grow.

The official announcement of this new team is scheduled for the second week of January, where they will gather all the Avengers who are on the planet.

Extra

1. In this story Natasha has the same birthday (December 03), but her year of birth is 1986 instead of 1984.

2. Yelena was born on February 28, 1994.

3. Pietro, Wanda and Anya was born February 28, 1989.

4. Kate was born November 23, 1996.

5. Peter keeps the same date of birth as the MCU (August 10, 2001).

6. Lorna Dane was born July 10, 1994.

7. The rest of the characters are the same age as in the MCU.

8. The mission in Ohio was from 1998 to 2001.

Chapter 2: What a Woman!

Summary:

The start of this tale.

Chapter Text

The first week of January had arrived, and a sense of harmony filled the compound after the Christmas holidays.

Peter and Kate strolled towards the living room, their usual hangout spot. As they approached, they noticed Yelena nearby. Once they were at a distance where she couldn't overhear their conversation, Peter spoke up:

"Wow! You really have a crush on Yelena," that caught Kate's attention. She had been lost in her reverie since the moment she saw Yelena. "She's bigger, stronger, and better at fighting than you," Peter couldn't understand why Kate was attracted to Yelena.

"Exactly! What a woman..." Kate swooned, her voice filled with infatuation.

Now Peter understood. Yelena would be a great match for anyone and would make a cute couple with his friend.

Yelena approached the area where they were, heading towards the refrigerator in the small kitchen of the living room. Noticing their presence, she nodded in greeting.

"OMG! SHE GREETED ME!" Kate thought excitedly, her heart racing. Peter gave his friend a thumbs-up as a sign of support.

"Hey... I hadn't seen you both here," Yelena said after pouring vodka and preparing to leave. Kate grinned foolishly, her crush being so close.

"Yeah... we came to hang out in our usual spot, you know," Peter explained when he noticed Kate's silence. She was still lost in her own thoughts.

"Cool, I'll leave you both then," Yelena bid them goodbye.

"Sure, see you!" Peter replied.

"S-see y-you," Kate managed to say shyly.

"Bye, Kate Bishop," Yelena gave Kate one last smile before departing.

In those last few seconds, something clicked for Peter, and he began to ship his teammates.

~

The day of the meeting had finally arrived, and Natasha was feeling a bit anxious as her sister and girlfriend were taking longer than expected to appear. She knew Yelena had sought Wanda's help in choosing the perfect outfit for her first meeting as an Avenger, but she hadn't anticipated it would take them so long.

A few minutes later, Natasha heard the familiar whistle from her sister, so she responded with the answering whistle.

"Hey, sup?" Yelena greeted her sister as she finished whistling.

"We're here, Natty," Wanda chimed in with a lovely voice.

"What took you both so long? It's almost time for the meeting."

"Sorry, we took Lena to buy a new vest for her special day," Wanda explained, while Yelena beamed with excitement for her new vest.

"AND IT'S SO COOL!"

Both Natasha and Wanda smiled at her enthusiasm.

"Yeah, it's cute," Natasha said, still smiling. "Now go get ready." Yelena rolled her eyes playfully.

"Such a mom," Yelena said before turning to do as her sister had instructed.

"Have you thanked Wanda yet?" Natasha inquired. Yelena stopped and turned on her heels to look at Wanda.

"Thanks, Wands," she said, offering a sincere smile.

"No problem, sweetie," Wanda replied, returning the smile.

Afterward, Yelena headed to her room, leaving Natasha to gaze at her girlfriend with a smile.

"You didn't have to do that," Natasha said gratefully.

"I know, but I wanted to," Wanda replied, still smiling.

"Thank you for helping me with Lena." Natasha approached her girlfriend, wrapping her arms around Wanda's waist. Wanda reciprocated by running her arms around Natasha's neck, drawing her closer.

"We're a team, babe." Wanda smiled, and Natasha smiled back.

"I love you, my beautiful witchy," Natasha murmured, their lips almost touching, before they shared a passionate kiss.

There was still a little time left to show her girlfriend how much she loved her and how grateful she was.

~

Elsewhere in the compound, Clint was on his way to Kate's bedroom. He wanted to make sure his pupil was ready for the meeting and wouldn't be late.

Kate was with Peter, seeking a second opinion on her outfit for the special meeting. Suddenly, they heard a knock on the bedroom door, followed by Clint's voice.

"Kate, may I come in?" Clint asked.

"Yeah, go ahead," Kate replied.

Clint opened the door, peeking in with just his head.

"Are you ready, kid?"

"Almost..." Kate answered. Clint was relieved to see her and didn't want to waste any time.

"Change that to a 'yes.' I'll see you there, don't be late."

Without waiting for a response, Clint closed the door and headed towards the boardroom.

"Okay, how do I look?" Kate asked Peter, showing him her outfit.

"Good," Peter replied. Kate gave him a look that said, "I need more than just 'good,' you moron." "You look amazing, Kate. Purple is your color!" Peter added.

"Really?"

"Yeah, don't worry," Peter reassured her. "Are you dressed like that because of Yelena?"

"I don't know what you're talking about..." Kate replied in an unconvincing tone.

"Oh, yes, you do!" Peter exclaimed excitedly. "You should talk to her more," he suggested.

"I don't know if I can do that," Kate said, her voice filled with nervousness. "I'm afraid of making a fool of myself..."

"Do you really like her?" Peter asked, even more excited for his friend. He had never seen her like this before over a girl.

"You have no idea..." Kate sighed.

"That's why you should talk to her!"

"But when? She's always with her sister," Kate paused, "or Wanda..."

"Do you think Yelena is dating Miss Maximoff?"

"I don't know," Kate replied, her gaze downcast. "I hope not..."

"Maybe they knew each other before," Peter tried to cheer her up.

"Maybe..."

"Don't give up just yet, girl!" Peter exclaimed. Kate laughed.

"Yeah... I guess you're right," Kate said. Peter gave her a thumbs-up.

"We should head to the meeting," Peter said, growing a little concerned about the time.

"Oh, you're right. Let's go."

They left Kate's bedroom and began walking towards the boardroom. As they entered the room, they noticed that only Clint, Steve, and Rhodes were present. They greeted them and took seats a bit apart. Kate sat next to Clint, while Peter went to sit in Tony's usual spot.

Gradually, the room filled up as the minutes passed. At the exact time the meeting was supposed to start, Natasha, Wanda, and Yelena entered the boardroom.

Natasha entered with a smile, an uncommon sight since she usually maintained her poker face. Meanwhile, Wanda and Yelena were laughing about something unknown to everyone else. Kate and Peter exchanged glances as they saw them enter. Kate's mood took a noticeable dip (at least from Peter's perspective) after witnessing the scene. Peter pursed his lips, silently conveying, "That's how friends talk." Kate decided to trust Peter's words and not let her mind wander in a negative direction.

Shortly after, the meeting officially began.

Chapter 3: The meeting

Summary:

In this chapter, the official presentation of the new team, the Young Avengers, takes place.

Chapter Text

"Today, we will be introduced to the two newest members of our team," Tony declared, officially opening the meeting.

"They will be working with Tony's kid," Steve added.

"As most of you are already aware, Romanoff, Barton, Rogers, and I have collectively decided that it would be beneficial for the Avengers to establish a new division called the 'Young Avengers.' This fresh team, being young, may be capable of achieving more than the rest of us ever could. After all, the future belongs to the children," Tony explained.

"Yes... I believe it is time to meet the new Avengers," Steve agreed.

"Legolas, your kid goes first," Tony announced, causing Kate to feel somewhat offended by Stark's choice of words.

"Alright then. This is Kate Bishop. She's 20 years old, my protégé, and the next Hawkeye," Clint introduced Kate.

"Nice to finally meet all of you," a very enthusiastic Kate Bishop greeted everyone present. Peter raised his thumb in a supportive gesture, silently conveying, "You're doing great." "By the way, could I have your autograph?" Her fangirl side couldn't help but emerge.

A silence fell upon the room. Stark wore a facial expression that seemed to say, "You must be joking," similar to the expressions on the faces of Steve, Sam, Natasha, Wanda, and Pietro. Rhodes, on the other hand, stared at Clint as if to say, "Well done, Barton." Meanwhile, Clint displayed a trace of concern that seemed to say, "Oh no, Kate..."

"Or maybe not," Kate muttered, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

"Welcome, Kate," Steve finally broke the silence after a few more seconds. Kate smiled as casually as she could, though deep down, she couldn't contain her excitement knowing that Captain America had welcomed her into the Avengers.

"Now, it's Romanoff's turn," Steve announced, shifting the attention to Natasha.

"This is my sister. Her name is Yel..." Natasha was interrupted by Stark.

"Did you say sister?"

"Since when do you have a sister?" Steve asked, clearly puzzled.

"Her name is Yelena. She's 22 years old, and she's also a Black Widow," Natasha continued, completely disregarding her peers' questions. "The best Widow after me, of course."

"Hey!" Yelena protested.

"Alright, it's settled," Tony interjected. "She will be the leader of her own little group."

"Yelena?" Natasha inquired, visibly confused.

"She has the experience, doesn't she?" Steve asked.

"Yes, but not the maturity," Natasha responded.

"I'm still here," Yelena protested. Natasha ignored her sister.

"I don't think she's any worse than my kid," Tony remarked.

"Hey!" Peter protested this time.

"Or worse than Kate," Clint chimed in.

"I hear that, Barton," Kate remarked to her mentor, who ignored her.

"What are your strengths, Little Widow?" Tony inquired.

"I have cool hair, and my nose is pretty beautiful," Yelena replied, earning a thought from Kate that agreed with her.

"And she's also killed a man by breaking him in two," Natasha added angrily.

"Oh, yes," Yelena exclaimed. "That too!" She chuckled slightly. "I can also drink a lot of vodka," she concluded with a proud smile, considering it a skill.

Natasha shot an angry glance at her sister for the last comment she made. Wanda and Pietro burst into laughter. Rhodes wore a look that seemed to say, "We're in trouble," while Stark turned his eyes, somewhat exasperated, yet amused by Yelena's remark.

"These kids..." Steve thought.

"I like her," Sam murmured, chuckling softly.

"You're smitten now, aren't you?" Peter whispered to Kate.

"Yeah, quite a lot..." Kate replied, her gaze fixed on Yelena.

"Do you all still think Yelena should be the leader of the Young Avengers?" Natasha asked her teammates.

"I still think it's a better choice than my spider-kid," Tony responded.

"Agreed," Clint added.

"Besides, having more experience than the others automatically makes her the leader," Steve stated. "What do both of you think?" he asked Kate and Peter.

"Well, uh, I think I agree with Mr. Stark," Peter responded nervously.

"Me too, I think Yelena would make a great leader," Kate said, blushing slightly.

Yelena gave them a slight sideways smile.

"What about you, Little Widow?" Tony asked. "Do you think you can handle it?"

"Of course, I can!" Yelena replied confidently. "I've led missions, operations, and groups all around the world. This is child's play."

"What does the rest of you think?" Steve asked the others.

"I also believe that Nat's sister is the best choice," Rhodes expressed.

"I agree," Sam chimed in. "I bet she's as unstoppable as her sister."

"Yep, Yelena is definitely the best choice," Pietro stated.

"I totally agree. I know Yelena, and I believe she'll do an excellent job," Wanda said, wearing a proud smile, much to Kate's chagrin.

Natasha let out a sigh before speaking. "Honestly, I didn't want my sister to take on so many responsibilities. I wanted her to have more time to be herself. But if Yelena wants it, then I agree too."

Yelena gave her sister a smile, and Natasha smiled back.

"Well then, it's settled. Little Widow, you're the leader of the new team," Tony declared.

"Yes!" Yelena exclaimed happily. Her sister and Wanda smiled at her, but this caused a sense of unease in Kate.

"Alright, I believe the meeting has concluded. Let's get out of here," Steve said.

The boardroom slowly emptied as everyone began to leave. Kate and Peter contemplated going to the living room they had claimed as their own, but a conversation caught their attention, prompting them to conceal themselves and eavesdrop, eager to hear more.

Chapter 4: Fights, tears, and jealousy

Summary:

Natasha and Yelena have a little argument. Wanda intervenes for Yelena and Kate is jealous to see how close they are.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Natasha was both happy and proud of her little sister, but she was still upset by Lena's initial attitude at the meeting, and it was something she could not ignore, especially now that her sister would lead the group.

"Not making a fool of yourself was an option, you know?", says Natasha once they leave the meeting and make sure nothing else was there than her, her girlfriend and sister.

"Relax, it was just a joke," Yelena replied to reassure her sister, but her comment had the opposite effect of what she was looking for. Natasha’s countenance became hard.

"A joke? Is that what you think we are?"

Yelena could not help but make a sad gesture at the tone her sister was using with her. It hurt that her sister spoke to her like that.

Wanda saw the sisters in silence. I didn’t know exactly how to interfere to prevent the discussion from escalating, but I certainly would if things got worse.

"I knew it was a bad idea," Natasha muttered under her breath, but Yelena and Wanda still listened.

"I’ll leave if I bother you so much."

By this point Yelena was tired of the attitude Natasha was showing. Wanda was looking for the right words to stop the discussion she witnessed, but just before she could say anything she was interrupted by Natasha’s voice.

"Go on, go if you want! I don’t fucking care!"

Natasha was angrier than she was at first. Yelena was not understanding what she was trying to tell her, plus she was also upset by her sister’s attitude, which only grew annoyance in Natasha as well. In short, they were both getting angry over communication problems, something they should work on to fix.

Wanda had to act immediately if she wanted to keep the discussion from levelling up.

“Let up, Natalia.”

Natasha turned to see her girlfriend, inhaled, and exhaled to try to regain her calm. But Yelena took advantage of that moment to leave, she was hurt by her sister’s attitude and what she wanted the least was to be with her at the time.

"If Natasha wants me away from her, then I will".

Wanda was the first to notice that Yelena was retreating from them.

"No, Lena, come back!" Wanda tried to make Yelena stop, but she just ignored her and went on her way. “What’s your problem? Lena was just being herself" Wanda started scolding her girlfriend.

Natasha stared at her, didn’t know what to say, so she decided to stay quiet until her girlfriend stopped scolding her. Nobody wanted to interrupt an angry Wanda, that meant danger.

"Your sister has spent her whole life repressing who she is, being controlled. The last thing she needs is for her big sister to behave like that".

Natasha reflected on the words of Wanda, who (as always) was right. Her sister had been through a lot at her young age; even I bear to have been abandoned by her older sister and Natasha was very grateful for having forgiven her for that. She wouldn’t push her little sister away after all that, she had to apologize to her sister as soon as possible.

"Well?" asked Wanda after her girlfriend’s silence."

"You’re right... I shouldn’t have treated her like this," Natasha replied after a strong sigh. Her eyes looked slightly watery, she felt terrible for having treated her little sister like that.

"Go and talk to her, honey," Wanda encouraged her with a smile.

Before Natasha could even answer her girlfriend to accompany her to find her sister, they saw Yelena return. She was so immersed in her thoughts that she did not notice the conversation that had ended a few seconds ago.

"I don’t come to bother, I just want my vodka," Yelena said as she felt the couple’s looks. That was one of the moments where she needed her vodka the most.

"Talk to her," Wanda whispers to Nat.

"Hey... you don’t bother," Natasha said after a few seconds.

"Really? Because that didn’t seem like a few minutes ago." Yelena’s tone of voice gave away how hurt she felt.

"I was an idiot, I accept", she sighs. " Having you back in my life is a great gift, I will not let you go, not again..." she smiles at her sister, who returns her smile with slightly watery eyes as well. It means a lot to Yelena to hear those words coming from Natasha since it is not someone who usually opens like that. “Мне жаль, младшая сестра (I sorry, sis). люблю тебя (I love you)”, her eyes were still watery when she said those words. “Ты не избавишься от меня так просто (You won’t get rid of me so easily)”. Both sisters give each other a short hug and then join their foreheads. The latter being their personal mark, something very of them.

Wanda smiled happily at the moving scene, fortunately the discussion did not escalate, and everything was fixed quickly. But her mind could not help but have a dejavu; her smile became somewhat melancholic as she remembered Anya.

"As I wish you were here, сестра".

"Are we okay?" asks Nat once the face hug/union is over.

" да, старшая сестра (Yes, big sister)", Yelena answers smiling.

Because of the sentimental moment, no one had noticed that Steve had reached where they were. He had decided to go with them to get to know Yelena a little more since he had not had the pleasure of meeting her until the meeting, what a surprise it was for everyone to learn that Natasha Romanoff had a younger sister. Steve couldn't have known her before since (unlike most in the compound) because he had recently arrived from Wakanda.

At the end of the meeting, he wanted to approach the sisters to talk, but his intention was interrupted by a call from Bucky, whom he told still in amazement that Natasha had a sister. Bucky answered something like, "Oh, I didn’t know she and Yelena had met again. Whatever happens don’t mention me in front of her". That confused Steve a lot, but Bucky wouldn’t answer any of the questions than Steve asked him, he said he’d tell him later. So, after the call was over, Steve was more curious to meet Natasha’s (until that day) secret sister.

"It’s good to see this side of you, Natasha. You look good as a big sister," said a smiling Steve leaning against a wall. I had never really seen her friend like that, I was certainly happy for her.

His presence was finally noticed by the three women in the room.

"How long have you been there, Rogers?" Natasha inquired.

"Long enough."

Natasha gives him a slight smile, not knowing exactly what to answer.

"Steve Rogers. A pleasure, Yelena", presents himself with a smile on his face and stretched hand.

"The same I say, Cap", Yelena returns his smile, and both greet hand.

"It was nice the joined fronts moments," Steve tells the sisters.

"Yes, it was," Wanda agrees. She loves those moments of the sisters.

Both sisters give them an uncomfortable smile, the two did not like to be so vulnerable to others. Except if it was Wanda, they were so confident and comfortable with her that they didn’t care if she witnessed those moments. But only Wanda, nobody else.

"It was a nice moment, we should appreciate the little things," Steve said.

Wanda hugs Yelena as she hears her friend’s words. She couldn’t pass up the comment without making a slight joke about it.

"Do you feel appreciated, sweetie?" she asks as she continues to hug her. Yelena quickly separates from her as she listens.

"Are you serious?! I’m not that little!" Yelena complains.

The laughter of the rest was soon heard.

"But keep hugging me..." Yelena muttered low.

They laughter again.

Wanda approached Yelena to hug her again, knowing that the blonde enjoyed her hugs because that was one of the ways Yelena felt loved.

In the distance Kate and Peter had witnessed everything, they had heard nothing of the conversation, only from the conversation that had arisen with the Captain that it was when they chose to get closer to be able to listen, even a little of what they were talking about. They couldn’t help it; they were both rather curious.

But seeing the last scene of Wanda and Yelena hugging each other, Kate so wanted to see nothing. Her heart began to hurt when she saw that painful scene for her eyes. She couldn’t resist any more so abruptly she turned around to get out of there as fast as she could. Peter followed her without hesitation, knew what was happening to his friend and wouldn’t leave her alone at a time like that.

Notes:

I must admit that originally I was going to put in the story that Yelena had a crush on Wanda, but in the end I decided to change that haha. I love WandaLena, but I feel that in this story I enjoy much more writing a relationship of sisterhood between them. Sincerely of the best decisions I have made at the time of writing this story.

I read that in some comics Wanda and Pietro have a sister named Anya. In one universe Anya is triplet of them and they are called "The Triplets Maximoff". In another universe Anya is her younger sister for five years. I liked that and decided to include Anya, only that unlike the comics, in this story it does not revive as Pietro after the battle in Sokovia against Ultron.

Chapter 5: I wish I were Wanda

Summary:

A little more from Kate’s past.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Kate walked to her room, feeling terribly bad for what she had seen and heard. She wanted to be alone, so she ignored Peter’s calls to stop. But her friend wouldn’t let her be alone at a time like this; he felt he had to help Kate not to make more false scenarios and not give up fighting to try something with Yelena.

Upon reaching her room the first thing Kate did was lean on a wall so she could inhale and exhale deeply while keeping her eyes closed. She needed to calm down.

“Hey…”, Peter said as he entered Kate’s room.

“Not now, Peter, please.” Kate’s voice sounded sad.

“Come on... what we saw doesn’t mean anything”, Peter was trying to cheer her up.

“Did you see what I saw?” asked Kate a bit annoying. “That you didn’t see Wanda defending her?”

“That doesn’t say anything either”.

“Oh, yes? How do you explain the loving hug?”

“That hug she gave her playing, was a joke”, Peter laughs a little when he says that.

“She even calls her sweetie!”

“You can say to a friend like that, sweetie”. Peter was right, Kate couldn’t deny it. “Perhaps, Miss Maximoff also called Agent Romanoff 'Honey'.

“Yeah... but how do you explain that Yelena asked her to keep hugging her?” For Kate it was clear that she had no chance with Yelena, her mind was playing a lousy game.

“Maybe Yelena likes to be hugged”, Peter said softly.

“Or maybe she has feelings for Wanda, maybe even them have a relationship…”, Kate’s voice almost completely breaks down when she said that.

“Come on, you can’t be guided by that!”

“It’s better not to get my hopes up, Pete”.

“But you really are into that girl!” Peter could not understand her friend’s behaviour, for him it was quite simple.

“AND THAT GIRL IS SO FUCKIN INTO OTHER GIRL!”

“We don’t know that”, Peter pointed out.

Kate don’t say anything for the moment, something new came to mind.

“We don’t know anything, we don’t even know if she likes women”, murmurs Kate discouraged.

“Are we talking about the same Yelena? Because the Yelena I know, doesn’t look straight", responds Peter by making Kate smile. "Point for Parker, you cheered her up, a little!" “Besides, nobody’s straight anymore these days...”

“Yeah, well... you’re right”, again she agrees with her friend. “With more reason, Wanda is very beautiful and powerful. It wouldn’t be weird if she liked”, again her insecurity attacks.

“So are you! She may like you too!”

“I could never beat her. Wanda is so attentive to her, she has a beautiful smile, she always smells good, even I want to go out with her!”

“Me too”, Peter says softly. Kate looks at him badly. “But for you to stay with Yelena...”

“Thanks, dude!” Kate says sarcastically.

“Hey, I’ve been helping you since the beginning! I’m the Bishova #1 fan”, Peter says proudly.

“I know and thank you for that”.

"No need, that’s what friends are for".

Kate smiles at him.

“Just don’t give up yet, okay?” Peter’s words leave Kate thoughtful. "In the training we’ll figure it all out, okay?"

“Do you think?” Kate inquires insecure.

“Sure! Just don't lose the hope!”

“I can’t believe a child is giving me love advice”, Kate teases him.

"Hey, I’m fifteen!" exclaims Peter, offended. Kate laughs. "That’s what I get for being a nice mate," he adds by pouting.

"I’m sorry, dude. I saw the opportunity and used it," Kate laughs again.

Peter smiles to see his friend laughing, his task is done; Kate is no longer sad and will continue to try something with Yelena.

~

Minutes later they were both sitting on the floor of Kate’s room while eating pizza and drinking root beer.

“Hey, can I ask you something?” Peter asks.

“Yeah, go ahead”.

“Why do you get like this when it comes to Yelena?” Kate looks at him without understanding. “I mean, before she gets here, I saw you hanging out with a lot of girls, and you never acted like that with them”.

“I don’t get it”.

“You know… y-you act very insecure…”

Kate remains silent for a few seconds. She sighs heavily with her eyes closed before answering Peter’s question.

"Because I’ve never felt anything like this with anyone," she murmurs. " Since the first time I saw Yelena... I don’t know how to explain it, I just know that something happened inside me... something that had never happened to me, that I had never expected..."

"I still don’t understand how that makes you so insecure about her... I mean, shouldn’t you be more excited about that? You know, cause' this never happened to you before".

“Not if you’re afraid of karma...”

“I’m not getting it”.

Kate inhales and exhales before speaking again. What she was about to say was not something she was currently proud of.

“Pete, until a few weeks ago I lived a life of fuckgirl", says deflecting her gaze. Peter looks at her in amazement. “I never played with any girl, or at least not that I remember... Anyway, I dated with a lot of girls and, well, sometimes those dates ended in something else... but never in a relationship”.

“Are you kidding me?!”

“I wish, but not. Honestly, it’s not something I’m actually very proud of”.

“And you really never had a love affair with any of them?”

“Noup”, Kate pauses for a moment “Well... there was a girl, her name is Ruby Hale”, smiles slightly as she remembers her. “We were never a couple, but we had something that lasted a while”.

“So, you were friends with benefits?” Peter asks. Kate laughs a little.

“Oh no, believe me we weren’t friends”, says in a naughty voice. “At least not at first...” Pete sees her without understanding. “Look, I liked Ruby and I wanted to go out with her... you know”, explains Kate without going into many details. Peter was thankful for that. “But Ruby didn’t want to date me at first because of my reputation”, she laughs again, remembering that story with Hale. “She rejected me like Lily Evans rejected James Potter”, Peter laughed for the reference. “Even once her mom invited me to dinner because well, after all I’m a Bishop and that’s good for anyone. Except for Ruby, she kept saying all night how much my presence bothered her”.

“So, what happened then?” Peter asked as he ate some popcorn, they had brought for eat later.

“Obviously her words hurt me, so I decided I wouldn’t try anything with her anymore, I’d leave her alone”, says smiling with nostalgia. “But then she started to change her behaviour... she got jealous every time another girl came up to me or talked about me. One day she just came up to me and asked me out, I couldn’t believe it!” Peter laughs. “Of course, I said yes and well... so began our relationship-not relationship”.

“Why didn’t you formalize anything with her? From what you tell me I can tell you liked her quite...”

“Yeah, I really liked her”, Kate said. “But I wasn’t into formalizing anything, I wasn’t attracted to any of it, but with her... The more we went out, the more I thought about formalizing. I wanted to ask her to be my girlfriend, I wanted to have a nice relationship with Ruby. I was falling in love with her...”

“What stopped you?”

Kate sighed with regret before answering.

“Fear, I was afraid to hurt her for my past, because I’ve never had a girlfriend... So, I told her we couldn’t go out anymore. I didn’t want to hurt her any more in the future if we formalized or continued like this, she didn’t deserve that pain. I was afraid that if we were in a relationship, maybe one day a girl would propose something and end up cheating her... I don’t know but, in that time, I probably would have”.

“I guess she didn’t take it well at all, she sure wanted to hit you”, Peter said. “I want to hit you.”

“Believe me, I wanted to hit myself too. But I guess I didn’t have the maturity I have now to realize everything”, Kate ponders. “It hurt so much to hurt her because she had fallen in love with me, it cost me so much to forgive myself for hurting her”.

Peter was silent so he could think better of everything Kate had told him.

“Aren’t you afraid the same thing will happen to you with Yelena?”

Kate sighs again. “When I entered to college, I decided to go to therapy. I knew that my aberration to commitment came from the example I had with my parents. My therapist helped me a lot and told me that there was nothing wrong with dating a lot of girls, but I did have to work a lot on my fear of commitment”, Kate makes a grimace. “She also told me that when the right girl comes into my life, I wasn’t going to be afraid to be with her, that I was going to want to try and give it all”, Kate smiles at the thought of Yelena. “That’s exactly what I want with Yelena; everything. I don’t want to look back and regret not trying like I did with Ruby. With Yelena I want to do my best and give everything for her”.

“Wow! I’m glad to know that your fear of commitment is gone, but I think now you must deal with your fear of karma”.

“Yeah, I know… That’s why my mind is filled with insecurities when it comes to Yelena. I feel like I’ll never get a chance with her because karma will come and make me pay for all the damage I’ve done”.

“You changed, I think that’s the most important thing, so maybe you shouldn’t worry too much about that. Better work harder to deal with your insecurities and get closer to Yelena” he said smiling. “I have faith that you can do it, mate”, Kate smiles back at him.

“Thank you, Pete. You’re the brother I always wanted to have”, She gives him a hug, throwing some popcorn.

“And your sister I’ve always wanted”, he says still hugging her.

Notes:

Ruby Hale’s mention serves two important purposes:

Explain why Kate is so insecure and jealous.

Also introduce the character of Ruby Hale who will have appearances later. Also because Ruby will be featured in Alternate Story (based on this story, only with a factor that changes it completely). Anyway, I’m not going to talk much about that story yet because it’s a long way from going up

The next chapter is about the first day of training<3

Chapter 6: First day of training

Summary:

The start of the first day of training for the Young Avengers.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

It was the first day of training of the new avengers group. Having different ages they had different training schedules, except for the hand-to-hand combat class they would have with Natasha.

Training schedules (for Peter and Kate) also depended on their school schedules. Peter was still in his sophomore year, while Kate was a freshman at New York University. Yelena had more time, since she graduated from the red room, she didn’t really need any other kind of studies, so she had extra time that she used to train. Also, to spend time with her sister and Wanda, though there were times when Pietro joined them.

~

On the morning of that first day of training, Peter was impatient at school, watching his watch every five minutes waiting for it to be his departure time. When he finally finished that class, he was in, Peter went to his locker before going to his next class.

"I should be training, not here," he complained as he took some books from the locker.

After closing the locker, he started walking without much desire to his next class, he was eager to get out of class to go to the compound and finally begin his training as an avenger.

"Dude, what are you doing here? I thought you’d be at the compound," Ned said when he saw him walking through the school halls.

"That’s what I’d like, but Mr Stark was very clear with me about not missing classes for going to training. So, I have to wait till school’s over to finally leave."

"That’s so cool! I can’t believe I’m an avenger’s best friend!"

"Shh! Keep your voice down, someone might hear you," Peter tried to reassure him.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry, dude" apologized Ned. "I have to go to my class, see you later," he says goodbye before continuing to walk.

Peter entered his classroom and took a seat in his usual place. As had happened in his previous class, he kept watching the clock every five minutes anxiously waiting for it to finally be the departure time. After the fifth time he checked the clock, Peter couldn't help but collapse on his bench so frustrated.

"Parker, not by looking at each moment the clock will move faster," Peter opened his eyes to hear MJ’s voice.

"Ye-yeah, I know," he replied timidly.

"Are you in a hurry to get somewhere?" MJ asks.

"Not at all," he replied quickly. "I just want to go home, that’s all," he smiled nervously. MJ saw him with a curious look and then went back to his. Peter sighed heavily after that.

At the end of the class Peter could not bear to stay there anymore, skipping a few classes that day would not affect him much. Besides, Mr Stark didn’t have to know about that.

Peter went to one of the exits through the fields, made sure no one was watching before jumping the huge gate. Once he was out of school, Peter headed straight for the Avengers compound.

~


On the other hand, in the compound. Kate was training with Clint, both practicing archery in the training room designated for Agent Barton.

Kate was just as excited as Peter for formally starting her training with the rest of the Avengers, so she only attended her first class in college and then skipped the rest and went to training at the compound. Clint was amazed to see her there so early, but she lied to him telling him she had the rest of the day off for a few meetings the professors would have. Clint didn’t ask any more and they both started training.

"I’m the best archer in the world!" Kate said as she passed the training arrows to Clint.

“No”, Clint said without seeing her.

"Of course, I am, everyone says so!" Kate complained. Clint turned his eyes.

“Don’t forget you have a defence session and hand-to-hand combat with Natasha”.

Kate blanked, her expression denoting that she had effectively forgotten that class.

“You forgot, didn’t you?”

“Of course not!”, Kate said nothing credible. Clint looks at her incredulously. “Well… maybe I'll forget it”.

Clint sighs before talking. “Get some rest and then go to Nat’s”.

“Yes, sir”, Kate gave a military salute. Clint turned his eyes a little exasperated.

"I’ll see you later, kiddo," Clint said.

"Hey, ready for training?" Peter was very excited.

"Shouldn’t you be in class?" asks Kate confused to see him there.

“Sure…” Kate nodded, implying that she believed him nothing.

"Shouldn’t you be in college?" asks Peter.

"I went out earlier," Kate replied in the same way Peter did.

“Sure…”

"Excited for the training?" asks Kate to change the subject.

"Pretty much!" Peter responds as he begins walking towards Natasha’s training room. "And what about you?"

"Of course! I want to kick your ass," Kate said amused.

"Hey! I’ll be the one to kick your ass".

"We’ll see who kicks who, Parker," Kate said still amused.

"I have the advantage, Bishop," Peter said confidently.

“Oh, yeah? Why do you think that?”

"Because Yelena will be there and you become a disaster when you see her", Peter said so calmly. Kate opens her eyes surprised; she had forgotten that Yelena would be there too.

“Yelena will be there!” Kate yelled. "How do I look?"

“Gay”.

Kate looks at him badly without saying anything. She was talking seriously.

"Oh, come on! Admit it was fun", Peter said amused.

"It wasn’t."

“Of course, it was!”

Kate opened the door to the training room before answering Peter.

“If you say s…” Kate could not finish talking. Inside the room Yelena and Natasha were fighting, which left Kate speechless. The fight was no big deal, just a little routine. But for Kate it was the best, she had never seen Yelena like that.

"Yelena looks SO sexy fighting", Kate thought.

"Do you need a bucket or a napkin to clean yourself?" Peter mumbled mockingly.

“Yeah, please…”

~

Many hours before that, Natasha and Yelena were in Natasha’s special training room. They had done their normal workout routine before starting an extensive hand-to-hand combat.

Time passed and the two continued their fight as neither managed to defeat the other. That was very normal, one sister could hardly beat the other. The fight spread even further. They went around the room as they fought, using any object around them to help each other fight.

Both sisters were so immersed in their fight that neither of them noticed that they had spectators watching them from the entrance.

"Really, Yelena is so amazing..." Kate said in a low voice. Seeing Yelena fight so skilfully caused her so many emotions.

Peter was afraid that Kate would faint or something like that if she continued to watch Yelena fight, so he thought it best to announce that they had already arrived.

“Girls... I hate to interrupt, but we’re here now”.

Both sisters turned to see Peter and Kate still standing in the doorway.

“Hey, what’s up?” Yelena waved as she went for some of her vodka she had brought for training.

"They came early," Natasha said, going to get her water too.

"Yeah... classes ended early today", Peter was quick to lie. Both sisters noticed that he had lied, but no one said anything.

“What a great fight!” Kate was still amazed by the scene she had witnessed.

"Thank you, I guess. Are you ready to train?" Natasha asks.

“Sure thing!” Peter said already with his Spiderman suit on.

“Oh no, no suits here”, Natasha sentenced.

“What?! Why not?!”

“The purpose of this class is learnt to defend themselves without your suits, equipment, or powers. Learn to perfectly fight hand to hand.”

“Also learn to use your body as a weapon and what is around you”, Yelena added.

“Exactly”, Natasha agreed with her sister.

Peter got a little nervous about this new information, he just knew how to fight using his suit. On the other hand, Kate smiled confidently. She had a lot of experience in martial arts, fencing, boxing, and other related sports; wouldn’t look like a moron to Yelena.

“Yelena is an expert like me in this field so she will help me train you guys. That will also help the three of you to join more as a team”, Natasha said. Yelena and Kate and Peter exchanged smiling looks. Peter with a nervous smile, Kate with an enthusiasm and Yelena with a middle side.

The start of this new Avengers team was just the beginning of many adventures and new moments for the entire Avengers family.

Notes:

I know Peter and Yelena aren’t part of the Young Avengers in the comics, but in my story I wanted them to be part of the team. In the second part of the story Kamala Khan, Cassie Lang, America Chavez and Shuri will be seen as part of the team. Also a few characters like Ruby Hale, Lorna Dane and Gwen Stacey will join you in some missions.

Chapter 7: Natasha knows

Summary:

Natasha realizes that Kate likes Yelena.

Chapter Text

"Do you have previous experience?" Yelena asked her teammates.

"I’m a national champion in archery, martial arts and fencing," Kate was the first to answer.

“That’s cool, Kate Bishop!”, Yelena said smiling amazed at Kate.

Kate smiled excitedly as Yelena smiled at her.

Peter was fascinated by the Bishlova interaction, as good Captain of the shipp. "Nothing bad for the first day", he thought enthusiastically.

What both Kate and Peter had forgotten was the presence of Natasha in the training room, who carefully looked at the attitude of both. At that moment Natasha began to realize what was happening.

“Peter?”, Yelena asks.

“Yeah?”

"You still don’t answer the question, what is your previous experience?", Yelena asked him again.

"Before I became Spiderman?" Peter asked timidly.

“Yeah, exactly”, Yelena answered.

"Does the chess club count?" Peter says nervously.

Yelena didn’t answer, only exchanged looks with Natasha.

"I’m really going to kill Stark," Natasha complained softly.

Kate whispers to Peter discreetly; "Bitch, are you kidding me?"

"Mr Stark will scold me..." Peter thought worried to see the girls' reactions.

"That’s all your previous experience?" Yelena asked somewhat incredulous.

“Maybe…” Peter responds by shyly shrugging.

"Well, we’ll start from scratch" Natasha says to reassure him. " I saw you fight at the airport, it won’t be so hard," Peter smiles relieved to hear her.

"Thank you very much, Agent Romanoff," Peter thanks. Natasha just gives him a nod as if to make him understand "It's nothing”.

"Well, get ready for training, we start in five," announces Yelena.

"Sure, yeah, five is more than okay," Kate responds quickly as she smiled broadly.

With that action Natasha confirmed that Kate liked her little sister, which of course she didn’t like. " Oh, great. Now I must find another apprentice for Clint."

Yelena, being so clueless, did not notice the reason for Kate’s attitude, nor did her sister’s reaction. Peter on the other hand did notice Natasha’s reaction and noticed that she didn’t like at all.

"Kate, can you come?" Peter told Kate. He had to warn at his friend.

“Yeah, sure”, Kate walked to the other side of the room where Peter had arrived at some point she did not notice.

"Sup?" Kate said as she got to where Peter was, which was far enough away to prevent the sisters from hearing them speak.

"You must be more discreet," Peter muttered.

"Am I so obvious?" Kate said as she quickly grasped what Peter would refer to.

"Not, don't worry, only quite a lot!" Peter raised his voice when he said the last thing.

"Do you think Yelena noticed?" Kate muttered nervously.

"She didn’t, but maybe her sister did."

"That’s so much worse!" Kate exclaimed with regret. "What am I going to do now?! Natasha is SO protective with her sister!"

"Relax, just try not to act so obvious, at least not in front of Agent Romanoff," Peter tried to reassure her. Kate inhaled and exhaled deeply.

"Yeah, you're right...That’s what I'll do!" Kate replies calmer.

"Exactly! Just act cool"

"Okay, act cool, I got it" Kate nods.

"Now let’s go back, the five minutes your bride-to-be gave us are almost over," Peter said amused. Kate smiled like a fool when she heard the latest.

"That sounds so nice, I want it to be true," she muttered excitedly. Peter smiled.

"I know, but we really must go back, Romeo," Peter joked. Kate laughed slightly.

“Yeah, let’s go!”

As Kate and Peter chatted across the hall, the Widow sisters were also talking as the five-minute break ended.

"Do you know when Wanda will arrive?" Yelena asked her sister.

"I don’t know, she has training with Pietro today".

"Last night she told me she would be on my first day of training," Yelena said somewhat despondent.

"Then it shouldn’t be long, she would never disappoint you," Natasha says with a comforting smile.

"You're right," Yelena smiles too.

Peter and Kate stopped to hear them talking, they were close enough to hear the conversation the sisters were having.

"Did you hear that?" Kate asked Peter softly. Both his countenance and tone were discouraged and angry.

"Come on, that would make a good friend," Peter says, trying to give a completely logical explanation to the conversation they heard. Kate keeps thinking about her friend’s words.

“Well, I guess you a right”, Kate mutters trying to stay positive.

“Of course, I’m right! I’m Spiderman!”

Kate laughs at Peter’s last comment. Peter also laughs softly, but also sighs relieved at having calmed (at list for the moment) Kate’s insecurities.

The sound of their laughter made both sisters notice their presence.

"They’re back," Natasha told Yelena.

They both got to where the sisters were.

"Ready?" Yelena asks smiling.

"I do" Peter is the first to respond.

“Me too!” Kate screams enthusiastically.

"Cool, we will start with takedowns" Yelena announces.

"Stark design special androids to train, but you will start with us", Natasha explained. "Yelena, show them how it is done".

The androids Tony designed were bigger than the average person, so they would know what to do if they were attacked by someone bigger. They were also designed to be too strong and were programmed with various forms of attack.

Natasha activates one of the androids and gives him the order to attack his sister. Yelena effortlessly knocks down the android within seconds.

"WOW!" Peter exclaimed in amazement.

"She’s so perfect..." murmurs Kate with fascination.

Unfortunately for Kate, Natasha heard what she said perfectly. "Okay, Bishop. You asked for it." Natasha thought, seeing Kate’s goofy face.

"That’s how it’s done," Yelena says as she humbly shrugs and smiles.

"All right, Lena", Natasha congratulates her. "Now to work, you go with Peter".

Kate opens her eyes scared. "That means I’ll go with her... oh, no".

"All right" Yelena nods. "Come on, Peter".

"Luck," Peter whispers to Kate before following Yelena across the training room.

"Bishop, you’re coming with me."

Kate swallowed terrified her saliva.

Natasha’s voice had sounded so threatening. Kate was sure that was the same voice she spoke to her enemies.

"I lived twenty long years", Kate said lowly for herself.

Chapter 8: First warning

Summary:

Kate receives her first warning from her "in-law".
Plus a little Wandanat and Pietro being Pietro.

Chapter Text

Yelena and Peter were in their training room area; they were going to start training from scratch.

"Is it very difficult to do takedowns?" Peter asked nervously.

"Not really," Yelena replies. " Also, it will not be so difficult if you do takedowns using your suit, you simply have to get used to using your body, that’s all".

Peter sighs deeply.

"I think I can do that..."

"That’s the attitude!" Yelena exclaimed excitedly. " Don’t worry, you’re with me and I’m cooler than my sister, so take your time," Peter smiles more relaxed.

"It must be great to have a sister like Agent Romanoff," Peter said.

"Yep, it is. Sometimes it’s a little heavy but it’s cool, I couldn't have asked for a better sister," Yelena says smiling. " You have siblings?"

"No, I’m an only child," Peter remains thinking for a few seconds. " But ever since I met Kate, I’ve felt what it’s like to have a sister. I know we’ve known each other very recently, but that’s how I feel about her, Kate’s like the big sister I always wanted..." pauses again. " Of course, although she doesn’t act like a big sister as such, of the two I look like the older and she the younger sister who gets into trouble," she jokes. Yelena laughs.

"I know that feeling, although in my case I am the little," they both laugh.

"Yeah... you and she seem to have a lot in common, you should get more closer to her", Peter suggests to Yelena in a "casual" way.

"Yeah... I will," Yelena responds thoughtfully. The idea of getting to know her teammate better didn't sound bad at all. "But for now, let's get to work," she says, putting her hands together.

~

Meanwhile, on the other side of the training room...

"Come here, Bishop. I’ll show you how to take down the android first, and then you'll give it a try, okay?" Natasha instructed.

"Y-yeah, that's fine," Kate replied somewhat nervously.

"Good. Watch and learn."

Natasha activated one of the training androids in ‘combat mode’. Seconds later, the android initiated its attack. Natasha swiftly defended herself and countered, incapacitating it with a well-aimed strike to the face.

"Is that clear, Bishop?" Natasha inquired, landing back on the ground.

"Absolutely, Nat!" Kate exclaimed enthusiastically, earning a disapproving look from Natasha. "Oh, I shouldn't have called her that..." Kate muttered to herself, feeling a pang of regret. "Tasha...? Black Widow...? I don’t know how to call you..." Kate stammered nervously.

"Either way is fine."

"Don't give me that opening, SIL…" Kate's tone diminished as she uttered the last word, realizing her mistake too late. She looked at Natasha with a mix of fear and worry, anticipating the consequences her slip might bring. Natasha looked at her sternly.

"Hell, Kate," Peter cursed silently from his spot in the training room, catching what his friend had just said.

Fortunately for Kate, Yelena didn't hear anything. She was too engrossed in mimicking her sister's poses.

"Look, that’s how Nat does it," Yelena explained to Peter, humor dancing in her eyes. "It’s her favorite pose," Yelena mimicked her sister’s iconic stance.

"Okay, time to train," Natasha said sternly. Kate felt her throat go dry at the sound. "Ready?"

"Y-y-yeah, of course..." Kate responded, her nerves palpable.

"Let’s see if you can handle a Widow." Natasha challenged, swiftly taking her down in less than five seconds.

"I thought you knew martial arts, Bishop," Natasha remarked mockingly, leaving Kate shaken on the floor. "Stand up, now!" she commanded.

Kate scrambled to her feet, her mind racing with fear of what was to come next.

"Now I see where your name comes from..." Kate muttered in awe. "The Widows really are lethal."

"That’s right, Bishop. We’re very lethal, especially when it comes to protecting someone we love."

Kate caught the hint instantly.

"Yeah... a-a-about that... I-I..."

Kate didn’t know how to explain to Natasha that her intentions with Yelena were good. She had never been through anything like this before and had no idea how to navigate such conversations. Also, there was the fear of saying the wrong word that could unleash Natasha’s fury. Kate certainly didn’t want to go through that again.

"If Bishop is going to want to try something with Yelena, I must investigate her. I need to know what kind of person she really is." Nastaha didn't have time to finish her thoughts as the noise of the door opening caught her attention. Everyone in the room turned to see who had entered the training area. Natasha and Yelena smiled upon seeing who it was.

"Someone asked for a pair of sexy twins?" Pietro said as he entered the room. Wanda, Natasha, and Yelena burst into laughter.

"Where is the other? I only see Wanda," Yelena jokes. Pietro misunderstood, eliciting laughter from the others, except for Kate, who looked exasperated and somewhat jealous because Yelena had called Wanda "sexy."

"Oh, great..." Kate sighed heavily. "Just what I need," she muttered sarcastically.

Fortunately for Kate, this time, no one heard her.

Pietro decided to go play with one of the training androids, taking advantage of Natasha being occupied with Wanda to avoid a scolding. He had always wanted to play with the androids, but Natasha would never let him, saying he would break them.

"This is when," Pietro said to himself.

"You did come," Yelena said excitedly to Wanda.

Natasha watched the scene with adoration; she loved seeing her two favorite people getting along. On the other hand, Kate watched the interaction with a tinge of sadness. "I have only seen Wanda provoke that smile in Yelena..."

Peter noticed Kate’s reaction and quickly tried to cheer her up. He knew Kate was easily jealous and discouraged, so he had to act fast so she wouldn’t give up before even trying to get close to Yelena.

"That doesn’t mean anything... don’t start imagining things," Peter whispered to Kate, who only sighed heavily.

"Peter is right, I must not let my imagination run wild,"Kate thought to herself.

At that moment, a noise grabbed everyone’s attention.

"I think I broke a robot," Pietro said, appearing with an android’s arm.

That was precisely why Natasha hadn’t allowed him to play with the androids. She was upset upon seeing the broken android. Before she could say anything or start a fight with Pietro, Wanda decided to divert their attention and return to her conversation with Yelena.

"Besides, I would never let you down, sweetie," Wanda told Yelena, returning to their previous discussion.

"That’s exactly what Nat said!" Yelena exclaimed, smiling.

Kate rolled her eyes in exasperation. "I would never let you down, sweetie," she thought. Peter wanted to laugh; her friend’s jealous face seemed a little funny, but he held it back, knowing Kate had no intention of joking.

"Well, your sister knows me very well," Wanda said with a mischievous smile that went unnoticed by the younger ones.

"Damn,right!" Natasha thought, understanding what her girlfriend meant. A naughty smile spread across her face.

Wanda, seeing her girlfriend’s naughty smile, decided to read her mind to see what she was thinking. A giggle escaped her as she read Natasha’s thoughts.

Fortunately, Wanda noticed her brother’s expression, read his mind, and saw what he was thinking. She decided it was time to change the course of the conversation if she wanted to avoid conflict.

"And how’s the training going?" Wanda asked in a general way.

“Pretty cool,” Yelena said.

"I would say they learned a lesson, right, Bishop?" Natasha said somewhat mockingly.

"Yeah, of course!" Kate exclaimed quickly; she didn't want to give Natasha a reason to hit her again.

"I learned a lot too," Peter chimed in, capturing everyone’s attention. "Nobody asked me, but I wanted to say it."

"I’m a good trainer," Yelena said humbly, shrugging. Natasha and Wanda smiled at her.

Peter pondered before speaking again. "Well… training was so much better than Kate’s, for sure."

"Ha, I’m a better trainer than you!" Yelena mocked her sister. Natasha shook her head, laughing; she was proud of her antics.

"Thanks, dude," Kate muttered sarcastically to Peter.

Both Pietro and Wanda sensed that they were missing some of the conversation. Yelena didn’t flinch, assuming Peter’s words were about her performance as a trainer; she never imagined it was due to the beating her sister had given Kate.

Natasha noticed the intriguing look on her girlfriend and, of course, she didn’t want her to know that she had beaten Kate. So now it was her turn to deflect the conversation.

"Anyway... I think that’ll be all for today," Natasha said, turning to Peter and Kate. "You can both leave."

"Thank you, Agent Romanoff," Peter was the first to respond.

"Yeah, see ya," Kate said.

"Good training, see you later," Yelena bid farewell with a slight smile.

"Great training!" Peter exclaimed, walking towards the exit. He had enjoyed that session. "See you!"

"Yes, I’ll see you!" Kate said, smiling in Yelena's direction. "I mean, I’m saying goodbye in a general way, by the way," she clarified, so Natasha had no reason to hit her in the next training session.

“Just go.” Natasha said, turning her eyes.

"See you, take care," Wanda said her goodbyes with a tender smile, like the kind moms give their children.

"Bye-bye, newbies," Pietro bid farewell to them too.

Seconds later, Kate and Peter had already left. They would surely head to their favorite living room before Peter left for his training session with Tony, but that was still several hours away.

Meanwhile, in the training room, Yelena had gone back for her precious vodka.

"Can I have my vodka now?"

"Sure, sweetie," Wanda replied.

"Training didn’t stop you from drinking," Natasha teased Yelena.

"It’s been a long time since I last drank!" Yelena retorted.

"You drank my secret stash last night."

“Yep. Like I said, a long time ago,” Yelena said, and the Maximoff twins laughed. Natasha wanted to laugh too, but she wouldn’t lose her pride that way.

"Someday you’ll grow up, I know," Natasha said.

“If you say so,” Yelena responded playfully, raising her hands in the air.

Again, the Maximoffs laughed. Natasha shook her head as she tried to hide her smile. She adored those moments with her sister.

"It’s adorable, you can’t deny it," Wanda told her girlfriend after she stopped laughing.

"I know," Natasha said, still smiling.

"I like Lena..." Pietro muttered softly.

Natasha heard what he said and gave him a murderous look. "Oh, no, Flash. Don’t even think about it." Yelena again did not notice anything, while Wanda remained assimilating what her brother just mentioned. "What...? Oh no..."Wanda thought.

"Tonight, will it be movie night too?" Yelena asked them.

"Eh..." Wanda muttered. The question took the couple by surprise. "Tonight, I can’t..."

"I can’t either. Tonight, I have a meeting with Fury and Hill, I’m sorry," Natasha responded, looking away from her sister.

"Sure..." Pietro said softly. This time Yelena did hear what Pietro said. "What did he mean?" Yelena asked herself. But she didn’t give it much thought, merely shrugging her shoulders and moving on.

"Well, another day will be," Yelena said.

"For sure, sweetie," Wanda said with a smile.

"Yes, tomorrow if you want," Natasha suggested.

"Yeah, I want to," Yelena answered, smiling, and wrinkling her nose.

"I’m invited too, right?" Pietro asked.

“Hell, no!” Natasha said somewhat hostilely.

"Of course not," Wanda added seriously.

"Why not?" Yelena asked them, confused.

"Yes, why not?" Pietro chimed in, pretending he did not know why the couple had reacted this way.

"You know why, Maximoff." Natasha said sternly.

"That’s not fair," Pietro complained. "Why? You get out..." was interrupted by Wanda.

“Pietro!”

"I just said it didn’t seem fair, that’s all," Pietro said, trying to sound as innocent as possible.

"Believe me, it’s fair," Wanda replied.

Natasha hoped that her sister wouldn't notice anything. She didn't want to explain why they didn't want Pietro with them at the movie night. But Yelena noticed they were acting weird; she just didn’t know why.

"I think I’m leaving..." Yelena said feeling confused.

"All right, be careful," Natasha said.

"See you later, sweetie," Wanda smiled at Yelena.

"Goodbye, Lena," Pietro gave a playful nod in Fred Weasley’s style. Natasha and Wanda didn’t like this at all.

"Yeah, whatever," Yelena muttered as she packed her things.

"And don’t go out with Pietro!" Natasha warned Yelena before she left the training room.

“Such a mom,” Yelena said as she put on her favorite vest.

Once Yelena left the training room, Pietro fully complained to the couple, especially Natasha.

"Romanoff, you’d be lucky to have me as an in-law," Pietro said somewhat indignantly.

"You’re almost already my in-law, you moron."

"Oh, it’s true," Pietro said, feigning amazement. "I almost forgot you’re dating MY SISTER!"

"Pietro..." Wanda warned him.

"You know? I liked the toaster better," Pietro mused. Wanda turned her eyes exasperated.

"But your sister likes me better, and that’s all that matters," Natasha said proudly.

"He certainly WOULD have let him ask his sibling out," Pietro muttered quietly, though they still heard him. Wanda stared at him looking like "What the hell are you saying?"

"Vision has no siblings."

“Smartass,” Natasha said. "And it’s a synthroid," she added. "Or do you have weird fetishes and want to date a computer or something? Because if so, I can lend you my old laptop," she said mockingly. Wanda laughed at her girlfriend’s comment.

"Ha, ha. So funny," Pietro looked at her angrily.

"Hey, you started," Natasha said.

Wanda gasped. Since her relationship with Natasha began, she and her twin brother argued about anything. Pietro was not her girlfriend’s biggest fan.

"Please stop arguing," Wanda tried to reassure them.

"But he started it!"

"She started it!"

Natasha and Pietro said at the same time. Wanda turned her eyes again exasperated.

"I asked who started it?"

"No," Pietro muttered.

"No, my love," Natasha mused.

"I thought so," Wanda smiled. "Well, I think it’s time to go. I’m sure you don’t want to be late for your meeting with Fury, love," Wanda said flirtatiously to Natasha, who smiled delightedly. Pietro made a disgusted face.

"You could wait for me to leave! Agh!"

"You’re taking too long, Брат (brother)."

"No, you and I better go. There’s a new technique I want to show you," Natasha said sensually in Wanda's ear, but loud enough for Pietro to hear. She knew that would upset Pietro more. Wanda bit her lips, partly to avoid laughing at her brother’s gagging disgust.

"You convinced me," Wanda mumbled inches from her girlfriend’s mouth.

“Ew, just go!” Pietro told them.

The couple laughed before leaving the room, holding hands.

Chapter 9: Two sides

Summary:

Peter being the #1 Bishova fan. Also, Wanda and Natasha celebrated their six months as a couple.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Peter and Kate were in their favorite common room throughout the compound, both munching on junk food while discussing how they had fared in training. Kate recounted in detail how Natasha had bested her, and Peter tried his best not to laugh at her friend’s misfortune, but it was impossible not to, especially given Kate's injuries — bruises, wounds, and a lump on her head, all signs of Kate’s unfortunate attempt to express her attraction for Yelena to her sister. It seemed like she wanted to disappear.

“How's the swelling going?” Peter asked, hanging from the ceiling as he reached for a few Doritos from the shared bag.

"Well, it hurts to breathe, but I'll survive," Kate grimaced, holding a frozen pizza box against the affected area.

"Don’t take this the wrong way, but you kind of had it coming," Peter remarked.

Kate shot him a glare; the last thing she needed at the moment was to be scolded by her 15-year-old friend. Peter swung down from where he was hanging to talk to her face to face.

"Only you would be bold enough to call Agent Romanoff your SIL!" he exclaimed. “Very Gryffindor of you.”

"It wasn't my fault; the word slipped out!" Kate defended. "Besides, Gryffindor is just my second house."

"I can understand that," Peter conceded. "But how do you explain flirting with Yelena in front of her sister? Not the cleverest move."

"It’s not my fault that Yelena stirs up those emotions in me, okay?" Kate sighed, lost in thought, recalling Yelena's impressive fight skills. "That woman is perfect..."

"And then you complain that her sister kicked your butt," Peter said, amused to see Kate lost in 'Yeleland'. "You should've seen how she handled you," Peter burst into laughter.

"Hey, it wasn’t funny!"

"Of course, it was," Peter said, continuing to chuckle. When Natasha hit Kate, he couldn’t laugh; he was more worried that his friend wasn’t seriously injured. But now, nothing would stop him from teasing her.

Kate rolled her eyes, watching Peter laugh at her. Seconds later, she tossed a coin at him to get him to stop.

"Hey! That hurt!" Peter complained, touching his left eye where the coin hit him. Now it was Kate’s turn to laugh.

“That was the point, smartass.”

"Okay, no more teasing," Peter muttered while rubbing his eye. Kate (still laughing) handed him a bag of ice, which he immediately applied to his eye. "Instead, tell me what you plan to do to get closer to Yelena."

"I don’t know... to be honest, Natasha scares me," Kate mused, still holding the frozen pizza box to her head.

"Come on, you can’t just give up," Peter encouraged her.

"But it’s not just that... did you see how Yelena and Wanda get along? They smile a lot and treat each other with a lot of affection..." Kate muttered, feeling discouraged.

"Oh, come on. That doesn’t mean anything!" Peter exclaimed. "Friends do that!"

"Wanda always calls her 'sweetie'."

"That doesn’t mean they're romantically involved," Peter interjected. Kate was about to argue, but Peter continued, anticipating what she would say. "Yeah, I know, maybe she also has a crush on Yelena, and that’s why she calls her like that; but that doesn’t prove they're a couple, just that you have more competition."

Kate sighed sadly, her insecurities creeping back in.

"There would be no competition; obviously, I would lose against Wanda..."

"Kate... we've talked about this. You're an amazing girl too. Don't self-sabotage," Peter offered her an encouraging smile.

"Did you see Yelena when Wanda arrived? She was smiling a lot; Wanda made her day by going to visit her..." Kate mused in a weakened voice.

"You heard that Yelena was discouraged because Wanda hadn’t arrived. She would obviously be glad to see her," Peter tried to reassure her. Kate looked down sadly; apparently, Peter's explanation had the opposite effect. He mentally cursed himself. “What I meant was that she was excited because Wanda kept her promise, and it’s totally normal to feel that way about a friend. The support of friends is always very nice and encourages us to continue,” Peter paused to gauge Kate's expression, which now seemed pensive. He decided to continue. “Besides, Agent Romanoff was there! If Wanda was trying something with her sister, do you think she’d let her flirt with Yelena? See how she hit you!"

"Okay, Peter has a point," Kate thought.

"You're right... although Natasha may also let Wanda get close to Yelena because they’re friends, maybe she sees her as a potential partner for her sister," Kate murmured, discouraged. Peter saw her growing more disheartened.

"I don’t think so. Agent Romanoff is very protective of her little sister, and I think she’s the kind of person who wouldn’t consider anyone worthy to date Yelena, not even her friends."

Kate pondered Peter's words again and couldn't deny that his theory made a lot of sense.

"Just don’t give up, at least not without really trying," Peter said. "Think about Yelena, come on, give it a shot," he encouraged.

Kate listened to him and began to remember the first time she saw Yelena, her smile, the way she laughed, and how amazing she looked fighting. A dreamy smile appeared on her face. Peter also smiled.

"Well? What do you feel?"

"I want to keep trying!" Kate exclaimed excitedly. Peter’s smile grew wider. "Getting closer to seeing my ship become canon," he thought to himself.

"Well said, KB!" Peter applauded excitedly. "And what will be your next move?"

"Mm... I guess talking to her more. We need to get to know each other better if I want her to like me," Kate said thoughtfully.

"I don’t think that’s difficult; the complicated thing will be not dying at the hands of Agent Romanoff in the process."

"That’s the plan! Seduce Yelena and not die trying!" Kate exclaimed excitedly. Peter laughed.

"I like that plan, seduce Yelena and don’t die trying."


~



In the tranquil embrace of the night, Wanda and Natasha found solace in a nearby park, celebrating six months of their beautiful relationship with a delightful evening picnic.

Lying on their backs, they marveled at the celestial beauty above, a moment of quiet appreciation for merely existing together.

Yet, despite this magical connection, Natasha's thoughts wandered back to her earlier conversation with Pietro. She felt uneasy about the notion of Pietro attempting to pursue Yelena.

"Do you think I should worry about Pietro trying something with Yelena?" Natasha voiced her concern, breaking the silence. Wanda gazed at her, taking a few beats to respond, understanding her brother's penchant for stirring up Natasha's emotions.

"I don’t think so, love," Wanda reassured. "I'll talk to him, don't worry," she offered a calming smile. Natasha reciprocated, though the unease remained. "Although we don't know if Yelena could be interested in him. She's only just beginning to understand her feelings, and she might not even want to explore them further."

"I know, but I still don't like the idea of Pietro trying something with my sestra. She's still too young for that, and she's barely a year free from mind control," Natasha murmured.

"You're right, Lena is just starting to live, but... I don't know, anything can happen."

"What do you mean?" Natasha asked, puzzled.

"I agree with stopping Pietro because, well, it's Pietro," Wanda began to explain. "But perhaps sooner or later, Lena might date someone, and we can't stop it."

"I know... but Lena is still too young for dating and all that. If it ever happens, I hope it's a couple of years from now. I want my sister to truly enjoy life before she starts sharing it with someone else, to fully discover herself and find her identity so that no one tries to shape her according to their preferences."

"I understand, detka. You know Lena is like my little sister, and I'd wish the same for her," Wanda responded sympathetically. "But if she wants to go out with someone, we can't prevent her from experiencing that kind of connection. It's part of living and growing."

Natasha fell into a contemplative silence, grappling with Wanda's words. Even though she was reluctant to admit it, she knew her girlfriend was right.

"So, if that day comes, we can only support her and be there for her at all times. Even if she decides never to date someone, we'll do the same. That's what family does," Wanda affirmed, offering a sincere smile. Natasha smiled back and embraced her. "Yeah, my girlfriend it’s truly perfect," Natasha whispered to herself.

"The good thing is that if that day comes, you'll be by my side, supporting me," Natasha said, hugging her. Wanda nestled comfortably against her chest, their bodies entwined.

They locked eyes, smiling at each other, basking in the immense love they shared.

"You're my person, moya lyubov," Natasha whispered, caressing one of Wanda's cheeks tenderly.

"Am I?" Wanda teased flirtatiously, heightening the tension, and other feelings.

"You are."

"And did I mention how much I love seeing you so protective?" Wanda whispered sensually into her ear, sending shivers down Natasha's spine.

Natasha could no longer resist, pulling Wanda closer and kissing her passionately. Both kissed with so much love, passion, and desire; they had yearned for this moment.

Their kisses grew louder and more fervent. Natasha's hands explored Wanda's back, slipping under her blouse. Wanda ran her fingers through Natasha's hair, feeling the intensity of their connection.

After a few minutes, they reluctantly broke the kiss.

"Time to go; we need to continue this in my room," Natasha declared, attempting to control her desires. She wanted to make love to her girlfriend right then and there, but she couldn't risk being caught.

"Then we must hurry," Wanda replied, her lips still close to Natasha's. Natasha barely restrained herself from starting another kiss; she had to wait until they were back at the compound.

They quickly packed up and mounted Natasha's motorcycle. Wanda held her tightly around the waist, and Natasha accelerated.

"Hurry, I really need you..." Wanda whispered in her ear. Natasha sped up even more; they needed to reach the compound now.

In less than five minutes, they reached the parking lot of the compound. Abandoning their belongings was a trivial matter at this point.

With caution, they entered the compound, knowing that only Pietro was privy to their relationship. They had to be discreet, especially given the circumstances.

"Friday, turn off the cameras in the elevator and the hallway to my room," Natasha instructed.

"As you say, Agent Romanoff."

As soon as Friday responded, Natasha pressed Wanda against a wall, initiating passionate kisses. Her hands roamed every part of Wanda's body, eliciting numerous moans, fueling Natasha's desire even further.

They momentarily parted to catch their breath. Natasha then turned her attention to kissing Wanda's neck with intensity.

"I can feel how much you need me," Wanda moaned.

Natasha responded by pressing herself closer to Wanda, kissing her even more fervently, which only intensified Wanda's moans.

As the elevator doors opened, they pulled away, exiting into the hallway. Natasha made sure it was empty before nearly rushing Wanda to her room.

Once Natasha locked the door, she gently placed Wanda on the bed and positioned herself carefully on top of her.

Passion ignited as they engaged in a wild, intense kiss. It wasn't long before clothes became an obstacle, starting with the red jacket Wanda had "borrowed" from Natasha the first time she visited the compound.

That night, the couple joyously celebrated their six months together with an outpouring of love and passion. Fortunately, the soundproof walls allowed them to express their love without constraint throughout the morning.

Notes:

Kate believing that Wanda is in love with Yelena, while Wanda was fucking Yelena’s older sister. Lol

Chapter 10: The next morning

Summary:

Natasha and Wanda continue to celebrate their anniversary. Meanwhile, Yelena and Kate have a small (really little) moment.

Chapter Text

The next morning Natasha was the first to wake up. As a morning person she used to have her routine well marked, so one wild night wouldn’t stop her from waking up early.

Once she arrived from her morning cardio session and took a shower, Natasha thought it was time to wake up her girlfriend. It was almost time for training, and someone could pick her up in her room, especially Yelena who used to go to her room or Wanda’s to get them and go breakfast together before training. So, they had to hurry if they didn’t want to be found there in Natasha´s room, with all the evidence of what happened the night before.

Natasha approaches the bed to watch her girlfriend, who looked completely relaxed and happy sleeping. She hated waking her up when Wanda looked so peaceful, but she had to. "How beautiful she looks... my girlfriend is perfect", Natasha thought to herself. On her face was a sincere smile of love.

"Wands..." Natasha gently moves her a little. Wanda slowly and with much heaviness opens her eyes. "You must get up, love".

"No.” Wanda says completely sleepy. She also covers her head to try to go back to sleep.

"Come on, love... it’s late and someone can come" Natasha insists. She instantly repents at the sight of Wanda suddenly straighten up with her visibly mad face.

"I’m tired and I want to sleep, Natalia."

"You can go back to sleep in your room, love," Natasha said smiling, a smile that dissolves when she notices her girlfriend’s expression. "Maybe I should have used other words..."

"Are you asking me to leave your bed?" Wanda inquires in a tone not at all pleasant. "Are you taking me out of YOUR bed? Is that what you want, Romanoff?"

"No... of course not" Natasha says as she steps back a few steps back." You know I didn’t mean that, moya lyubov'a".

"Then explain yourself."

"It’s a little late, love". Natasha begins to explain. Wanda raises her eyebrow as if to imply that she expects a much better explanation than that. " It’s time for breakfast, Yelena can come in to find me and she shouldn’t find out about us like this..."

"Okay, I forgive you," Wanda says. Natasha smiles at her girlfriend, though she’s still cranky from being woken up so early. " But now that you mention it, we still need to talk about it. We must not let more time pass, Nataska" Wanda says the last word she said in her perfect Sokovian accent she knew drove Natasha crazy.

"I know... soon we will, moya lyubov'a " Natasha smiles at her and now Wanda smiles back. "But not yet".

"Of course, not right now, I must go back to sleep. Then we can do whatever you want," Wanda says to her girlfriend. Natasha raises an eyebrow as she hears her girlfriend’s last words. "Don’t start, Nataska... I haven’t finished recovering from last night and you want to fuck me again," she warns, causing Natasha to laugh.

"All right, love," Natasha says. "Better tell me, what do you think about sleeping after joining us for training?" she says, still smiling.

"And what will you give me if I go?" Wanda inquiries with a naughty smile.

"Whatever you wish..." Natasha flirtatiously as she approaches her girlfriend again.

"I think you know what I want" Wanda says to his ear with her best sexy sokovian accent. Natasha bristles instantly. Wanda smiles enough to feel his girlfriend’s reaction. "You know what? Like suddenly it gave me a lot of energy, maybe we should go to my room... don’t you think, Nataska?"

"Your wishes are my orders, moya lyubov". Natasha says in Wanda's ear, then bite it and start a kissing path to her girlfriend’s neck. Wanda began to moan as the kisses intensified and descended further.

"Nat... we must go now..." Wanda says with moans. Especially when she feels the excitement of her girlfriend.

A few seconds later Natasha stops her actions and gets out of bed. She walks into her closet and pulls out one of her big sleeping shirts and her pyjama robe.

"Here, just put this on to go to your room. It will be quicker to take off your clothes..." Natasha tells her tending to Wanda the garments, who very smiling gets up from the bed and quickly gets dressed.

"I’m ready, love" Wanda says smiling, Natasha smiles back.

"Let me see if there is anyone in the hallway, give me a sec" Natasha told her before leaving the room.

Wanda’s room was on one floor before Natasha’s, so they would have to use the elevator or stairs to get there. Natasha just had to make sure there was no one in her floor since if anyone saw Wanda walking down those aisles in a pyjama robe it would be weird... so they had to be as discreet as possible.

A minute later Natasha returns to her room.

"All clear, just don’t take long to get to the elevator" Natasha told her as soon as she opened the door. "Go ahead and catch up in less than five minutes".

"Okay but let me take something for the way" Wanda tells her before kissing her passionately for less than a minute, which just made Natasha want more, much more.

"Don’t be long, I’ll see you in less than five minutes," Wanda said flirtatiously before peering down the aisle and then practically running to the elevator.

Natasha sighed in frustration, that kiss just turn on her much more than she already was. So, she spends the next five minutes eagerly looking at the clock to see if it’s time to go to her lover’s room.

When the time finally passed, she could not help but let out a cry of happiness. Natasha left her room trying to look more normal, when inside she just wanted to return to Wanda's arms to make her moan her name a little more.

~

Meanwhile, in another part of the compound, Peter and Kate were moving through the corridors towards their training with the Russian sisters. Both were talking about the plan, "seduce Yelena and not die in the attempt", of which they had spoken so much the day before. Peter (as the good friend he is) was motivating Kate to put the brilliant plan into action.

"What’s the plan?" Peter asked.

"Seduce Yelena and don’t die tryingt!" Kate replied excitedly.

"Well said! " Peter said excitedly. He already imagined being the best man at his friends' wedding.

When they least expected it, both had already reached the entrance of the training room.

"Well, it’s time..." Kate sighed sharply.

"You can, KB," Peter encouraged her.

Kate smiled at him more calmly and after arming herself with more courage, she finally opened the door.

Yelena was alone in the training room in an impromptu boxing routine since five in the morning. The night before she had nightmares about the Red Room again. She could no longer sleep, so she decided to get up much earlier than planned and go straight to her sister’s training room.

The image of Yelena boxing is something that Kate could only describe as "so fucking hot".

The blonde was sweaty, with her clothes somewhat glued to her body for the same reason, her arms looked stronger and more marked than normal (probably because she had been boxing for hours) and her face looked so concentrated while repeatedly hitting the sack.

"Wow..." Kate whispered, still totally fascinated.

On the other hand, Peter was concerned about his friend’s integrity. The poor boy feared that Agent Romanoff would find Kate looking at Yelena completely dull, something that evidently would not end well for the young archer.

"At least pretend you’re not drooling," Peter whispers a little desperate. "Agent Romanoff can see you!"

Yelena was still very focused on her own things, undeterred by the presence of her teammates, so Kate also did not stop seeing her amazed, ignoring the advice of her friend.

"She’s amazing..." Kate said after watching Yelena kick so hard the box sack, flying it away from where it hung. Apparently at some point the blonde step from normal boxing to kickboxing.

But Kate’s attitude only managed to worry Peter more, he felt that at any moment Kate would be tackled by Natasha.

When Yelena came to pick up the box bag, she realized she was no longer the only one in the training room.

"Hey... someone finally arrives," Yelena says upon noticing the presence of both.

Yelena was calmer and more cheerful, apparently that last sack kick was just what she needed to calm down. Of course, it was also good to see her teammates, especially a certain archer... but the blonde did not know why, at least not yet...

"Yes... we hope we didn’t interrupt your routine," Peter said shyly shrugging.

"Oh no, not at all”, Yelena said as she put on her favourite vest. "I was just killing time until someone arrived."

"And Agent Romanoff?" Peter asked, seeing everywhere. "We thought she would be here".

"Same thought, she’s never late," Yelena said. Peter smiled; luck was on Kate’s side. "She probably had a meeting again today and that’s why she hasn’t arrived. I don’t think it will take long to arrive".

"Kate, can you believe it?" Peter asked excitedly. But Kate didn’t respond, she was still stunned by the scene of Yelena training. "Kate?" Peter said again, but Kate still didn’t answer. "Kate!"

Kate finally noticed Peter talking to her.

“Huh?”

"Agent Romanoff is not here" Peter repeated to her as he looked at Yelena, as saying "GET THE PLAN GOING".

“So?” Kate said without understanding what Peter was trying to say.

"YELENA’S SISTER IS NOT HERE" Peter repeated, but now emphasizing every word.

"Oh... Natasha isn’t here…" Kate said when she finally got the hint.

Yelena saw them confused; she did not understand the behaviour of her teammates.

"Will it take her so much?" Kate asked Yelena a little shy. The archer wanted to know how much time she had to start implementing her plan.

"I don’t know, she’s probably in a meeting or something." Yelena responded.

"That’s great!" Kate exclaimed completely excited, earning a curious look from Yelena, and a 'face palm' from Peter. "I-I m-mean… so we can get to know each other better..."

"Yeah, you know..." Peter added to help Kate, "we’re a team and we hardly know each other... well, we hardly know you".

"Exactly, that’s what I meant," Kate said.

Yelena saw them both for a couple of seconds before shrugging.

"I guess you’re right" Yelena agreed. Peter and Kate smiled relieved.

"Actually, today we should train together, just you and me" Kate said, putting into action her plan. "You know, to get to know us better", Kate gives at Yelena her best "flirty, but discreet" smile.

"Yes!" Peter exclaimed excitedly. "It would be fair since I worked with you yesterday," he said directly to Yelena.

"Sure, it’s fine with me," Yelena said with a faint smile.

Kate and Peter smiled in complicity; the plan was working so well.

"I will ask Natasha as soon as she arrives," Yelena added, causing her teammates to stop smiling.

"Or we can start now..." Kate said trying not to sound desperate. She finally had the chance to get closer to Yelena, she won’t miss the opportunity.

"I can go wait for your sister on the other side of the room, I have no problem with that" Peter added instantly.

"There is no hurry to start training, we can also continue talking ", Yelena tells them. She also wanted to know them more, she wanted to make friends with them.

"I think it’s a fantastic idea," Kate said smiling. She liked that idea more.

“Yeah, me too”, Peter said excitedly.

"By the way..." Kate said looking directly at Yelena. "You were amazing at the fight you had yesterday with Natasha," she adds smiling broadly.

"Aw... thank you, Kate Bishop" Yelena thanked, giving her a beautiful sincere smile.

Kate smiles even more broadly and celebrates internally; "I made her smile! Point to Bishop!"

"You’ll see that soon you will kick Barton’s ass too”, Yelena encouraged Kate.

"And if you train me, I will learn so much better," Kate said in a flirtatious tone.

Peter smiled excitedly at Kate and Yelena’s interaction.

"Of course! I’m a great teacher, aren’t I, Peter?" Yelena said, without noticing Kate’s subtle flirtation.

"Sure, the best" Peter answered simply.

"That's right, and I want to learn from the best" Kate said (again) flirting subtly.

"Great! I’ll train you," Yelena said smiling. Kate smiled back, totally excited.

Peter was dying of excitement; he was about ready to start planning the wedding.

"But I still have to consult it with Nat." Yelena reminded them.

"But you’re the leader of our team." Peter was the first to disagree.

“Yep, I am”.

"Then, why are we waiting for Natasha?" Kate said somewhat confused.

"This it's my sestra's class and she is in charge, we must consult everything with her," Yelena explained.

"What if she says no?" Kate asked fearfully.

"Why would she say no?" Yelena said blankly.

"I-I d-don’t know..." Kate said nervously. "Maybe Clint asked her to keep an eye on me or something like that..." she lied. Obviously, she wouldn’t tell her the real reason.

"Oh, fuck Barton" Yelena said a little annoying. "Now with even more reason I'm going to train you!" she added. Yelena still didn’t like Clint.

“I don’t complain”, Kate muttered with a naughty smile. Peter laughed.

Peter and Kate smiled excitedly. That was a breakthrough!

"I think I’ll go find Natasha. I don’t know why she takes so long”, Yelena said after a while.

"Sure, it’s fine," Peter said.

"Yeah, in the meantime we can stretch," Kate added.

Kate and Peter had to talk about the breakthrough she had had with Yelena. They were both excited.

"That seems fine to me, Kate Bishop." Yelena answered with a smile. "I won’t be long".

Once Yelena left the training room, Peter and Kate whooped with happiness.

"Nothing bad, Kate!" Peter congratulated her.

"IT WAS AWESOME!" Kate said excitedly. "If I continue like this, soon we will be girlfriends".

"Exactly!" Peter agreed. "Besides, training with Yelena will make everything easier".

"I know it!"

"Just keep her sister from discovering you... you’re too young to die."

"Don’t worry" Kate gestured. "Discretion is my middle name".

“Oh, boy”, Peter mumbled. "In that case, I’ll bring purple flowers to your funeral".

Kate frowns and Peter laughs.

"Oh, come on! You have to admit that discretion isn’t your thing, that’s why you almost died yesterday at the hands of Agent Romanoff."

"Don’t even remind me... I still feel the blows on my body," Kate muttered, causing Peter to laugh more. The archer turns her eyes funny, if it weren’t for her being hit, she would be laughing too. "Stop laughing, Parker. We better to start stretching, I told Yelena that we would do and that we will do".

"Awww" Peter said mockingly. "You are not girlfriends yet and you do everything Yelena tells you".

Kate couldn’t help but laugh this time.

“Guilty”, Kate said proudly. "We talk about Yelena Belova, the White Widow! Without thinking I would do everything Yelena asked me".

Peter smiled as he listened to his friend. He had only recently met Kate and during the first weeks of meeting her he saw her dating several girls. Seeing her friend so excited with Yelena, was just a wonderful thing to see.

Chapter 11: Yelena knows

Summary:

Yelena discovered Natasha and Wanda's secret.

Chapter Text


Yelena was walking down the hallways towards her sister's room. Her first stop had been the conference room, but there was no one there. Then she went to look for Natasha in the dining room, but she only found Steve and Bucky, who told her they hadn't seen her all day and that Natasha was probably still in her room. So that's where she would go.

Upon arriving at the room, she knocked on the door a couple of times, but getting no response, she decided to enter.

"Natasha?" she called out as she entered the room. "Sestra, are you here?"

She ventured further into the room, her instincts told her she should go there.

"Nat?" she tried again. She noticed that there was a mess of clothes scattered on the floor of the room. Maybe Natasha had an urgent mission and couldn't find the right clothes to wear... but if that were the case, Steve would have told her, and Natasha would have informed her. Something was off, it was evident.

Amongst the chaos on the floor, Yelena spotted something that caught her attention. She approached to get a closer look and picked it up—it was a red jacket.

"This can't be..." she muttered, looking at the jacket in disbelief. A flashback hit her at that moment.

"I don't have a very large closet, sweetie, but if you want, I can lend you anything you like," Wanda told Yelena on their first day at the compound. She didn't have many belongings yet, so Wanda had taken her to her room to show her where her clothes were and offer her some items.

"Thank you so much, Wands," Yelena said with a smile.

"You're welcome, sweetie. That's what best friends are for," Wanda replied in the same manner. Yelena was very happy, she was finally reunited with her sister and now had a best friend too. Things were going quite well. "So, do you see anything you like?"

Yelena looked at each of the items in the closet. While Wanda didn't have bad taste, her style didn't quite match the one Yelena was starting to develop. Then her gaze fell on one particular piece. "Cool," the blonde thought to herself.

"Can I borrow your red jacket? It looks really cool!"

"Yes, it's quite cool," Wanda muttered, pausing briefly. "But I can't lend it to you, sweetie," she added apologetically.
"Why?"

Wanda fell silent for a moment, remembering the story behind that red jacket. Without a doubt, it was her favorite. It had been ever since she got it.

"Someone very special gave me that jacket," Wanda murmured, smiling as she remembered that 'someone very special’. "Well, actually, I took it from someone very special," she mumbled more to herself than to Lena. "Anyway, that jacket is very special to me... so I only wear it when I go on dates with my significant other..."

Yelena smiled for her best friend's happiness. Not long ago, Wanda had told her that she was dating someone, although she hadn't said who it was, only that they made her incredibly happy.

"I didn't know you were so romantic," Yelena said in a teasing tone.

"It's easy to be when you're with the love of your life," Wanda replied simply and sincerely.

"I can't wait to meet the person who makes you feel this way!" Yelena exclaimed, excited for her friend but frustrated by not knowing who she was dating. "When will you introduce us?"

That question left Wanda silent for a moment. She felt terribly guilty for not being able to tell Lena yet, but she knew that decision had to be made together with her girlfriend.

"I hope it will be soon, sweetie," she murmured. Yelena sighed.

"Okay... but promise me I'll be the first to know!" Wanda smiled, feeling more at ease. That was something she could do.

"I promise you'll be the first, sweetie."


Yelena was lost in that memory while still holding the jacket in her hands.

"Why should this be here? The only option would be... no... it can't be," she refused to even say it. She didn't want to think that both her sister and her best friend had kept something so important from her, she simply rejected the idea. But her mind played a trick on her.

More flashbacks started coming to Yelena, memories that now began to make more sense.

They were still in Norway, on a typical summer day, and all they had decided that night would be for watching movies. The theme was classic American rom-coms, the best of late '90s and early '00s cinema.

Yelena, Natasha, and Wanda were sitting on the big couch, while Pietro was on a nearby bean bag. They had already watched 'Freaky Friday' and 'The Parent Trap,' and now they were watching '10 Things I Hate About You.' They were at the part where Kat talked to Bianca about her past with Joey and why she acted the way she did. Natasha watched the scene intently while eating her ice cream, but Yelena noticed how Wanda was staring at her sister's lips. Instead of thinking that Wanda wanted to kiss Natasha, what Yelena thought was, "Does Wanda like Nat's lipstick? It's hardly noticeable now because of all the ice cream she's eaten... but well, it's still visible. That's probably why Wands want one like it."

The night went on, and Yelena didn't pay any more attention to what she had seen. She didn't see why she should.


Another memory came to her mind after that.

Weeks after their movie night, the small group was in a training routine. Just because they were on "vacation" didn't mean they could stop training, quite the opposite—they had to stay as sharp as possible.

They were training in pairs, with Natasha and Wanda together, so Yelena ended up training with Pietro. The two of them got along quite well, they were both pranksters and would tease their siblings whenever they could. But Yelena didn't have the same bond with him as she did with Wanda. With her, she had that special sisterly connection.

Yelena laughed after knocking down Pietro, who made a displeased expression from the floor. The blonde thought it was because of his fall, but in reality, it was because of what Pietro had heard and she hadn't.

Natasha and Wanda were also practicing takedowns, and at that moment, Wanda was lying on the ground with Natasha on top of her.

"You have no idea how much I love having you beneath me," Natasha whispered softly, but not softly enough for Pietro not to hear.

"And I love having you on top of me," Wanda replied in the same manner.

Pietro quickly got up from the floor, covering his ears. The last thing he wanted was to hear about his sister's sex life. Yelena laughed at his reaction, completely oblivious to what was happening just a few meters away.

"What's the matter, Flash? Didn't you see that I would take you down?" she taunted.

"It's not because of that," he replied, still with his hands over his ears. “It's because of that," Pietro nodded his head in the direction of their sisters.

But the scene Yelena saw was one where her sister and Wanda were just looking at each other, talking, and laughing. She couldn't hear what they were saying, she could only see that they were having a good time.

"They're such good friends," Yelena said, amused. Pietro looked at her exasperatedly. It was unbelievable that she hadn't noticed what was going on.
Yelena also remembered many instances where she noticed certain looks they exchanged, how they looked at each other and hugged after not seeing each other for several hours, how they gazed at each other with such attentiveness. And well, now she knows it was also with love.


After recalling more situations like that, another moment came to Yelena's mind, one that was much more revealing than all the others.

A week after arriving at the compound and after that conversation Yelena had with Wanda about the red jacket, Wanda was going on a date with her significant other. Yelena was taking a walk around the compound grounds, nothing out of the ordinary up until that moment. Then she saw Wanda rushing out of the compound, her date must have arrived to pick her up. Yelena approached to see if she could catch a glimpse of her friend's partner and nearly stumbled when she saw Wanda getting into the car with Natasha. She didn't see much more as her sister started the car and they disappeared from her view.

"Oh... I'm sure Wanda's date couldn't come to pick her up or was afraid to come to the compound," Yelena said amusedly. "My sister sure knows how to be a great friend, she'll probably give Wanda a ride to her date so she doesn't have to take a taxi." And without further ado, Yelena continued her walk as if nothing happened.
Finally, the memory of the previous day when she asked both of them if that night would also be a movie night. Their reactions, how quickly they said they couldn't, Pietro's reaction now made sense too. He knew that Natasha and Wanda were a couple, which is why he made those comments that she didn't understand yesterday. Yelena sighed heavily, she didn't want to believe that Wanda's significant other was none other than her sister. She simply refused to accept it. But she couldn't continue denying it after connecting all the dots—the evidence was undeniable.


The betrayal and pain she felt now that she had uncovered everything were indescribable. She never thought that her two closest people would hide something so important from her, something they practically flaunted in her face every day without any intention of telling her.

"Those cykas lied to me."

Yelena now just wanted to be alone, but she had to go back to the training room. She had promised Kate Bishop that she would help her, and she would do it no matter what.

She knew how to keep her word.

Chapter 12: The red jacket

Summary:

Yelena confronts Natasha and Wanda.

Chapter Text


Meanwhile, Natasha and Wanda were finally making their way to the training room. Their post-anniversary celebration had gone on much longer than they had anticipated, but neither of them regretted it.

"It's already late, I hope Lena is still there," Wanda murmured, feeling a bit guilty.

"Me too," Natasha said. "But if she's not, we can always go back to your room..." she teased her.

"Nataska!" Wanda exclaimed, her cheeks turning slightly red, afraid that someone might have overheard her girlfriend's suggestive remarks.

"That wasn't a 'no'," Natasha whispered mischievously. Wanda raised an eyebrow at her. "Okay, maybe later... for now, we need to hurry, Witchy."

Without further ado, they pressed on, remaining mostly silent as they made their way, being careful not to utter anything that could expose them.

Meanwhile, in the training room, Peter and Kate were discussing their plan to "Seduce Yelena and not die in the process". Peter continued his role as a good friend (and as Captain of Bishova Ship), encouraging Kate as much as he could, something she greatly appreciated.

"Training with Yelena will give you the most direct and straightforward path," Peter commented cheerfully. "Agent Romanoff still hasn't arrived, so you'll still have time to flirt with Yelena without getting killed in the process."

"I know!" Kate exclaimed excitedly. "I hope all my experience pays off for this, although with Yelena, nothing is the same. Just seeing her makes me so nervous..."

"You'll do great, you just need to focus, that's all," he encouraged her. "And of course, not let her sister find out, I think that would be the most important thing."

"Don't worry, discretion is my middle name," Kate said confidently. Peter looked at her incredulously.

"In that case, I'll bring purple flowers to your funeral," Peter commented jokingly. Kate frowned, which only made Peter burst into laughter.

Kate had a lot to thank Odin for not saying anything else after Peter started laughing because at that moment, both Natasha and Wanda entered the room.

"Oh, I see you're already here," Natasha said when she spotted them. As if by magic, Peter stopped laughing.

"Hello, guys," Wanda greeted cheerfully.

"Agent Romanoff, Miss Maximoff, good day," Peter greeted politely.

"Hey..." Kate murmured without much enthusiasm. The arrival of Natasha and Wanda (especially this last one) was not good for her plan. She wouldn't be able to make any moves unless she wanted to be punched by Romanoff.

"Have you seen Yelena?" Natasha asked them after searching the room for her sister and not finding her.

"Yes, she was here when we arrived," Kate replied. Natasha gave her one of her best deadly looks, not at all pleased that her sister was alone with the archer.

"And where did she go?" she asked, a bit sternly, but not enough to raise suspicions in Wanda.

"She went to look for you, Agent Romanoff," Peter intervened to help Kate. Wanda and Natasha looked at each other, fortunate not to have been caught in the act.

"Fine. Then she shouldn't take long to come back," Natasha replied after a while.

"If you want, I can go find her, Nat," Wanda offered with a kind smile.

"No!" Kate exclaimed instantly, earning a curious look from the newcomers and an exasperated one from Peter. "I mean... she shouldn't take long to come back," Kate muttered, trying to sound convincing. Natasha looked at her curiously, analyzing her, which only increased Kate's nervousness.

"Kate is right," Peter said, drawing attention to himself. "Yelena left a while ago and shouldn't take long to return, especially because she must have noticed that you’re not anywhere," he added, a bit nervous, fearing that Natasha would realize he was lying. Fortunately for him (and especially for Kate), Yelena appeared through the entrance door. "Look, there she comes!" he pointed towards Yelena approaching. Her expression was far from happy, she seemed upset about something, not at all like the happy face she had before leaving.

"Hi, sweetie," Wanda greeted her with that affectionate tone she always used with Yelena. Kate rolled her eyes in jealousy.

But Wanda didn't get a response, Yelena only gave her a brief glance that was far from affectionate, unlike the usual ones she gave her. This puzzled everyone present, especially the couple who knew perfectly well what the relationship between Yelena and Wanda was like.

"Sestra, it's good to see you finally," Natasha said in a friendly tone. But she didn't get a response either, she received the same look from her sister.

"Is something wrong, Lena?" Wanda inquired after a few seconds.

"Sestra, are you okay?" Natasha also asked.

Once again, she looked at both of them with that stern gaze, which only intrigued the couple even more. Both Peter and Kate had noticed that something was going on and felt a little uncomfortable witnessing it.

"Lena?" Natasha tried again.

"We need to start training, let's go," Yelena finally replied after several long seconds. Natasha and Wanda looked at her, knowing that Yelena had something, but they didn't know what it was, and it worried them.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Wanda asked her.

"Nothing, Wanda," she muttered coldly. "We need to train."

Wanda felt a pain in her chest, Yelena had never spoken to her in that way. Natasha looked at her sister reproachfully, knowing that her words had hurt her girlfriend.

On the other hand, Peter felt really uncomfortable witnessing all of this, just like Kate, except the latter was also truly astonished by the way Yelena had spoken to Wanda.

"If that's what you want, fine." Natasha said sternly after an awkward silence. "Bishop, let 's go."

"Huh..." Kate murmured uncomfortably.

"No, she's coming with me." Yelena said harshly.

"Of course not, she's coming with me." Natasha responded in the same manner. "Bishop, let 's go."

"I wasn't asking."

Natasha's features hardened, she was visibly upset but wouldn't lose control, at least not yet. The rest looked at her in amazement, they had never heard anyone speak to the formidable Agent Romanoff like that before.

"Please, both of you, stop," Wanda muttered, intervening, afraid that the sisters would start a violent fight at any moment. Neither of them had much self-control.

"Yelena, I will train with your sister, no problem," Kate also intervened, her voice betraying the fear she felt.

"Yes, we can continue training as we were," Peter added, also fearful. "There really is no problem."

"No." Yelena said with an icy voice. "She won't tell me what to do."

"It's my class, and I decide what to do." Natasha retorted in the same manner. Yelena gave her sister a mocking look before speaking again.

"Top 1 of things I don't give a shit about."

Kate and Peter were left dumbfounded, their eyes and mouths agape in astonishment, they never could have imagined Yelena saying such a thing.

Natasha lost her self-control, she approached her sister determined to start a fight with her. She wouldn't allow Yelena to continue with such insolent behavior. Yelena was ready to start the fight, she also wanted to hit her sister.

"Enough!" exclaimed Wanda, annoyed, before the fight began. Natasha stopped in her tracks, sighed, and slowly moved away from her sister.

"You stay out of this, Maximoff." Yelena replied in a hostile tone. Wanda looked at her with a mixture of astonishment, pain, and sadness; her best friend had never spoken to her like that before. The little self-control that Natasha had left after her girlfriend's intervention vanished as soon as her sister muttered those words.

"Oh no!" Natasha raised her voice as she resumed her path towards her sister. "You don't talk to Wanda like that!"

"Nat, honey... please calm down," Wanda intervened again, her voice sounding somewhat broken. Natasha stopped and looked at her girlfriend; all she wanted to do now was comfort her since she seemed deeply affected by Yelena's behavior.

"Come on, sestra. Listen to her," Yelena said mockingly.

Kate and Peter exchanged looks of astonishment and discomfort, now they really wanted to leave. Although Kate wouldn't lie that she didn't like that side of Yelena, so... daring, to put it mildly.

"That's enough!" Natasha exclaimed, tired of her sister's behavior. "Bishop, Parker, get out of here!"

"Yeah... goodbye..." Kate murmured before gathering her things and leaving the room.

"Uh... see you..." Peter said as he followed his friend's actions.

Both hurried to leave that tense and uncomfortable atmosphere as soon as possible. They didn't want to be there any longer; they needed to give them space to work out whatever they had.

"They're gone..." Wanda murmured softly.

"What the hell is your problem, Yelena?!" Natasha demanded, very angry.

"You and Wanda are the damn fucking problem!" Yelena exclaimed with a voice that was torn, betrayed, and upset.

The couple reacted differently to what Yelena had said. Wanda was stunned, expecting the worst, sensing that perhaps, just perhaps, Yelena already knew about her relationship with her sister. Natasha, on the other hand, was filled with anger, and that idea didn't even cross her mind.

"What do you mean?" Wanda dared to inquire, her voice trembling. Yelena stared at her with a still hard and resentful expression but remained silent.

"If it's because we couldn't watch movies last night, let me tell you that..." But Natasha couldn't finish her sentence as she was interrupted by her sister.

"No, it's not about that."

Natasha continued to gaze at her with her annoyed expression, but now she was also confused. Wanda was becoming more certain about Yelena's behavior, fearing she was right, yet she resisted reading her mind. She wouldn't do that in the situation they were in.

"Then?" Wanda tried again. "W-what did we do?"

Yelena didn't answer; instead, she threw her red jacket at Wanda. Natasha opened her eyes in surprise, with the thought "She knows" running through her mind. Wanda closed her eyes and sighed heavily; this was exactly what she feared.

"Wh-where did you find it?" Wanda muttered, knowing the answer but needing extra confirmation.

"On the floor of Natasha's room."

The couple exchanged glances, feeling terribly guilty about how Yelena had discovered their relationship.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Yelena asked, her voice stern. Both Wanda and Natasha fell silent, they didn't know what to say as they were still processing everything. Yelena let out a bitter laugh. "I don't know how I didn't see it before. It was pretty obvious."

"In our defense, you're pretty slow at noticing those kinds of things," Natasha remarked, earning a harsh look from both her girlfriend and sister.

"You're not helping, Natalia," Wanda scolded her. Yelena sighed wearily, she didn't want to continue dealing with the couple, at least not on that day.

"Whatever, I'm out," Yelena said, once again capturing the attention of the couple. "I don't want to have anything to do with both of you." She turned to leave the training room but stopped upon hearing her best friend's voice.

"Sweetie, please stay... we need to talk," Wanda whispered, her voice pleading.

"Sestra... I swear we were going to tell you," Natasha added.

"When? On the day of the wedding?" Yelena sarcastically retorted.

"We were going to do it these past few days... we were just talking about it earlier..." Wanda murmured. Yelena smiled ironically.

"How convenient."

"Sestra, it's true... it's just that we couldn't find the right moment to tell you, but of course, we were going to. You both mean a lot to us, of course, you had to know," Natasha said, completely sincere. Yelena remained silent for a few seconds as she processed her sister's words.

"How long have you been together?" Yelena inquired after the pause. The couple looked at each other fearfully, they knew they had to answer truthfully but were afraid it would only make Yelena angrier.

"A couple of months..." Wanda murmured softly.

"A couple of months? Like two or three?" Yelena asked.

"It'll be a year in July..." Natasha added, not wanting to mention the exact number of months.

"What?" Yelena said in a faint voice. Her expression turned sadder, now it was more sadness than anger that she felt. "You've been together for six months, and you couldn't tell me?! You couldn't find the right moment in SIX DAMN MONTHS?!"

Wanda lowered her gaze in shame, not knowing what to say to make her best friend feel any less hurt. Meanwhile, Natasha discreetly wiped away a tear that had escaped down her face. She had only seen her sister like this once before and knew exactly what feelings she was experiencing: betrayal, sadness, disappointment, and anger. Almost the same feelings they had when they both discovered that Melina was behind the mind control.

"All this time, I thought I was finally living a life free of deceit, a happy life..." Yelena muttered, overwhelmed. "You were my friend," she said, devastated, looking directly at Wanda. Wanda turned to her with guilt, remorse, and sadness. "The closest thing I've had to a best friend, to another sister..." she added after a painful pause. "These past few months of my life, almost the same time I've lived free from mind control... all this time, you've been lying to me..." She sighed heavily, trying to control the tears that wanted to pour out of her eyes. "Neither of you cared enough to tell me the truth..." she added with a broken voice, forced to pause again to prevent herself from crying even more than she already was. "All this time, I thought you were my friend, but it's not true. You just wanted to please your girlfriend's little sister."

"That's not true, Lena..." Wanda murmured, her voice also broken, her eyes red from the tears she couldn't hold back. "My friendship with you has always been sincere, I swear! I never used you to get closer to Natasha or to please her..."

"Sincere friendship while you were hiding something so important from me?" Yelena interrupted, her voice filled with sarcasm and pain. "What a way to show it."

Wanda didn't say anything, there was nothing in that moment that could make Yelena feel better, so she just looked away with guilt. Yelena stared at her action, not saying anything more to her. Yelena’s attention was now focused on her older sister.

"And you?" she murmured as best she could after a not-so-long pause. "I thought things would be different this time." Natasha averted her gaze, she couldn't bear the disappointed look Yelena was giving her. "You, more than anyone, know what I've been through, that my whole life has been a deception..." She made a brief pause to hold back her tears. "Or is it that I'm not important enough in your life to know something so significant?" she asked, hurt, with vulnerability, disappointment, and sadness. Natasha looked at her with teary eyes, feeling terrible for making her little sister feel this way. "That would explain why Pietro knows and I don't, wouldn't it?" Yelena was overwhelmed, several tears already streaming down her face without control.

"It's not because of that, sestra, I swear..." Natasha murmured as best she could, also crying. "Things aren't like that, everything has an explanation..." she said, trying to approach her sister to hug her, but Yelena quickly evaded her.

"Don't touch me," she muttered angrily before turning around to leave the room.

"Lena... come back, please," Natasha spoke to her in a faint voice. Wanda let out a loud sob.

"No." Yelena replied sternly, not stopping her walk and without looking back at her sister.

Seeing her leave, both Natasha and Wanda ceased holding back their intense crying. They felt terrible for making someone as close to them as Yelena feel hurt, for hurting their little sister.

"I have to fix this," Natasha muttered through her tears.

"We have to, love, we're a team after all..." Wanda murmured as she embraced her girlfriend to comfort her.

They would find a way to fix everything, they had to.

Chapter 13: Sorting things out

Summary:

Natasha and Wanda try to mend things with Yelena, but before that, Kate manages to get closer to the girl of her dreams.

Chapter Text


Meanwhile, elsewhere in the compound, Peter and Kate had decided to go to their favorite common room to spend some time while they waited for their next training session to begin. They made their way there in an uncomfortable silence, trying to process what had happened a few minutes ago.

"That was really weird," Peter broke the silence.

"I know, I never thought Yelena would talk to Natasha like that," Kate responded after a short pause, "or to Wanda..."

"Yeah, I know!" Peter agreed. "For a moment, I thought they were going to start fighting or something."

"Well... they were going to start fighting, but Wanda stopped it," Kate recalled the events. "It was really strange..."

"What do you think happened to Yelena?"

"I don't know... she was fine until she went to look for Natasha, and when she came back, she was like that. I could tell something had really bothered her, although she tried to act normal until she couldn't hold it anymore," Kate replied thoughtfully.

"Maybe she got upset because her sister was late, and then she couldn't find her when she went to look for her. Maybe she's not a fan of being late," Peter spoke quickly, as he often does when trying to explain something. However, Kate understood him well, as she often spoke in a similar manner.

"Yeah, I guess that could be it," Kate murmured, still lost in thought. "But that doesn't explain why she was also FURIOUS with Wanda," she emphasized the word 'furious.'

"Good point, I noticed that too," Peter started thinking about why Yelena reacted that way. He needed answers, and he knew his friend did too.

"Yelena always looks happy when she sees her, she always smiles at her and calls her 'Wands'," Kate added. "But this time, she looked at her and treated her VERY differently, she even referred to her as 'Wanda' or 'Maximoff'."

"Maybe it's because Miss Wanda was with her sister or something," Peter mused after analyzing the context a bit more.

"Do you think Yelena was jealous because her sister was with Wanda?" Kate asked with a tinge of sadness, her face showing concern and a hint of sadness.

"No, no, no! Of course not!" Peter quickly replied, gesturing with his hands and shaking his head. "I didn't mean that!" But his response didn't change Kate's expression. "What I was trying to say is that maybe Yelena didn't like having her time with her sister taken away, so she might get upset when someone does just that," he explained. Kate's expression calmed down, her friend had a valid point.

"That could be, it makes sense," she agreed. Peter smiled in relief. "Whatever it is, I just hope Yelena is okay..."

"I don't think she's doing well," Peter murmured. His gaze was fixed on the hallway that connected the rest of the complex to the living room.

"Why do you say that?" Kate asked, confused by her friend's response.

"Because here comes Yelena, and she doesn't look too good..." he discreetly pointed towards the hallway where Yelena was walking towards them, well, towards the common room. Kate, almost like in a horror movie, turned to see where Peter was pointing.

Yelena reached the common room, but she didn't notice that her teammates were also there. Her gaze was fixed ahead, although it was clear that she was dissociated from everything around her.

Peter and Kate could see the trace of tears on Yelena's face as they watched her pass by. Kate's heart ached seeing the girl she cared about in such a state, she had never seen her like this and couldn't help but want to go and hit those who had made her feel this way.

"Try talking to her," Peter whispered to Kate. Yelena was still dissociated, but she was probably in autopilot mode as she appeared to be searching for something in the refrigerator, possibly a bottle of vodka.

"Yelena, hey..." Kate murmured with the calmest and most pleasant voice she could muster, capturing Yelena's attention. "Do you need anything?"

"Oh, Kate Bishop..." Yelena muttered, running her hands through her hair, as if trying to hide her embarrassed face. "I didn't know you were here."

"Can we help you with something?" Peter asked.

"No... I'm fine, thank you."

"Do you want some water to calm down?" Kate offered softly.

"Yes... I guess that would be okay," Yelena accepted, her gaze still somewhat lost. All Kate wanted to do was approach her and hug her, reassuring her that everything would be okay.

"I'll bring it to you, won't be long," Peter quickly responded. Yelena didn't reply, so she probably wouldn't notice Peter leaving to another living room to get her water. "Talk to her," he whispered to Kate before leaving.

Peter left Kate alone with Yelena. She wasn't quite sure what to do, but she knew she wanted to make Yelena feel better, to calm her down and let her know that everything would be okay. So, she decided that maybe the best way to approach her was by opening up a little, making her feel comfortable so she could help soothe her.

"Yelena..." Kate called out, and Yelena turned to look at her, paying attention. "I know we don't know each other well, but if you need someone to talk to, I'm here to listen," she gave Yelena a small, affectionate smile.

"Do you mean that?" Yelena muttered in a flat tone.

"Absolutely," Kate responded with confidence, nodding and still smiling at her.

"Did Barton ask you to approach me or something?"

"What? No!" Kate whispered, confused. "Why would he do that?"

Yelena felt uncertain and insecure, thinking that Wanda had only approached her to appease her sister. Maybe Kate was also approaching her because her mentor asked her to do so simply because she was Natasha's sister, to have a friendship like the one her sister and Barton had.

"I don't know..." Yelena murmured flatly. "Why else would you approach me?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Kate countered.

"I don't know, apparently I'm not worthy..." Yelena thought to herself.

"I don't know you very well," Kate said. When she saw that Yelena didn't respond, she continued speaking, "But ever since I saw you, I wanted to get closer to you, talk to you, and get to know you better."

"R-really?" Yelena asked, her voice trembling.

"Yeah, of course!" Kate replied, offering her a wide and sincere smile.

"Why? Is it because I'm Natasha's little sister?" Yelena asked, affected and still finding it hard to believe what she was hearing.

“You're so much more than that, for God's sake! You're incredible…” Kate couldn't hold it in any longer, especially after seeing the insecurity in Yelena's eyes. “Ever since I met you, I saw a light in you... a spark that stands out from everyone else, something different that makes you extremely attractive and magnificent. You're spectacular, Yelena; I don't have to know you my whole life to know that”.

"Really?" Yelena murmured, amazed, fearful, and still somewhat doubtful.

"Very much so!" Kate exclaimed enthusiastically. "You light up wherever you go, we never have a bad time when you're around." She paused, hesitating whether to say something that was on her mind. In the end, she decided to say it. "You're energetic, fun, funny, intelligent, talented, skilled, and remarkably amazing."

Yelena looked at her in astonishment. She had never heard anything like what Kate Bishop had just said. Meanwhile, Kate nervously awaited Yelena's response, fearing that she had gone too far.

"Do you really think all that about me, even though we've just met?" Yelena muttered, perplexed, fascinated, and still somewhat incredulous.

"Yes," Kate replied simply. "That and much more, to be honest." Yelena believed her. There was something about Kate Bishop that made her trust her, something that made her feel safe with her.

Peter had returned with Yelena's water a while ago but stayed at a distance to avoid being seen while still being able to hear and see everything perfectly. At that moment, he was celebrating as he witnessed the sweet scene in front of him.

"Thank you so much, Kate Bishop," Yelena whispered, smiling weakly but sweetly at the same time. Kate automatically smiled back, a beautiful welcoming smile that caused a shift in Yelena. "I didn't know I needed to hear that so much until you said it," she added, still smiling, but now her smile was not as weak as before, it was sweeter.

"You have nothing to thank me for," Kate replied affectionately. "I'll do it again whenever you want." Neither of them said anything else. They just kept looking at each other, smiling, enjoying that moment and simply existing together.

Peter hated to interrupt that moment, but his spider-sense or something like it told him he should approach to hand Yelena her water.

"Sorry for the delay, here's the water," he said as he entered the room, gaining the attention of his companions. He handed the bottle to Yelena when he was closer to them.

"Oh... thanks, Peter," she expressed her gratitude.

"It's nothing, that's what teammates are for," Peter replied in his usual friendly tone.

"And those of us who want to be more than just teammates..." Kate thought.

Yelena didn't say anything else. She simply gave him a sideways smile before taking a drink from her water. It wasn't what she wanted, but she was satisfied.

"Do you feel better, Yel?" Kate asked once Yelena had finished drinking her water.

"Yes, much better," Yelena replied, now much calmer and happier.

"I knew the water would help," Kate commented softly.

"I'm better, yes, but not because of the water..." Yelena murmured, her tone and smile slightly flirtatious, although she didn't realize it. Kate smiled amazed but very happy, and also blushing. That was much more than she had expected. Peter watched them in astonishment, exchanging glances between the two, not wanting to miss any detail.

"I'm glad to hear that," Kate whispered once she could speak again. Yelena looked at her delighted, a smile that disappeared in an instant when she noticed Natasha and Wanda's presence in the living room.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" Yelena asked sternly. Peter and Kate turned back to see who Yelena was addressing.

"Sestra, can we talk?" Natasha pleaded. Yelena didn't say anything, she just averted her gaze.

"Sweetie... please..." Wanda murmured in a thin voice. Once again, Yelena didn't say anything, she just looked at them uneasily.

"Sestra, please..."

"Fine," she accepted after a deep sigh. She knew she had to talk to them sooner or later, and at that moment, thanks to Kate Bishop, she already felt much calmer. So why not?

Peter and Kate exchanged glances. They knew it was time to leave them to resolve whatever had happened between them.

"We'll leave you alone, if you don't mind," Peter was the first of the two to speak.

"Thanks, kid," Natasha thanked without turning to look at him.

"We're going, excuse us," Kate said, walking alongside Peter to leave the room as soon as possible.

"Thank you," Wanda murmured, her voice still shaky.

"Thank you, Kate Bishop. See you later," Yelena bid her farewell with a tender smile.

"See you, Yel," Kate responded in the same way, and then they disappeared down the hallway with Peter.

Natasha was affected by what had happened, but she still noticed the exchange of dialogue between her sister and Kate. "I guess someone didn't quite understand the lesson", she thought.

Once Kate and Peter left, an overwhelming silence settled in. Neither of them dared to break the silence. The couple still felt nervous and unsure of how to begin. Yelena, who had become calmer, was eager to put an end to the tension. She took a deep breath before speaking.

"I'm listening."

"Sestra... we truly regret hiding our relationship from you," Natasha murmured.

"We were actually going to tell you, sweetie, it's just... we didn't know how to say it," Wanda added, her voice still shaky.

"Why didn't you say it from the beginning?" Yelena asked harshly.

"When we started the relationship, it was confusing... I didn't even know we were in a relationship," Natasha muttered, tears still falling from her face.

"That’s right, sweetie," Wanda said, trying to sound calmer so that Yelena could understand what she meant. "By the time I confronted your sister about 'what we were,' the three of us had already established a functional dynamic."

"You and I were catching up on lost time, sestra," Natasha added, offering a nostalgic half-smile.

"While we were becoming best friends," Wanda whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Yelena stared at them, maintaining her cold expression, processing what they had just told her. She remained silent for one or two minutes, which felt incredibly long for the couple.

"I still don't understand why you kept it from me."

"That's precisely why, sweetie," Wanda replied after sighing deeply. Yelena looked at her, not fully comprehending what she meant.

"We didn't want you to feel what you're feeling right now, sestra," Natasha explained, seeing the expression on her sister's face.

"Oh," Yelena muttered coldly. That explanation didn't seem like a sufficient reason to her. She couldn't grasp why they waited to avoid making her feel this way if, in the end, she found out from another source and ended up feeling exactly as they didn't want her to. To her, it was a foolish and senseless excuse.

"I didn't want you to think I approached you because of Natasha. I specifically wanted to prevent you from feeling used and deceived, from thinking that everything was fake because it wasn't... I swear, my friendship with you has nothing to do with loving your sister. You can be sure of that, Yel," Wanda explained, somewhat desperate. She couldn't bear the thought of losing Yelena.

Once again, Yelena fell silent, analyzing the new information and adding it to what she had previously been told. She began to understand Wanda's point, giving her some credit and supposing that perhaps she might have been right. What she still couldn't understand was why Pietro knew and she didn't. Why did only Wanda's biological brother know, and not her, Natasha's sister? It made her think that maybe Natasha didn't truly see her as her sister, and that idea hurt her to the core.

"I know Pietro knows," Yelena murmured, trying to make her voice sound less affected, but her eyes still revealed her emotions. "Why did he know and not me? Does only the biological sibling have the right, or is it simply that you don't see me as your sister, Natasha?" she asked, unable to hide the insecurity, pain, and brokenness in her voice. Wanda started silently crying again, being overwhelmed by witnessing how her actions had hurt someone she loved. Natasha also felt terrible for hurting her sister in such a way, and more tears started flowing uncontrollably upon hearing the insecurity and pain in Yelena's words.

"No... please don't say that again... You are my sister! Черт возьми, ты моя младшая сестра! (Damn it, you're my little sis)," Natasha exclaimed with a broken voice, feeling incredibly guilty. For a moment, she remembered how she felt when she reunited with Yelena, telling her she wasn't her sister, and then witnessing her almost dying when she detonated the helicopter engine she was in with Dreykov. "Don't ever think or say that you're not my sister because you are. You have been since I met you, damn it."

Yelena wiped away the remnants of her tears. She hated seeing herself so vulnerable, especially in situations like this. On one hand, she wanted to fully believe Natasha's words, but she couldn't help feeling insecure and in pain. After all, they had kept something so significant from her for a long time.

"Then explain to me why you told him and not me. Why did I have to find out through another source that wasn't you?"

"No one told him either," Natasha murmured in a low voice, knowing that her sister still didn't believe what she had previously told her. Yelena looked at her with a bitter and ironic smile. "We didn't want to tell anyone until we had spent some time together, until we were sure that what we had was going to last... well, we wanted to tell the rest after telling you first."

"We both decided that, given the dynamics we had, we would tell you first so that you wouldn't feel bad for waiting to be told. We wanted to explain everything and make you understand our reasons," Wanda added, once she had regained control of her tears.

"I still don't understand why Pietro knew and I didn't."

"He figured it out on his own. Neither I nor Natasha told him what was happening between us," Yelena saw her with disbelief. "Pietro found out through pure instinct. As twins, he can know everything about me, just as I can know everything about him. It's like another power we've always had. That's how I knew he was almost dying during the battle in Sokovia against Ultron, through that feeling or premonition that tells us what's happening without needing to see or hear each other," Wanda concluded with a nostalgic tone, mentioning that battle brought back memories of her dead sister.

Yelena's expression softened. She looked at Wanda with understanding, finally starting to believe everything they had told her.

"Lena, sweetie... ever since I met you, I wanted to be your friend," Wanda spoke again, using that soft and sweet tone she usually used with Yelena. "Over time, I started seeing you as my best friend, like another little sister." Yelena watched her attentively. "I swear, the last thing I wanted was to hurt you, sweetie."

"I didn't want that either," Natasha whispered. "You're my little sister, and I swear I regret keeping my relationship with Wanda hidden from you. I should have told you, we should have told you, right from the start. I admit it," Natasha nodded with a tearful smile.

"Exactly, we didn't want to disrupt the dynamic we had, which is why we didn't know how to tell you without making you feel bad, dear," Wanda added.

"Just an hour ago, we were talking about telling you in the coming days. We didn't want to keep hiding from you," Natasha whispered. "You're someone very important in our lives, sestra, of course, we were going to tell you," she assured her.

"I already lost one sister, I don't want to lose you too," Wanda added nostalgically.

"And I had you away for many years, I don't want to go through that again," Natasha mentioned, tears streaming down her face.

"Did it really matter that much to you?" Yelena asked, stunned.

"Of course it did!"

"Absolutely, little sis!"

Yelena smiled at them.

"Practically, you're like our daughter, Lena, of course we care about you," Wanda says sweetly, smiling at her maternally.

"And a lot," Natasha adds, also smiling.

Yelena remained silent for what seemed like an eternity for the couple. She wasn't completely convinced yet, but she understood the reasons they gave her and believed them. She no longer doubted how important she was to Natasha and Wanda. However, it might take her some time to fully forgive them, but for now, she just wanted things to go back to how they were before. She also didn't like the idea of losing two of the most important people in her life.

"Alright... I forgive you, but let it not happen again!"

The couple sigh with relief. Thankfully, they were able to resolve everything.

"Thank you, sestra, really," Natasha says before hugging her tightly.

"Hey, don't leave me out!" Wanda whispers playfully before joining in and embracing both of them, causing the sisters to laugh a little.

Finally, everything was back to being fine, more than fine because they were no longer hiding their relationship from Yelena. Now, they just had to tell the rest of the Avengers.

Chapter 14: Many doubts and questions

Summary:

Natasha doesn't stay with the doubt and asks her sister about what she and Kate talked about. Peter and Kate, being Peter and Kate. And finally, Yelena asks Wanda about her dead sister.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text


“What do you think of having a movie marathon?” Wanda suggests once the three of them break away from the hug.

“I love the idea, count me in”, Natasha responds instantly.

“Me too”, Yelena chimes in, with a slight smile on her face.

“Perfect!” Wanda exclaims happily. "I'll go prepare everything in Nat's room and..." She couldn't finish her sentence as she was interrupted by Yelena.

“Oh, no! Absolutely not!” Yelena complains, earning a look of confusion from the couple. “I wouldn't sit on that defiled bed for anything”. Natasha laughs, thoroughly amused by her sister's comment, while Wanda laughs a bit embarrassed with flushed cheeks. “Let's do the marathon in your room, Wands”, Yelena suggests.

“Yes... about that... I think it would be better in your room”, Wanda replies, avoiding Yelena's gaze. Yelena looks at her without understanding for a few seconds, then it clicks in her brain and she understands what Wanda is trying to tell her. Natasha laughs again at her sister's expression.

“Ugh, too much information”, Yelena complains with a disgusted look on her face. “Fine, it will be in my room”.

“Great, then I'll go fix everything”, Wanda says, smiling playfully. “Is there anything special you want, sweetie?”

“Mm, mac and cheese, spicy sauce, and vodka are all I need”, Yelena pauses to consider if that will be her final answer. “Although I wouldn't mind having spicy popcorn…”

“Alright, then that's what it will be”, Wanda replies, still with the same smile. “Nat, do you want anything special, detka?”

“You”, Natasha answers without hesitation. Wanda blushes and Yelena groans again, pretending to gag.

“I meant food, Nat”, Wanda murmurs, still blushing.

“Same answer”, Natasha responds with a flirtatious voice.

“Oh, please stop. You're making me want to throw up.”, Yelena says with a disgusted expression on her face, earning laughs from her sister once again.

“Hey, you wanted to know. Don't complain now”, Natasha teases. Yelena looks annoyed, and Wanda looks even worse, her expression making her swallow nervously. “What I mean is, get used to it because this kind of banter between the Witchy and me is very normal”.

“You mean it's normal for YOU to make those kinds of comments”, Wanda counters.

“Well... I've never heard any complaints about it, Witchy”, Natasha responds mischievously. Wanda blushes again instantly.

Yelena can't help but think, "It was better not to know..."

“Anyway, I'll go prepare everything. See you in a couple of minutes” Wanda murmurs without making eye contact as she slowly walks away.

“At your service, moya lyubov’”, Natasha responds, approaching her to give her a kiss. Wanda gladly accepts the kiss, which lasts much longer than Yelena would have liked to witness.

“Ewww! I didn't want to see that!” Yelena complains. Both of them separate as they hear her, Wanda had momentarily forgotten that they weren't alone. Natasha didn't care, she was shameless.

“I won't take long, I'll see you upstairs” Wanda says, bidding them farewell and walking away from the living room.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever”, Yelena impatiently replies.

“We won't be long, detka”, Natasha sweetly responds, watching her leave with a smile that clearly shows her infatuation. Wanda gives them one last smile before disappearing completely from their sight. At that moment, Natasha decides it's a good idea to ask her sister about Kate. "Okay, now that everything is clear, what were you talking about with Bishop?" Yelena looks at her with confusion.

“What?”

“What were you talking about with Bishop before we arrived?” Natasha specifies.

“Nothing important. Why do you ask?” Yelena feels a sense of fear, afraid that Kate lied to her when she said that Barton didn't ask her to approach Yelena. She genuinely enjoyed Kate Bishop's words and company and feared that it had all been a deception. Still, she tries to keep her tone casual so as not to alert her sister in case she did have that conversation with her best friend.

“Just curious”, Natasha replies as she analyzes her. “It's just that I've never seen you two so... close, for lack of a better word”, Yelena looks at her sister with doubt, still with that fear present. She needed to know if the archer had lied to her or not.

“Is that something you would want to happen? Do you want Kate and me to be like you and Barton?” Yelena said cautiously. Now it was Natasha who looked confused.

“I have to admit that, at first, Clint and I talked about that. We imagined Bishop and you as a version 2.0 of us”, Yelena's heart sank upon hearing her sister's words.

“So, did Barton ask Kate to approach me?” Yelena asked, astonished. Natasha looked at her intently, trying to understand the reason behind her sister's questions.

“I don't know, I don't think so”.

“But you said you talked about it... Couldn't it be that he asked Kate to approach me precisely to make us friends, just like you and Barton?” Natasha sensed the fear in Yelena's voice, which intrigued her even more.

“What were you talking about with Bishop that made you think that?”

“What makes me think that is the fact that she approached me to talk, I mean, why would she approach a practically unknown person just to try to help her?”

“Did you ask her why she did it?”

“Yes.”

“And what did she say?” Natasha's tone was genuinely curious.

“Well, she said that ever since she saw me, she wanted to get to know me better, that I'm amazing, that I have a spark that makes me stand out and that I'm very attractive. Basically, it's because I'm really cool”, Kate's words were deeply ingrained in Yelena's mind. She truly hoped they were sincere.

Natasha remained serious as she heard the range of compliments that Kate recited to her sister. While she appreciated that Kate made Yelena feel better and lifted her spirits, she didn't like the fact that Kate had gotten so close to her little sister. She reminded herself that she would have to talk to Kate during the next training session to clarify a few things. But first things first, she had to alleviate her sister's insecurities. Natasha knew that Kate had approached Yelena and said those things because she liked her, not because Clint had asked her to. Much to her dismay, Kate's words had made a big impact on Yelena, giving her a sense of security and happiness. Natasha wouldn't take away that excitement from her sister.

“Yelena, I hate to say this, believe me, I do…” she murmurs with regret. Her sister looks at her with pain, quickly rushing to continue what she was saying. “No, it's not what you think, don't worry”, she clarifies. Yelena breathes a sigh of relief.

“Then what is it, sestra?” she asks with great interest.

“Barton didn't tell her to approach you. Everything she did and said was because she wanted to. She didn't lie to you, I'm sure of it”, Natasha tells her, not happy about it, but then she smiles as she sees the huge smile that has formed on her sister's face. "Okay, maybe Bishop isn't a bad friend for Lena, but just that", Natasha thought.

Yelena was so happy to know that everything that happened with Kate was genuinely honest, that the words Kate Bishop said to her were because she truly felt them. It brought her so much joy, warming her heart for some reason. She forgot about the fact that her sister wasn't very happy about telling her, and that was quickly forgotten. All that mattered to her was that Kate Bishop hadn't lied to her.

“It's good to know she didn't lie. Thank you, sestra”, Yelena says, smiling without showing her teeth.

“And what else did Bishop do?" Natasha inquired, smiling slightly after finishing her previous question.

"Oh, well... She helped me calm down," Yelena recounted, still smiling as she remembered the moment. "She talked to me, made me feel better, and lifted my spirits while Peter brought me some water. They're both really cool, I like them. Something tells me we'll make a great team," she finished, shrugging modestly.

"I'm glad you're getting along well with your team and starting to form friendships with them. That's exactly what you needed, new friends," Natasha said, smiling at her.

"Yeah, that's exactly what I thought.," Yelena replied, nodding with a smile as well.

"Alright, I think we should head upstairs now," Natasha muttered, changing the subject. "We don't want my beautiful girlfriend waiting too long for us."

"Haha, she really owned you," Yelena teased her.

"Of course, I'd do anything for her," Natasha said, smiling proudly.

"It's nice to see you this romantic. There's no doubt you needed someone like Wands," Yelena remarked.

"I know, it's incredible how my life has changed in the past few months," Natasha said thoughtfully, realizing how much has changed. "My little sister is back with me, and I'm in a relationship with my Witchy. I've practically won at life."

"Awww," Yelena murmured in a feigned sweet tone. "You're going to give me diabetic coma with all that sugar." Natasha rolled her eyes playfully, making Yelena laugh.

"Now I remember why I don't talk about my emotions," Natasha muttered. "Let's just go to my girlfriend, ungrateful sister."

~

Meanwhile, Peter and Kate were in another lounge of the compound, sharing a bag of pizza-flavored Pringles while discussing Kate's second encounter with Yelena.

"I loved your interaction with Yelena, you two look so adorable together!" Peter commented excitedly. Kate smiled with excitement too, as she also thought they looked great together. "Although I have to point it out, you're REALLY obvious! You just needed to say, 'Hey, Lena, I like you!'”

"And a lot," Kate added. Peter looked at her incredulously, as if saying, "Yes, that's what I meant."

"You're lucky Agent Romanoff didn't see you talking to her sister, otherwise you'd be dead," he scolded.

"Believe me, I would've given it my all to try and hit her this time," Kate muttered, clearly not happy.

"Does Kate seriously want to die?" Peter thought. "Why do you have suicidal impulses now?"

"I think she's the one who made Yelena feel bad," Kate's tone was one of annoyance and frustration. "She and Wanda.”

"Are you sure?"

"From what Lena told me, it seemed like she approached her because of her sister or something. Like she was really unsure about it, didn't believe that someone could approach her just because she's herself," Kate explained with a somber look. The expression on Yelena's face was still vivid in her mind, and her heart ached at the mere memory. She truly wanted whoever was responsible for making someone as lovely as Lena feel that way to pay for it.

"So, you think Miss Maximoff approached Yelena just because of her sister?" Peter asked thoughtfully.
"I don't know, it's possible... I didn't go into details, and honestly, I didn't want to ask. My priority was to make her feel better."

"Well, the upside is that it would prove that Yelena and Miss Maximoff don't have a relationship," Peter said, trying to see the positive side of the situation. But his comment gave Kate another idea, one that wasn't positive at all.

"I guess... but that doesn't mean Yelena doesn't like Wanda," Kate murmured weakly. "Maybe that's why Yelena was so devastated, perhaps she realized she didn't have a chance with Wanda or something." Peter closed his eyes in frustration. He hated to admit it, but Kate's theory could be a strong possibility.

"It could be yes, or it could be no, but don't start creating hypothetical scenarios in your head," he said, trying to encourage her. "If that's the case... Well, that doesn't mean your path is closed, it's quite the opposite, you'd have a great opportunity! The same goes if it's not the case, your path would be even more open!"

"I think Peter is right," Kate thought. Peter noticed that his words were cheering up his friend, so he continued. "Kate, when I saw you and Yelena talking, I don't know, but something tells me you really have a chance with her. I can't explain it, but it's like there was an energy around you two that screamed 'best couple energy' or 'the cutest couple'."

"Do you really think so?" Kate smiled, completely excited, which in turn made Peter smile, seeing that his words were working.

"Absolutely!" he exclaimed ecstatically. "And I'm 99% sure Yelena flirted with you," he added mischievously.

"Really?!" Kate exclaimed, somewhat incredulous but also excited.

"I'm better, yeah, but it's not because of the water," Peter said, imitating Yelena.

"I don't know about you, but for me, that's flirting," Peter added. Kate smiled excitedly. "Now more than ever, you should keep trying. I'm convinced that Bishova will be canon, just make sure Agent Romanoff doesn't find out," he reminded her.

"Deal!" Kate exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Great!" Peter exclaimed. "So, will you stick to the same plan or make some changes?"

"I guess I'll continue as before. Maybe I'll just start flirting more with Yel, giving her more compliments and all that... what do you think?"

"I don't have much experience, but I think that sounds good. I'm sure in no time you'll be together or at least going on dates to get to know each other better."

"That's what I hope, Pete, that's what I hope..."

The two continued talking a bit more before each went off to their training sessions with their respective mentors.

Kate felt much calmer and more excited than ever now that there was a possibility that Yelena had flirted with her. She would give her all to make Yelena fall in love.

~

That same day, but later on, Natasha, Wanda, and Yelena were in Yelena's room. The movie marathon was halfway through, and the three of them were having a great time together. But there was something that kept lingering in Yelena's mind. She tried to calm her doubts, but she couldn't. "Why did Wanda say she had already lost a sister?" she wondered.

After finishing the movie they were watching, Yelena decided that it was the moment to ask Wanda about it and finally clear her doubts.

"Wands," she said to get Wanda's attention. Natasha also turned to look at her sister, curious about the matter.

"There's something you mentioned earlier that I don't understand..."

"What is it, sweetheart?" Wanda asked curiously. Natasha looked at her sister with the same expression of curiosity as her girlfriend.

"You said you had already lost a sister... I don't know of any other sisters you have, I only know about your younger half-sister Lorna and, well, Pietro."

Wanda's gaze saddened. The memory of Anya hit her once again.

"Yelena!" Natasha exclaimed, noticing her girlfriend's reaction. Yelena immediately regretted asking that question. If she didn't know about it, there was probably a reason.

"I'm sorry, Wands. You know what? Forget it, I shouldn't have asked..." Yelena apologized. Wanda's expression remained the same.

"It's okay, sweetie... I never told you about her, and it's normal that you want to know," Wanda murmured, almost in a whisper. She paused to take a breath before speaking again, trying to keep her voice from sounding too affected by the memory of her deceased sister.

"Yeah... but it's okay if you choose not to talk about her. I understand that it can be tough, don't worry," Yelena reassured her.

"No, it's okay," Wanda sighed again before speaking. "It's been a long time since I talked about her... I think it will be good to remember her."

Notes:


In the next chapter, I will be telling the story of Anya Maximoff.

 

The character of Anya Maximoff actually exists in the comics. In one universe, she is the triplet of Pietro and Wanda. In another, she is their younger sister by five years. Although I believe Anya is better known as Anya Lehnsherr.

 

What a Woman has an alternate story where Anya Maximoff didn't die, which changes many events in the story. Those who follow me on TikTok or Wattpad already know that I talk about "WAW ~ Alternate Story." I will also be uploading that story here on Ao3 once I finish telling who Anya Maximoff is. Personally, Anya is one of my favorite characters. She's a green flag, for sure.

 

For this story, I will be basing it on the universe where Anya is the youngest triplet. In the comics, both Pietro and Anya sacrifice themselves in the Battle of Sokovia and are later revived. In this story, only Pietro will be revived, while in the alternate version, both of them will be.

 

The background of the characters in this story, as well as Yelena's reaction upon hearing Anya's story, are crucial factors in understanding the alternate story.

 

Another facts about Anya and "The Triplets Maximoff":

 

*Anya has dark brown hair and brown eyes. She wears the clothing that is available to her, but she prefers pants over skirts. As an Avenger, she wears a black and gray suit similar to her sister's. In my story, I imagine Anya with blue eyes, and in fact, I use scenes and images of Hope Mikaelson (from Vampire Diaries) to portray Anya Maximoff.

 

*Anya Maximoff was born alongside her siblings Wanda and Pietro in Sokovia. At the age of ten, she and her siblings were having dinner with their parents when a mortar shell struck their building, killing Anya's parents and trapping the triplets inside. A second bomb fell nearby but did not detonate; the triplets were trapped for two days until they were rescued. This incident instilled in them a definitive hatred towards Tony Stark, who created the weapons. They spent most of their lives trying to defeat the Avengers, drawing the attention of SHIELD.

 

*When the Avengers attacked Baron Strucker's base, the triplets escaped their holding cells and aided in the fight against them. While Wanda delved into Tony Stark's mind, Anya battled Hulk, and Pietro fought against Hawkeye.

 

*"Wanda, Pietro, and Anya Maximoff; triplets. They were orphaned at the age of ten when a mortar shell struck their apartment building." ... "Anya possesses superhuman strength and increased muscle density." - Maria Hill to Steve Rogers.

 

*Anya and her siblings helped evacuate a large portion of Sokovia's population. When the city began to rise, the triplets joined the Avengers to take down most of Ultron's robots. During the battle, Anya used her strength to crush many of Ultron's sentries. After Ultron was severely damaged and most of the civilians were evacuated, Wanda stayed behind to protect the drill while the team searched for remaining civilians. Anya and Pietro didn't want to leave their sister, but Wanda made them promise to come back for her only after the people of Sokovia were safe.
Unfortunately, when Ultron was firing the Quinjet at defenseless civilians, Pietro and Anya died; Pietro protecting Hawkeye and a child, and Anya shielding several SHIELD agents from the gunfire. Grieving, Wanda left her post to destroy Ultron's main body, unknowingly allowing an Ultron robot to activate the device. Fortunately, Thor and Iron Man destroyed the abandoned city, and Vision rescued Wanda just in time.

 

*The triplets joined the new roster of the Avengers, alongside Falcon, Vision, and War Machine. They began training at the New Avengers Facility under the leadership of Captain America and Black Widow.

 

*Anya's alias is "Atlas."

 

*Throughout the comic stories, Anya has been a member of various superhero teams, such as the Young Avengers.

 

*On certain occasions, Anya has taken up the mantle of Scarlet Witch and played a significant role in protecting the mutant world and fighting crime.

 

*Her story has featured significant twists and changes, leading to moments of conflict and character development over time.

Chapter 15: Anya Maximoff

Summary:

Wanda finally speaks about Anya Maximoff, her deceased triplet sister.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text


“Are you sure you want to do this, Wands?” Yelena inquired, concerned. The last thing she wanted was to make her feel bad by remembering her deceased sister.

“Lena is right, detka”, Natasha said.

“No, it's okay”, Wanda sighed deeply before starting to tell Yelena the story of her sister. “Her name was Anya. She was mine and Pietro's triplet, the youngest... thirty minutes younger than Pietro and eighteen than me”.

“Wow!” Yelena exclaimed, amazed. “I always thought Pietro and you were twins”.

“Most people believe that. After Anya's death, we decided it's easier to say we're "twins" or "fraternal twins." It saves us from having to explain where the other triplet is…”

“There are few of us who knew her even for a brief moment”, Natasha said, seeing that Wanda probably needed a few seconds before continuing the story. “She was an incredible girl, no doubt”.

“What was she like?” Yelena asked with great curiosity.

“Physically? She looked like Wands and Pietro”, Natasha replied with a playful tone.

“Really? Who would've thought!” Yelena replied ironically.

“It was her”, Wanda mentioned with a nostalgic voice. In her hands, she held her cellphone and showed them a photograph.

“WOW! She was so pretty!” Yelena murmured, completely captivated by the photograph. Wanda smiled at her sadly.

“Yes, she was”, Wanda said. Natasha wrapped her arm around her for more reassurance and support. Wanda took her girlfriend's hand to feel even closer. “And this is the last photo we have together”, she whispered, sliding her finger to the right to change the picture. “Stark found this photo in Ultron's database. It's from the moment we met him”.

“She was really beautiful…” Yelena murmured, stunned. Her sister turned to look at her curiously; she had never seen her sister react like this. "Okay, at least I know she likes girls," Natasha thought.

“And very funny too”, Wanda responded, unaware of her best friend’s reaction.

“Tell me more about her, Wands”.

“Anya was very funny, sarcastic, witty, and loyal”, Wanda whispered. “In fact, you remind me a lot of her... Her personality was very similar to yours”, she paused, realizing what she had just said. She hadn't really thought about it much until she said it.

“That explains why I'm so drawn to her”, Yelena said playfully.

“And there goes her ego…” Natasha murmured, rolling her eyes with amusement.

“I'm very cool and you know it.”

Yelena's words brought Wanda a sense of déjà vu from a similar moment with Anya and Pietro.


“Tell me, what does it feel like to have such a cool triplet?” Anya asked her siblings in Sokovian.

“I only have you and Wanda, so I wouldn't know”, Pietro teasingly replied in the same language.

“Oh, what a lovely brother we have,” Wanda sarcastically said, also in Sokovian.

“I'm very cool and you know it.” Anya said confidently.

“I'm sorry, what did you say? I don't speak freak language” Pietro mocked.

“Wow!” Anya exclaimed, feigning surprise. “I'm amazed that you know the meaning of the word language. Quite advanced for you, little brother”, she added, amused.

“This won't be the end of it, you weirdo”, Pietro said before using his powers to leave the place.

“Ooh, I'm trembling in fear”, Anya replied nonchalantly while eating a donut. Wanda laughed at the interaction between her siblings.

Anya and Pietro were always like that. It was always amusing for Wanda to see them argue and tease each other. She truly enjoyed those moments with her siblings, but now that moments only live in her memories.

 

“That's right, sweetie. You're really cool," Wanda told Yelena once she snapped out of that memory.

"Ha! In your face, sis!" Yelena taunted her sister.

"I never denied it, smart pants."

"Whatever, the point is that I am," Yelena waved it off nonchalantly. "Going back to Anya... did she also have superpowers?"

"Of course she did. She was also part of the Hydra experiments, and well... she was my triplet, so she was Erik Lensherr's daughter as well."

"What powers did she have?" Yelena asked, quite interested.

"She had super strength, pyrokinesis, great endurance and regeneration, as well as a high tolerance for pain," Wanda replied. "Too bad that couldn't save her..." she thought to herself.

"Wow! She sounds like a super soldier".

"That's right, but she was much cooler than that".

"I can believe it," Yelena responded instantly, without hesitation. "Please, keep telling me more about Anya".

"It's okay, however you want," Wanda replied with a sweet smile. "Nat, would you mind getting more popcorn?"

"Of course not, detka," Natasha affectionately replied. "Regular or spicy?"

"Spicy, those were Anya's favorites".

"Hey, they're mine too!" Yelena whispered in astonishment at the coincidence. Wanda hadn't realized it, but her sister and Yelena had more in common than she had noticed. "They would have gotten along well," she thought to herself.

"Alright, spicy popcorn it is. I'll be right back," Natasha said before leaving. "Don't start without me, I want to hear that story too!" she shouted as she left the room.

"But you already know the story, Nat!"

"I don't care, I want to hear it again!" Natasha's words could be faintly heard. Wanda rolled her eyes with amusement.

"Your sister can be so self-centered sometimes."

"I know, but why are you mentioning it?"

"Your sister loves to hear that story because she likes to remember that I liked her from the first time I saw her. Anya used to tease me a lot about that."

"Oh my God! I need to hear that story NOW!" Yelena exclaimed.

 

Natasha returned not long after with the spicy popcorn they had requested. Once she took her seat again next to her girlfriend, Wanda began telling Yelena more about Anya and their last adventure together.

"We were in Hydra's secret base. We found out that the base was being attacked by the Avengers. I won't lie, we were a bit scared because we had never been in a situation like that. We knew what could happen to us, but we also knew that we had each other, and that was enough," Wanda started to recount. "We could hear Strucker panicking; we knew the Avengers would fulfill their purpose there. But we didn't care, we wanted to face them, especially Stark," her gaze turned nostalgic as she remembered the support Anya gave her and Pietro. "Still, we were nervous. It would be the first time we would do something like that. We knew the extent of our powers, but we still feared that our inexperience could cost us one or two," she sighed deeply before continuing. "Anya looked at Pietro and me, took our hands, and said, 'Don't worry, we'll be fine. We're 'The Triplets Maximoff,' we can handle this and more. “She always encouraged us, she was our number one cheerleader," Wanda smiled sadly. "Anya told Strucker not to be an idiot and send us to the field," she quoted her sister, laughing a little at the memory. The sisters also found it amusing that Anya wasn't afraid to insult a man like Strucker. "But he rejected the idea, saying it was best for us to stay out of sight from the Avengers. We wanted revenge, and Hydra wouldn't give it to us, so we decided it was time to go on our own."

"What happened next, Wands?" Yelena asked.

"She fell in love with me," Natasha said confidently. Wanda rolled her eyes playfully.

"We escaped to finally be on our own again," Wanda answered, ignoring her girlfriend's comment. If she agreed, it would only boost her ego, and that's something Natasha didn't need. "We split up, each taking two Avengers to eliminate them faster. Pietro would attack Clint and Steve, Anya would go after Hulk and Thor, while I would take care of your sister and Stark."

"I didn't even see her in person, and she already wanted me for herself," Natasha said in a playful tone. Yelena laughed at her sister's comment. Wanda just rolled her eyes, finding it amusing to think about how she and Natasha would tell this story to their daughters.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, Nat," Wanda replied to downplay the matter. "Anyway, Pietro started by attacking Clint. According to my brother, Pietro saw him confused after the attack and taunted him with his usual line, 'You didn't see that coming?'" Yelena burst into laughter.

"Oh, Sonic! Now I like him much better!" she commented amused. Clint wasn't Yelena's favorite person, so she found what Pietro did really funny.

"Then he attacked Steve," Wanda added after her sister stopped laughing.

"I remember that. Steve alerted us that there was an enhanced person in the field," Natasha added.

"Then I also attacked Steve," Wanda continued.

"I thought Rogers and Barton were Pietro's targets," Yelena said, confused.

"They were, but Steve got in my way, and... well, the point is, I attacked him. Steve was asking Strucker how many "enhanced" individuals they had created, and... Bam! I threw him down the stairs before he could answer”. A thunderous laughter erupted from Yelena. Her laughter was contagious, and the couple started laughing along.

"That's so cool! Tell me more!" Yelena requested once she managed to control her laughter.

"Steve informed us that there was one more enhanced individual, a girl," Natasha whispered. "And what a girl she was..."

Wanda blushed at her girlfriend's comment, while Yelena made a disgusted face.

"Oh, please! Control your hormones, Natalia!" Yelena complained. Natasha chuckled.

"Back to the story... After attacking Steve, I went to Stark to torment his mind even more," Yelena laughed again. For her, hearing about the Avengers being attacked was simply entertaining. "In his mind, I discovered something, so I decided to change the original plan at that moment. Pietro came to where I was to try to prevent Stark from taking the scepter, but I stopped him. I won't go into details, I just told him that it was best for us if he took it. My brother wasn't entirely convinced, but he accepted."

"And what happened to Anya? Where was she?" Yelena inquired, quite curious.

"Thor reported that there was another enhanced individual. A super-strong one," Natasha answered.

"Anya fought a bit with Thor and then with Bruce, well, with Hulk," Wanda explained. "Hulk took over for Thor so that he could go help Clint while Nat dealt with my sister and calmed down Hulk."

"Anya fought against Thor and Hulk?!" Yelena asked, amazed.

"Yes, she gave them a run for their money," Wanda proudly replied.

"Wow... Anya was really cool," Yelena murmured, mesmerized. Now it was Natasha's turn to roll her eyes, amused by her little sister's behavior.

"Very cool, so cool that she easily took down your sister as soon as Nat confronted her," Wanda said, amused. Yelena burst into laughter. Natasha looked at both of them with a stern face.

"She caught me off guard, that's all," Natasha defended herself.

"Yeah, sure," Yelena sarcastically replied, still laughing.

"She got me, yes, but I brought her down twice as hard," Natasha stated.

"I'll believe that, sestra," Yelena whispered amidst laughter.

"It 's true!"

"Honey, we're almost at your favorite part of the story. Can I continue telling it, or will you keep trying to preserve your ego?" Wanda asked.

"Continue, moya lyubov’. Please," Natasha replied.

"Whipped..." Yelena murmured playfully, earning another annoyed look from her sister. "What? You are!"

"Nat, leave Lena alone," Wanda told Natasha before she could say anything to her sister. Natasha just diverted her gaze and didn't say or do anything more, just as her girlfriend asked. This only caused Yelena to laugh even more. Wanda chuckled softly as well. "I'll reward you later for this, love," she coquettishly whispered in Natasha's ear. Automatically, Natasha smiled.

"So, what happened next?" Yelena asked once she stopped laughing.

"Pietro and I went to find Anya. That was the first time I saw your sister," Natasha said, looking at her girlfriend with an enamored smile. Natasha looked at her in the same way. "I didn't see her for long, just a couple of seconds before taking Anya and leaving," Wanda continued telling her.

"With those few seconds, she had time to fall in love with me."

Wanda didn't want to give her girlfriend the satisfaction, but this time she had to do it in order to continue with the story.

"Something like that," she commented, trying to downplay it. "When I saw your sister, I had a love at first sight moment. No one had ever attracted me like that with just a glance," Natasha smiled smugly. "In those brief seconds, I couldn't take my eyes off Nat, and I thought I was being discreet... but no, Anya noticed it instantly. She didn't say anything at that moment, she kept it to herself to tease me about it later," Yelena chuckled. "Anyway, we returned to the streets of Sokovia. I was excited about the idea of finally getting revenge on Stark, Pietro was thrilled to run freely again, and Anya was excited to help the people of Sokovia."


The Triplets Maximoff were walking the streets of Sokovia once again. Happiness was visible on their faces as they were free and able to do what they missed so much.

"What will be the first thing we do now that we're free from HYDRA?" Anya asked her siblings in Sokovian.

"Maybe find a shelter?" Wanda replied, stating the obvious.

"I'll go for a run and see if I can find a shelter somewhere in the city," Pietro said excitedly, eager to use his powers in such a large area like a city. But before he could start running, Anya's words made him stay and listen.

"I was thinking we could use our powers to help people, just like in the old days before we became lab rats," Anya proposed.

"I like your idea, Supergirl. What do you have in mind?" Pietro asked. Going back to the old times was something that excited him as well.

"The old Robin Hood technique," Anya smiled grandly. "Maybe we can steal from the smugglers who cheat people, the rich, and especially the politicians." Both Wanda and Pietro looked at her with pride. Although Wanda also looked at her with concern, the idea was great and it would be fantastic to help their people again, but it would also put them in too much danger.

"Let's do it," Pietro quickly agreed.

"There's no way I'll let you do something so stupid and dangerous," Wanda said as she saw her triplets celebrating. "The idea is good, yes, but it would expose us too much. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Come on, Hermione!" Anya exclaimed. Wanda wanted to laugh at the nickname her sister gave her after gaining Scarlet Witch powers, but she refrained from doing so to maintain seriousness. "It will be fun!"

"Yes, what can happen to us? We're invincible," Pietro joined Anya to convince Wanda. "We'll be fine, sis."

That's exactly what Wanda feared, that they would feel overly confident just because of their powers.

"We did well before having powers, and we never really got hurt. The powers will give us an advantage, yes, but the key to our success was working as a team. We've always been fine because we looked out for each other," Anya calmly explained. She had an idea of her triplet's concerns. Wanda reflected on her words; she was right. "Plus, I promise to take good care of you and Sonic," she added with a playful smile.

"I'm older than you by thirty minutes, remember?" Pietro muttered indignantly.
"Yeah, yeah, sure. Whatever you say, Sonic," Anya waved it off. "So, sis?" she said, looking at her sister with a pleading gaze. Pietro stood by her side, looking at Wanda with the same expression as his other sister. Wanda sighed deeply, sometimes she felt like the mom of two little kids.

"Fine," she surrendered. "If you want to start, go ahead. I'll go find a shelter."

"Thank you, sis!" Anya (practically) shouted before rushing to hug her sister. Pietro joined them in the embrace.

"Just be careful, okay?" Wanda asked them once they separated.

"Of course, sis. I'll be in charge," Anya reassured her.

"Hey! Why would you be in charge? I'm the oldest!" Pietro complained.

"I don't remember asking, Kid Flash," Anya teased him.

"My alias is Quicksilver," he said, offended.

Anya rolled her eyes. "And why should I care?" she asked sarcastically. "Oh, wait, I don't."

Wanda couldn't resist any longer and burst into laughter, releasing the laughter she had been holding back. Her siblings' arguments always amused her a lot.

"At least my alias isn't 'Atlas'," Pietro said in a childish tone.

"Atlas is a cool alias, you idiot."

"Your alias is the name of a man who was punished and deceived, where's the coolness in that?" he mockingly asked. "At least mine has style."

"Atlas is not my role model, moron. But his story is interesting and refers to a man who is super strong, just like me," Anya explained, slightly irritated.

"Blah, blah, blah. Excuses," he continued to tease.

"At least I don't dye my hair platinum blonde," Pietro opened his mouth, offended.

"Retract it."

"Never."

Wanda watched her siblings' interaction with amusement, but she decided it was better to put an end to their ridiculous fight before they ran out of time. She didn't want them to be more exposed than they already were.

"Not to interrupt your incredible sibling moment," she said sarcastically but with a hint of amusement, "but you should go now. I mean, if you want to continue with your 'Robin Hood' plan." That caught their full attention.

"You're right, sis," Anya was the first to say. "Let's go, Kid Flash."

"Don't talk to me as if you're in charge. You're not in charge."

"Pit, Anya is in charge," Wanda said. Pietro looked at her, offended and hurt. Anya mocked him.

"But I'm the oldest!" he exclaimed, throwing a tantrum.

"I don't care. You're acting like a five-year-old," Wanda scolded him. "Anya, stop teasing him," she scolded Anya as well, seeing that she couldn't stop mocking Pietro. Anya stopped instantly. The triplets knew they shouldn't contradict their sister. They would never say it out loud, but they were a little (quite) afraid of their sister. "You have five hours, not a minute more, to carry out your plan, understand?" They both nodded, not wanting to contradict her. "Perfect, see you right here in five hours. Good luck, and please be careful."

"Don't worry, sis," Anya said. "We'll be fine."

"And back in five hours," Pietro added. Wanda chuckled under her breath.

"Alright, see you in five hours."

 

Everything had gone well. Anya and Pietro took care of getting medicines, clothes, food, and other items that people might need. They returned in time and with Wanda's help, they began to distribute everything they had obtained.

While talking to people, they realized that there were other things needed and made a mental note to get them for the next day. Wanda wasn't entirely convinced, but reluctantly agreed to let her triplets continue with their Robin Hood plan.

After finishing delivering everything, they went to the shelter that Wanda had secured. It was a simple warehouse, but it would be sufficient. They had slept in worse places before.

The next morning was busy for "The Triplets Maximoff," but fulfilling. They had helped so many people, and that gave them all the happiness they needed at that moment. Pietro and Anya were distributing everything they had obtained that day. Despite constantly bickering, they were quite organized when it came to that.

"On this side, line up for those who are here for food," Anya said aloud so that all the people in the plaza could hear.

"And on this side, those who come for medicines, clothes, and other items," Pietro said in the same manner.

Anya finished delivering all the food more quickly, so she went to help Pietro as he was surrounded by many people.

"Are these the correct ones?" Pietro asked an elderly man as he handed him a box of medicine.

"Yes," the man responded. He looked astonished because Pietro had obtained the arthritis medication he had been longing for but couldn't afford due to lack of money or insurance.

"The doctor will refill them without the need for insurance. I made a house visit, so you don't have to worry anymore," Pietro added kindly. The man looked at him with teary eyes; he was genuinely grateful. He thanked Pietro countless times before leaving.

Anya watched her brother with pride, even if she didn't admit it out loud. Anya admired her older brother a lot, not just Wanda. She admired both of them equally.

The line continued to move much more smoothly, now even faster because the two of them were attending to everyone around them.

"This is for your brother," Pietro whispered kindly to a brunette girl. Perhaps he was being a bit too kind, according to his sisters.

"Thank you," the girl murmured, smiling, as she took the ball Pietro handed her.

"And this..." Pietro pulled out a beautiful dress from among the items. "Isn't for your brother," he said, sounding a bit flirtatious. The girl blushed slightly.

But this action did not go unnoticed by his sisters.

"Of course, because a dress is exactly what is needed in these times," Anya muttered sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

Pietro gave Anya a fierce look for a few seconds before turning his attention back to the girl in front of him.

"No," the girl murmured. "This is too much," she said, looking at the dress in her hands. Pietro was about to reply, but his act was interrupted as Wanda decided to make her appearance.

"Are you going to give a Parisian dress to every girl in Sokovia?" Wanda asked in a somewhat venomous tone. Anya couldn't help but laugh at her sister's comment. "By the way, the one you gave to Gertie looked warmer," she added before walking away, leaving a mess for her brother. The girl looked uncomfortable, and Pietro didn't know what to say to her.

"She's just joking," was the best thing he could come up with. The girl looked at him somewhat incredulous. Pietro wanted to say more, but instead, he decided to go after Wanda. Anya was about to burst into laughter but followed her siblings as well.

"Wait for me, don't leave me!" Anya shouted as she walked behind them.

"Don't get jealous just because I didn't give you a new dress," Pietro teased Wanda once he caught up to her. Anya was already walking alongside her siblings.

"If you keep stealing, you're going to get shot," Wanda replied sternly.

"Maybe if you gave a dress to a certain red-haired Avenger, you'd let us continue stealing more merchandise," Anya decided it was the perfect moment to reveal certain information she had in her possession.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Wanda inquired, trying to sound confused, but there was a hint of nervousness in her voice, feeling caught.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, sis," Anya replied, mocking. "I saw how you looked at her."

Wanda felt trapped. Her sister knew, and she wouldn't be convinced otherwise, but she would still deny her attraction to the only female Avenger.

"What did I miss?" Pietro asked, confused but not at all happy about the idea of his sister having a crush on an Avenger.

"Our dear little sister liked the redhead I attacked in the woods," Anya said.

"I didn't like her!" Wanda exclaimed with frustration. Anya raised an eyebrow at her. "What? It's true! Why would I lie?"

"I hope you're not lying," Pietro said dryly.

"Her mouth says that, but her eyes say something else..." Anya murmured teasingly.

"I don't like her, end of discussion." Wanda said exasperated. "Stop trying to distract me from the topic. We were talking about you two stopping the stealing." She gave Anya a punch on the shoulder. Anya complained, and Pietro laughed at it. "Stop stealing," she said, now hitting Pietro too.

Both Anya and Pietro were tired of their sister asking them that. They didn't want to stop helping people, even if it put them at risk. They were confident that with their powers, nothing bad could happen to them, especially if they were careful.

"I know nothing can catch you with your speed," Wanda said, looking directly at Pietro. "And that nothing compares to your strength," she now looked at Anya. "But please, stay still for now."

"Do you think we wouldn't want to do that?" Pietro stopped walking, and his sisters stopped too.

"Yes, as Sonic said."

"You can stay away from trouble while we wait."

"But I don't know what we're waiting for," Pietro complained.

"A signal from a certain redhead?"

"Oh, shut up," Wanda said exasperated. Anya laughed at that.

"We've been completely unprotected for all these years," Pietro muttered, wanting to get back to where they were, until a certain voice interrupted him.

"Costel!" exclaimed the same girl to whom Pietro gave the dress. She ran over to a child. "Costel, where did you go?" she asked the boy.

"Brother, isn't that the girl you like?" Anya asked Pietro.

"Shut up," he silenced her. Anya chuckled quietly.

Wanda didn't say anything. She watched the scene of the girl and the boy named Costel. She had a feeling.

"At the church," the boy replied to the girl after a few seconds. "That man said we should go to church."

"What man?" Wanda inquired with great interest. Pietro and Anya also started feeling the same intuition as their sister, but that didn't stop Anya from joking a little more.

"I don't think the redhead will be happy if you go asking about someone else," she said teasingly.

"Anya!" Wanda scolded her.

"Okay, I'll shut up," Anya agreed, smiling.

"What man?" Wanda asked the child again. He pondered his response for a couple of seconds.

"Iron Man," he answered with some hesitation, as if he wasn't very sure of his answer.

The Triplets Maximoff exchanged glances.

"Why don't you go back home? It's getting late for you to be out on the streets," Pietro told the girl and Costel. They nodded before leaving.

"I think we should go to the church now as well," Wanda told her siblings.

"Why would Stark send people to the church? It doesn't make sense!" Pietro added.

"I know!" Anya chimed in with an exaggerated tone. "Why not a pub or a cave instead?"

""Could you leave the jokes out?" This is serious, Anya," scolded Wanda.

"Wanda is right, this is serious," Pietro reprimanded her too.

"You take all the fun out of life," murmured Anya.

"Don't you want to get back at Stark?" Pietro asked her.

"Of course I do!" she replied instantly. "But I also want to drink..."

"Let's just go now," Wanda whispered after a few seconds of silence.

"Fine, but we'll go drinking later."

"Anya!"

"Okay, I'll drink alone."

 

The Triplets Maximoff walked into the interior of the church to confront Tony Stark or whoever was inside.

"Speak," Wanda said sternly once they spotted someone sitting. "If you're wasting our time..." She didn't complete her sentence as she was interrupted by a voice.

"Did you know that this church is located at the exact center of the city?" the voice said, pausing briefly. "The clergy arranged it so that everyone would be close to their God. I like that." Wanda approached menacingly but cautiously. Pietro and Anya stayed where they were but remained alert. "The geometry of faith."

"The geometry of faith," Anya repeated, trying to imitate the voice. "Oh, c'mon! What a dumbassery!" she murmured.

"You're probably wondering why you can't enter my mind," the person with the mysterious voice said again.

"Sometimes it takes me a while," Wanda replied after a few seconds of silence. "But everyone gives away their thoughts sooner or later," she said confidently, with an intimidating tone.

"Oh... I bet they do," the mysterious figure replied as they stood up and removed a blanket that covered a large part of their face. The Triplets finally saw the face of the mysterious voice. They were astonished to see that it was some kind of android, a robot.

"Am I not the only one seeing Terminator, right?" Anya whispered, still amazed. Her siblings didn't respond, they were still in shock.

"But they needed something better than a man," the android said, approaching them. "That's why you let Stark take the scepter."

"That wasn't the plan," Wanda replied confidently, fearlessly moving closer. Pietro exchanged a look with Anya.

"I really need a drink right now," Anya muttered.

"But I recognized his fear and saw that I would control him, that he would self-destruct," Wanda spoke again.

"Everyone creates what they fear," said the android. "People of peace create war machines," he walked, turning his back to them. "Invaders create Avengers," he positioned himself in the center of the church. "People create... smaller people," he paused briefly. "Ah... children!" he exclaimed excitedly. "That's what they call them, right?"

"Look at that. Robocop turned out to be a poet," Anya sarcastically remarked. Pietro wanted to laugh at his younger triplet's comment but decided to look away and pretend to be serious. Wanda looked at her indignantly for her comment and lack of seriousness. Anya pretended not to notice her sister's reaction.

"Children designed to replace you, to bring about an... end," the android said, completely ignoring the rest.

"So that's your plan," Wanda murmured instantly. "To bring an end to the Avengers..."

"As long as you don't bring an end to my future sister-in-law, no problem," Anya whispered to Wanda, amused.

"Anya!" Wanda scolded her, with a slight blush on her cheeks.

"I'm starting to believe Anya is right," Pietro said in a whisper, studying the expression of his middle sister.

"Of course I'm right, I’m always right!" Anya muttered, crossing her arms.


Yelena was laughing wholeheartedly, she loved Anya's comments. Wanda smiled nostalgically, Yelena and Anya would have gotten along very well if they had known each other.

"So, Is that how you started liking my sestra? What a cheesy story," Yelena said once she stopped laughing.

"You see? I told you," Natasha replied, smiling and proud of herself. Wanda rolled her eyes playfully, her girlfriend was always that self-centered.

"At that moment, I didn't know if I liked her from the moment I saw her... but I knew she caught my attention," Wanda replied. Natasha continued smiling with pride. "Of course, that doubt didn't last long... but well, we haven't reached that part of the story yet."

Yelena watched them happily, enjoying getting to know a bit about Anya and learning how her sister and Wanda met.

"And what about you, sestra?" Yelena asked. Natasha looked at her. "What did you feel the first time you saw Wands?" she asked excitedly. Wanda also turned to look at her, expectant. Natasha smiled.

"I thought that girl had stolen my jacket," she joked. Wanda chuckled softly, remembering the moment. Yelena looked at them confused. Natasha hadn't told her what she felt the first time she saw Wanda.

"Detka, can I tell her or should I wait until you reach that part of the story?" Natasha asked, still smiling. Wanda smiled back and replied, "You can tell her, babe." Natasha smiled even more.


They were in the battle of Sokovia. The city was in chaos, but the Avengers were already working to evacuate the entire city. Everything was going according to plan.

Natasha had finally reunited with the rest of her fellow Avengers, so she approached Captain America to find out what the next part of the plan was.

"Rogers," she said as she walked toward where the Captain was.

"Romanoff," the Captain replied instantly.

Natasha stopped in her tracks when she saw one of the girls who had attacked them in the woods. The girl was undeniably beautiful, but what caught her attention the most was that she was wearing her red jacket. The same jacket she was sure she had left in her locker at Avengers Tower.

"Is that my jacket?" Natasha asked, her gaze fixed on the girl. Steve turned to look at the girl.

"She's with us," Rogers replied. Although his voice faltered a bit, probably due to Natasha's tone.

"That doesn't explain the jacket."

The girl had a gay panic at that moment. The redhead whom the Captain referred to as "Romanoff" was very imposing, dominant, and that tone of voice only made her look sexier in her eyes.
"Yeah, sure, “I don’t like her” You're busted!" Anya murmured in a low voice, thoroughly amused by her triplet's reaction.

"Shut up, Anya," the girl whispered. But she couldn't deny it anymore, she did like Romanoff.

"That only gives me more reason, sis," Anya replied, amused. "Pietro owes me ten euros."

On the other hand, Natasha couldn't take her eyes off the girl. She would be lying if she said that the girl didn't look amazing wearing her jacket. But she wouldn't say it out loud, at least not at that moment. She cleared her throat and tried to focus, after all, they were in the middle of a very important battle.


Once again, Yelena laughed, amused by Anya's comments.

"Anya was really cool."

"Yes, she was," Wanda agreed. "You two would have gotten along very well."

"I bet we would," they both smiled nostalgically. Wanda missed her sister and the future they could have had. Yelena felt the same way, it was a shame not to have been able to meet someone as wonderful as Anya. Natasha watched with adoration the moment her two favorite people were sharing. Yelena was so good for Wanda, just like she was for her.

"But, Romanoff... you haven't answered your sister. That wasn't the first time we met," Wanda said, slightly serious. Natasha had never told her what she felt the first time she saw her.

"I need answers, sestra," Yelena added, amused.

"I do too," Wanda agreed. "Speak up, Nataska."

"Well, I thought that girl would be my downfall," Natasha replied, smiling at the memory. Wanda smiled enchantingly at her girlfriend's response.

"And you are mine, my love," Wanda replied sweetly. Natasha took her girlfriend's hand and gave it a gentle kiss. She really wanted to kiss her passionately and then make love to her, but she had to wait since her sister was there.

"Ugh, you two are giving me diabetes," Yelena complained. Natasha rolled her eyes. Wanda smiled nervously, possibly because she had read her girlfriend's mind and knew what she really wanted to do.

"You wanted to know, now you deal with it."

"I should have thought of that…"

Wanda laughed. She was quite familiar with that dynamic, and she loved it.

"What happened after you encountered Ultron?" Yelena asked Wanda, trying to change the subject and stop observing the couple's flirtation.

"We joined Ultron, faced the Avengers a couple of times, and then I discovered Ultron's true plan. That's when we decided to confront him and team up with the Avengers to defeat him," Wanda replied, summarizing a significant part of the story. Her voice had become saddened.

"I assumed that much, considering both you and Pietro are here. But I'm amazed that you decided to join the group you were trying to destroy," Yelena commented.

"We didn't immediately join them. We came to warn them about Ultron's plans and that they shouldn't bring Vision to life because that's exactly what Ultron wanted them to do. It was part of his plan to bring about the world's extinction."

"So, how did you end up joining the Avengers?" Yelena asked, intrigued.

"It was during the battle in Sokovia. We fought alongside them to achieve a common goal, but we weren't officially part of the Avengers yet. We didn't receive an appointment or anything like that, but let's say Clint offered us the opportunity."


Explosions started to burst around them, and Wanda and Anya were almost victims of one of them. Fortunately, Clint noticed and rushed towards them to save them. He pushed them along with him into a nearby house, where they stayed for a couple of minutes while the explosions subsided.

"I can't believe I let this happen," Wanda lamented on the floor. Anya hugged her to provide support, she also felt guilty about everything that was happening.

"Hey, are you both okay?" Clint asked them. Anya simply nodded.

"It's all our fault," Wanda murmured. Anya lowered her head, agreeing with her sister. The three Maximoff triplets felt guilty for everything that was happening.

"Hey, look at me," Clint told the sisters. They both turned to face him. "Whether it's your fault or everyone's, it doesn't matter. Are you willing to fight?"

"Yes," Anya replied, nodding in agreement.

"And what about you?" Clint asked directly to Wanda, who hadn't answered yet. "You have to tell me because the city... it's floating. Okay? The city is floating, and a troop of robots is shooting at us." Anya couldn't help but laugh upon hearing that. It was funny, she couldn't contain her laughter. "And I have arrows and a bow. None of this makes sense." As soon as he finished his last sentence, several bullets interrupted him from saying anything else. The sentinels were attacking the house. Clint shot an explosive arrow to blow up the attacking squad. "I'm going out to fight because it's my duty, okay? And I can't do my job and protect you." He turned to look at Anya as well. "Protect you both." He added, "No matter what you did or who you were, if you go out, you have to fight, fight, and win."

"Yes, that's what we'll do," Anya replied, more than willing to do it in order to destroy the maniac Ultron. Clint gave her a slight smile and nodded, then he turned his attention back to Wanda, who was still fearful.
"If you want, stay here. I'll send you to your siblings later. But if you walk out that door," Clint paused briefly, somewhat dramatically, "you'll be an Avenger." He then looked at the younger of the sisters. "You'll both be Avengers." Anya smiled at him.

Clint waited for a couple of seconds to see if Wanda would say something, but she remained silent. So, he stood up to leave. "It was nice chatting," he said once he was on his feet. "I guess I'll see you outside." He gave a half-smile to Anya before walking out the door. Wanda watched him leave in silence.

"I don't want to leave you alone, sis, but I have to go out and fight," Wanda said, observing her sister in silence. "I'll find Sonic and send him straight here to you, okay?" Still no response from Wanda. "I love you, sis. I'll see you later." Before leaving, Anya kissed her sister on the head.

Anya stepped out of the house, ready to kick some robotic asses. Just then, a loud noise made her turn towards the entrance of the house with a worried look. But she quickly calmed down and smiled with pride as she saw her sister coming out of the house. Wanda looked empowered, ready to destroy Ultron and all his troops.

"That's my triplet!" Anya exclaimed excitedly.

Both Anya, Wanda, and Pietro fought alongside the Avengers, they were now part of the team.

During the battle, Anya used her strength and pyrokinesis to destroy many of Ultron's sentinels. The final moment of the battle was approaching, and everyone knew it. After Ultron was severely injured and most of the civilians were evacuated, Wanda stayed behind to protect the simulation while the team searched for the remaining civilians. Anya and Pietro didn't want to leave their sister, but Wanda made them promise to come back for her only after the people of Sokovia were safe.

A couple of sentinels were about to attack Wanda, but Pietro and Anya arrived just in time to take them down.

"Get on the boats," Wanda told her siblings. Pietro and Anya shook their heads.

"I'm not leaving you," Pietro replied confidently.

"We're not leaving you," Anya corrected him.

"I can handle this," Wanda assured them. Just then, a sentinel flew towards her, but Wanda quickly made it explode with her powers. Pietro nodded in agreement, Wanda could definitely handle it. Anya applauded her (as she always did), proud of her sister. "Come for me when there's no one left, not before."

"Alright. As you say, sis," Anya accepted. Pietro didn't say anything, he just started walking.

"Got it?" Wanda asked Pietro.

"Hey, I'm twelve minutes older than you," he replied playfully.

"And I'm half an hour younger than you, and I'm in charge," Anya teased her brother.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, Supergirl."

Wanda watched them with a smile, truly loving her siblings. Who would have thought that would be the last time she would see them like that?

"Go," Wanda shooed them away while still smiling.

"We'll see each other again, sis," Anya said, smiling.

Wanda felt a strange sensation in her chest, but she couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. Pietro didn't say anything, he just smiled at her before taking Anya in his arms and running away with her.

Seconds later, they had arrived at the designated location to take care of what their sister had asked of them. Pietro set Anya down on the ground.

"I'll see you in a minute, Quicksilver," Anya said as a farewell to her brother. He smiled widely when he heard his sister call him by his alias.

"Take care, Atlas," Pietro returned the compliment, also using her alias. Anya smiled, delighted.

"I will," she replied. "You take care too, Sonic." Pietro rolled his eyes playfully. She had never told him before, but he liked the nickname his sister had given him. "Take care of yourself and Wanda," she added, walking away from her brother. Pietro looked at her strangely after the comment, but didn't say anything. "Also, take care of Polly." Polly was what Anya used to call her little sister, Lorna. It was a diminutive form of Polaris, her alias. Pietro also felt a strange sensation upon hearing the words from his younger triplet, but he couldn't ask her what she meant because Anya had already gone to help a group of people trapped in a car. Pietro decided to ignore that feeling and went to help a group of civilians as well.

Unfortunately, when Ultron was shooting at defenseless civilians with the Quinjet, Pietro was attacked by sentinels while protecting Hawkeye and Cosel, and he fell to the ground, almost lifeless.

Anya was protecting several SHIELD agents from the gunfire when she felt her brother's life slipping away. Wanda fell to the ground in pain, unleashing a surge of magic that annihilated a large number of sentinels.

Clint immediately grabbed Pietro and asked Thor to transport him to the medical area on the SHIELD boats. Agent Hill did everything necessary to keep Pietro from dying at that moment, but they still had to take him to a hospital for emergency surgery as soon as possible.

Stark and Thor were discussing how to deactivate the device that was causing the city to float, but they didn't know how to do it safely. There weren't many options for survival. Anya overheard them and offered to be the one to install it since her powers made her nearly indestructible. Stark and Thor didn't accept her offer, but she didn't wait for a response and took the object from Stark's hands. She then jumped onto a passing sentinel and somehow used it as transportation to reach the underside of the floating city. An added bonus was that several sentinels followed her to that point, which only made her plan even better. Stark and Thor tried to stop her, but they couldn't.

Anya activated the device, which worked quickly, leaving her no time to escape. All the sentinels that had followed her were crushed by the falling city, including her. Anya Maximoff had died, but her act saved a thousand lives.

Wanda, devastated, unleashed an even greater surge of magic and destroyed the sentinels that her sister had left behind. She left her post to destroy Ultron's main body, thus ending the entire battle.

Not long after, Vision came for her to take her to her brother, who was still alive and needed her more than ever.

They quickly took Pietro to the nearest hospital to save his life. Fortunately, after a long surgery, Pietro was stable, albeit fragile. Wanda thanked them endlessly. They had already lost their younger triplet, she didn't need to lose her older brother as well.


Wanda finished the story with tears in her eyes, unable to hold them back at the memory of her sister's death. Natasha quickly embraced her and tried to comfort her. Yelena also approached slowly.

"I know it won't be the same, and I won't try to take a place that doesn't belong to me. But whenever you need another annoying and cool younger sister, you can always count on me, Wands," Yelena said, gently smiling at her. Wanda smiled back with sadness. Anya had been an incredible sister, the bravest, noblest, smartest, and most cunning of the three. She was the complete package. Wanda was sure that Yelena was a blessing that Anya had placed in her path to help her cope with the loss. She didn't think twice and jumped to embrace Yelena.

"Thank you so much, sweetie. I'll hold you to that," Wanda murmured during the embrace. Natasha watched the touching scene, wiping away a few tears that had escaped her eyes. It had been a beautiful but nostalgic moment.

Notes:


I truly love the character of Anya, it's a pity that she only exists in the alternate story. But the main reason why she doesn't exist in this one will be discovered in the other story.

 

What I can tell you is that later on in this story, you will see a new Anya. In a couple of chapters, you will understand what I mean.

Chapter 16: Thank you for your cooperation

Summary:

Kate and Natasha had another serious conversation, but in the end, things didn't turn out so bad for Kate.

Chapter Text


The next day arrived, bringing with it another day of training. Natasha and Yelena headed to the training room to start their daily session, aiming to be free by the time Peter and Kate arrived. Wanda didn't join them but mentioned that she might come later to see them.

Hours later, Kate and Peter were walking towards their training session with the Widow sisters.

"Ready for today's training?" Peter asked Kate. His voice betrayed his enthusiasm for another day of training.

"Absolutely!"

"Someone's really excited to get their butt kicked," Peter teased.

"Romanoff won't kick my butt, or at least not today. You'll see, I'll defend myself just fine," Kate muttered, determined. "Natasha will regret making Lena feel bad."

"Sure..." Peter mumbled incredulously. "Do you mind if I bring purple roses to your funeral?"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, buddy."

Peter laughed.

"You're welcome, be back soon!"

Now it was Kate's turn to laugh. Peter was witty, just like her. Perhaps that's why they got along so well.

They continued walking for a few more meters until they reached the training room. Upon entering, they caught the sisters' gaze. It seemed like they had finished their routine a while ago and were just waiting for them.

"Finally, you're here," Natasha greeted them. "Start by running five miles to warm up and another five as punishment for being late." Peter and Kate exchanged glances.

"Ten miles in total?" Peter asked, somewhat astonished.

"We were only five minutes late," Kate complained in an unfriendly tone.

"That's why you'll run the other five." Natasha replied in the same manner.

Kate looked at Natasha with a sour expression. Peter gestured to her, silently telling her not to do or say something stupid. Kate was about to ignore him, but fortunately for them, Yelena spoke up, and Kate's attention shifted to her.

"If I were you, I'd start running before you make my sister angry," Yelena smiled at them with a friendly smile. Kate instantly smiled back, her smile filled with enthusiasm and joy at seeing the girl she liked.

"Hey, Yels. Glad to see you're doing much better," she greeted her.

"Kate Bishop, hi!" Yelena returned the greeting. "And thanks, I'm partly better because of you." Kate blushed instantly, quickly averting her gaze to avoid exposing herself too much. Peter watched the interaction between his teammates with excitement. Natasha, on the other hand, switched into automatic protective sister mode. Peter noticed Natasha's expression and immediately started thinking about what to do to prevent Kate's untimely death.

"If you don't start running right now, you'll have to run fifty miles instead." Natasha said sternly. Peter sighed in relief, glad that Kate wasn't being physically attacked.

"That's why we said ten was enough," Kate murmured in response. Natasha's comment had brought her back to the external world.

"Yeah... we better start now," Peter added. "By the way... hi, Yelena. It's good to see you," he greeted.

"Same here, Pete."

Without further ado, Kate and Peter started running before Natasha made them run a full marathon.

"Sestra, can I ask you a favor?" Yelena asked Natasha.

"You know you can," she replied. "What 's up?"

"Could you train with Peter today?" Natasha looked at her, analyzing her expression.

"If I train with him... then YOU will train with Bishop," Natasha responds.

"I know, that's the idea," Yelena murmurs nervously. Natasha detects the nervousness in her sister's voice.

"Why do you want to train with Bishop?"

"She asked me to train her, and I said yes."

"So Bishop asked you, huh?" Natasha thinks to herself, "You lived for twenty years, Bishop."

"Yeah, obviously," Yelena replies. "I'm a better trainer than you," she teases.

"I don't think that's why," Natasha murmurs, more to herself than anyone else.

"Of course it is!" Yelena retorts. "Why else would it be? Even Pete said so."

"She really is blind, that's why she's called Lena." Natasha mentally notes.

"Well then? Can I train with Kate Bishop?"

Natasha remains silent for a few seconds, contemplating whether or not to let her sister train with Kate. She sighs before answering.

"Alright," she agrees. Yelena shouts "YES!" in excitement. Natasha smiles slyly. "But on one condition."

"Sure, what is it?"

"The first half of the training will be with me, then she can go with you."

"Okay... it's a weird condition, but I accept," Yelena mutters. "It would be easier if you weren't so blind," Natasha thinks to herself.

~

 

The sisters watched Peter and Kate run the ten miles Natasha had instructed. They had been running for several minutes, and the wait was becoming boring.

"How much longer do they have?" Yelena asked.

"I hope not much longer. Waiting is so boring," Natasha replied. "Although... we could make this time more entertaining."

"What do you have in mind?" Yelena asked, intrigued. Natasha smiled mischievously.

"We could shoot at them, make the training feel more like a real battlefield."

"Isn't it too soon for that? They could get seriously injured or even die..."

"I don't think that will happen," Natasha dismissed, downplaying the concern. "Parker has something called 'The Tingle.'"

"What 's that?" Yelena asked, confused by the not too technical term.

"It's a spider-sense that warns him of threats."

"Oh, that's cool!" Yelena exclaimed. Then she paused, pondering something. "And what about Kate Bishop?" Natasha saw her sister's confusion.

"What about her?"

"She doesn't have powers, does she? I don't think her 'Hawkeye' eyesight will help her dodge bullets aimed at her back."

"She won't suffer more than a few injuries, I promise," Natasha assured her. Yelena looked at her in disbelief.

"You're crazy!" she exclaimed. "I won't let you shoot at my team."

"Half of your team will be fine," Natasha said.

"Then I won't let you shoot at the other half!"

Why do you care so much about her?" Natasha already had an idea of why, but she wanted to hear her sister's response. Yelena remained silent for a couple of seconds, pondering the same question Natasha had asked her. She didn't have an answer to that, she didn't even know herself.

"She 's cool... She helped me a lot yesterday." Natasha mentally pleaded, "Please, let it not be what I'm thinking."

"I wouldn't be a good friend or leader if I let you shoot at her," Yelena replied, confirming Natasha's fears.

"I really hope that's all it is..." Natasha muttered quietly.

"She's a really kind person," Yelena smiled as she watched Kate run. "Yesterday, she lifted my spirits so quickly and made me feel really good..."

"Oh, great. Now I really will kill Bishop," Natasha made a mental note.

 

"We're done running the ten miles," Kate said, trying to catch her breath. Running that much had been exhausting.

"It was too easy. If you want, we can run another ten," Peter responded beside her, crossing his arms.

"Shut up, Parker," Kate told him. "Not all of us have superpowers." Yelena laughed.

"Don't worry, Kate Bishop. That's all the running you'll do today," Yelena reassured her.

"I wouldn't mind running more if it's with you," Kate thought aloud. She only realized what she said when she noticed Natasha's deadly glare and Peter's mortified expression. She blushed instantly.

"Awww," Yelena murmured, touched. "Thank you, Kate Bishop."

"W-w-whenever you want..." Kate murmured, silently praying that Natasha wouldn't kill her later. "That's what we're here for..."

"Speaking of that... I have good news for you, Kate Bishop," Yelena said excitedly.

"Oh, really?" Kate hadn't seen that coming. Yelena nodded vigorously. "What is it?" Kate asked with equal enthusiasm. Yelena had infected her with her excitement.

"Nat agreed to let me train you," she replied, smiling. Both Kate and Peter looked at her, amazed and somewhat incredulous.

"Did she really agree?" Kate asked, her voice filled with doubt. Yelena nodded energetically again, about to respond to Kate, but Natasha beat her to it.

"That's right, Bishop," Kate turned to look at Natasha. "But the first half of the training will be with me. After that, you can go with Lena." "If you make it," she added in her mind. Kate swallowed hard, knowing that it meant Natasha would hit her again.

"Isn't it cool? We'll train together!" Yelena exclaimed excitedly, completely unaware of the situation.

"Of course..." Kate muttered. "God, it's me again..."

"Shall we begin?" Natasha proposed, smiling maliciously.

"Or we could take a few more minutes..." Kate replied, trying to buy some time.

"I agree with Kate. Ten miles is a lot, and maybe we need a few more minutes of rest," Peter supported her.

"No, we'll start right now." Natasha responded curtly. "Parker, you'll train with Yelena outside. Bishop, you'll stay here with me." Kate and Peter exchanged glances.

"Can we stay here too?" Peter asked Natasha. "I want to train here, Agent Romanoff."

"Yes, let them stay..." Kate murmured, her voice sounding despondent. Z
"I want witnesses to my death,"
Kate added in her mind.

Yelena looked back and forth between her team and her sister. She didn't understand what the hell was happening.

"No." Natasha replied sternly. "Lena, take the kid away now."

"Well, I tried," Peter lamented quietly.

"Okay. Let's go, Pete," Yelena said.

"I'm sorry... I promise I'll bring you purple roses at your funeral," Peter whispered to Kate.

"Better make them tulips," Kate whispered back.

"Deal," he said before starting to walk towards the exit.

"See you later, Kate Bishop," Yelena bid farewell in a slightly flirtatious tone. Kate smiled instantly.

"See you later, Yels," Kate bid farewell. Unlike Yelena, her tone was completely flirtatious.

They stared at each other for a while. Both had a smile on their faces, and they didn't need to say anything, they just appreciated each other.

"Yes, yes, yes," Natasha interrupted the moment. "Get out of here, Yelena."

For some reason unknown to Yelena, her cheeks turned red, and she felt that strange nervousness again.

"Goodbye, sestra," Yelena hurriedly bid farewell before exiting through the door. Kate watched Yelena leave with sadness, now she was left to face her fate.

"And... What 's up? What are we going to do today?" Kate murmured after several seconds of uncomfortable and unsettling silence.

"What did I tell you about getting close to my little sister?" Natasha said in a threatening tone.

"It's not what it seems!" Kate tried to defend herself. "I'm just being friendly with my teammate!"

"It's nice that you think I'll believe you," Natasha replied, not waiting any longer and knocking Kate down with a knee strike.

"I'm serious!" Kate said from the ground.

"I'm Natasha Romanoff, I practically invented that excuse."

"It's not an excuse, it's the truth," Kate muttered, now standing.

"So you don't like Yelena then?" Natasha asked.

"Like, like," Kate started to ramble, "what does 'like' even mean... Well, no."

"I understand," Natasha replied. Kate looked at her in astonishment, not expecting her to believe her. "So you just want to play with her."

”What? No!” Kate tried to clarify things. “That's not it either!”

"You don't convince me." Natasha replied.

Natasha attacked Kate again. She kicked her and Kate fell several meters away. Kate quickly got back on her feet and tried to grab Natasha to fight back, but Natasha easily evaded her grip and pinned her against the wall. Kate attempted to attack Natasha again, but obviously couldn't succeed. Natasha threw her to the ground once more.

"Have you had enough?" Natasha asked mockingly. "Or do you need more?"

"No!" Kate jumped up from the ground, determined to keep trying to fight Natasha.

"You asked for it." Natasha ran towards her and once again brought her down with one of her typical Black Widow moves. Seconds later, both were back on their feet.

"I do like Yelena, okay?! She's amazing and I really like her!" Kate shouted, in pain from all the blows she had received in such a short time. "Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"What I want is for you to stop trying to seduce her."

"Why should I stop?" Kate asked, with all the courage in the world. If she was going to die, she would do so fighting. "I really like her, I want to try something serious with her."

"My sister is not ready for romance," Natasha said, annoyed.

Kate looked at her with a mix of amusement and disbelief. "Isn't she like two or almost three years older than me?"

"Age is not the only thing that matters, Bishop," Natasha said, irritated. "Lena has never been in any relationship. She's only just starting to live the life that was stolen from her for years." Kate listened attentively, unaware of half of that information. "And even if she were ready, do you think I would let her go out with you?"

"What's wrong with me?" Kate murmured, her voice filled with pain.

”Do you really think I don't know that you're a player?”

"Don't project onto me," Kate countered.

"I would never. You're far from matching me."

"Exactly, because I'm not a player like SOMEONE else," Kate emphasized the last word. Natasha made a threatening move, more than ready to hit Kate again. The latter hurried to speak again to avoid more blows. "Whatever Clint told you, I assure you it's not true," she whispered quickly. Natasha smirked smugly, having achieved exactly what she wanted.

”Clint hasn't told me anything.”

Kate felt her soul leaving her body. In that moment, she felt true fear.

"Oh, uh, he hasn't?" she stammered, stumbling over her words.

"No, he hasn't," Natasha said, pausing briefly for dramatic effect, which felt like hours to Kate. "But thank you for your cooperation."

“Did you investigate me, didn't you?" Kate asked Natasha after a long silence where she felt her whole life pass by.

"What do you think?" Natasha replied mockingly. Kate felt a terrible knot in her throat.

"What did you find out?" she asked, fearful. Natasha was a spy, so it was obvious that she knew everything.

"Everything," Natasha stated. Kate closed her eyes and called upon divine help, "Hello, God. It's me again..." Natasha recited a list of key points, "Every time you go on a date, it's with a different girl. You never go out with the same girl twice," she continued. "And I must add, it's very obvious that you have a type. Most of your dates are blondes with green or blue eyes." Kate blushed. It was true, she had a weakness for blondes with colored eyes. It wasn't something she was ashamed of, but she also didn't think it was a good thing for Natasha to know.

"Well, those could just be rumors..." Kate muttered. Natasha raised an eyebrow incredulously, causing Kate to avert her gaze. There was no use, Natasha had all the information she needed to support why she didn't want her as a potential sister-in-law.

"You have the typical profile of a millionaire playgirl. You seem more like a Stark's protégé than Clint’s," Natasha said. In another moment, Kate would have laughed at that comment, but it definitely wasn't a good time to do so.

"Maybe I've dated some girls," Natasha raised an eyebrow again, indicating that she didn't believe her. Kate rolled her eyes. "Okay... maybe I've dated MANY girls," she corrected, emphasizing the penultimate word, "but that doesn't mean I slept with all of them."

"Maybe not, but it's said that you played with their feelings," Natasha retorted.

"Not because you are that kind of playgirl means the rest of us are," Kate said in a burst of foolish bravery. Natasha's face hardened.

"You don't know me, Bishop. You can't say anything like that, especially since you haven't been in the compound for long, you barely know anyone here." Natasha told her sternly. "I don't have to clarify your mistake either, but I'll do it anyway to make it clear." Kate nodded slightly. Natasha proceeded to say, "I have ALWAYS been clear about my intentions. I have never played with any woman. And I have always respected my relationships, they haven't been many, but I respected the ones I had. So you have no right to say that about me."

"That's not what they say in the hallways..." Kate murmured with the last ounce of foolish bravery she had left.
"Those rumors have always been there since my time at SHIELD. They are rumors created by men who envy me because I do what they can only dream of." Natasha replied with great severity. "Unfortunately, many of the SHIELD agents also work here at the compound, which is why those damn rumors are still circulating. Unfortunately for them, those rumors don't prevent female staff's attention from reaching me.

"That makes sense," Kate whispered, fear evident in her voice. "But you understood my point, right?"

"That you're a womanizer? Sure."

"There's nothing wrong with dating multiple women, and you can't deny that," Kate defended herself.

"No, there's nothing wrong with it. What is wrong is not clarifying your intentions and playing with them. Or date multiple women at the same time."

"Okay... I admit that maybe I was the typical womanizer back in high school... but I've changed! I went to therapy and worked on that. In my last two years of college, I've changed that, now I make everything clear," Kate explained quickly, a sign that she was nervous. "Of course, I stopped doing it when I saw your sister... I liked her so much from the first time I saw her that I didn't feel the need to be with anyone other than Yelena."

"Do you really expect me to believe that?" Natasha asked bitingly.

"It's the truth," Kate replied honestly and simply. Natasha analyzed her attentively. "I know I've known Yelena for a very short time, and I practically don't know anything about her... but since I met her... from that moment, I liked her. It was like an explosion inside me," Kate smiled at the memory. "I'm falling in love with Yelena, I swear on my bow," Natasha continued to scrutinize her. "And my bow is the most sacred thing to me. So you can be sure that I won't hurt her. I really like her a lot, and I want to try something serious with Lena."

Natasha fell silent, processing all of Kate's words. Maybe she was overreacting, but she still didn't fully believe the young woman's words. Yelena was her little sister, and no precaution was too much.

"Nice words, Bishop. But you need more than that for me to believe you."

"My actions will speak for themselves, you'll see," Kate replied instantly. "I know you're protecting her as her older sister, so don't worry. I'll prove that I mean it."

"We'll see, Bishop."

Once again, they fell into silence. Kate began to wonder if she had Natasha's approval now. Obviously, she wouldn't leave with that doubt, so she decided to clarify.

"So... are we all good, sis? Do I have your approval?" she asked excitedly. Natasha smiled without grace.

"No." Kate's excitement faded. "And don't call me that. If you call me that again, you won't make it, Bishop," Kate swallowed hard.

"Understood."

"Good. Now get out of here," Natasha dismissed her. "Join the rest of your team. Stark has important news for you."

"My team includes Yelena," Natasha looked at her threateningly, so Kate hurried to continue, "Just to clarify, does that mean I CAN get close to her?"

"As a friend and teammate, yes. The rest, we'll see with time," Natasha replied, her tone changing quickly. Kate looked at her in total astonishment. She didn't expect that. Natasha smiled slightly, but quickly changed her expression. "Don't make me regret it, Bishop."

"I won't, I swear!" Kate smiled excitedly. It felt like she had won the lottery.

"I hope so."

"My actions will speak for themselves, you'll see!"

"You have five seconds to leave, and you've already wasted two," Natasha said icily. Kate's smile vanished instantly.

"That's why I said I was leaving..." she muttered, walking quickly towards the exit.

Upon leaving the training room, Kate started dancing with happiness. Yes, she was beaten by Natasha, and her whole body hurt, but at least she had made great progress with her future sister-in-law. The bruises were well worth it.

Chapter 17: Yelena likes Kate

Summary:

Peter plays a little trick that leaves him almost certain that Yelena is into Kate.

A party on the horizon, what could possibly happen?

Chapter Text

Meanwhile, with Yelena and Peter, the training was quite different from what Natasha and Kata were having. Yelena thought it was a fun idea to start their routine by letting loose through dancing, so that's what they did first. Yelena played "Dancin'" by Aaron Smith, which wasn't typically the music she would listen to, but it would work for dancing and letting go.

"Well, Pete, start loosening up," Yelena told him as she began to move to the rhythm of the music. Peter looked at her, alternating between disbelief and shyness because he would have to dance.

"Do I have to dance? I'm not very good at it..." he murmured nervously.

"Don't worry, you just have to move to the rhythm of the music to loosen up," Yelena replied, still dancing. Peter had no choice but to start swaying from side to side. "Great job, you can do it!"

"Okay..." he whispered, still with a hint of nervousness and shyness in his voice. He continued to sway uncomfortably from side to side without really feeling the music.

"Come on, Pete! Let go of that body!" Yelena said, still dancing. Peter began to move his arms as well, trying to catch the rhythm of the song.

"Like this?" he asked, moving less stiffly than when he started.

"No, loosen up even more!" Yelena responded, not stopping her dance. She was having the time of her life. Peter started moving faster, doing a strange dance, like a stationary blender, and clapping more in time with the song.

"Am I doing it right?" Peter asked with a bit more confidence now.

"That's it, Pete! Keep it up!" exclaimed Yelena, continuing to dance as she walked along the patio where they were.

Peter kept dancing, letting go and gaining more confidence in what he was doing. He also began to dance around the entire patio, his steps now much more in sync with the rhythm of the song. Suddenly, he started performing maneuvers, fully immersed in the mood.

"Very well, Pete! Keep it up!" Yelena responded, also performing maneuvers. Peter started doing backflips, totally inspired. As he landed, Peter began to perform pirouettes in a perfect ballet pose.

"And... POSE!" Yelena shouted, to which Peter obeyed and struck a pose after finishing his spin. "Shall we see who can spin the longest?" she proposed.

"Sure!" Peter instantly agreed.

Both of them started spinning to see who could last the longest. Obviously, Yelena won due to her ballet training. Peter only lasted a little over a minute spinning.

"Not bad, Parker!" Yelena said to him, still spinning. "Keep on dancing!" she exclaimed once she stopped spinning and continued dancing. Peter did the same.

What neither of them noticed was Tony Stark's arrival in the patio where they were. Tony stood still for a couple of minutes, watching Yelena and Peter dance. He was speechless, not expecting such a training session.

Peter, at one point during his dance, turned to look at where Tony was, and that's when he stopped dancing. Yelena also turned to look when she noticed Peter had stopped moving, but she didn't mind and continued dancing.

"Mr. Stark..." Peter murmured, embarrassed.

"Tell me, what's the reason behind all this that you were doing?" Tony asked them, doing a ridiculous dance himself.

Peter hesitated for a moment, feeling a bit flustered. "Well, um... Yelena thought it would be a fun way to loosen up and start our training session. We wanted to let go and have some fun before getting into the serious stuff," he explained, trying to find the right words.

Yelena chimed in, still dancing. "Yeah, we're having fun".

"I thought you were rehearsing for the party," Tony tells them. Yelena and Peter exchange confused glances.

"Which party?" Yelena asks.

"There's going to be a party?" Peter asks, astonished.

"Of course, there's going to be a party," Tony responds, stating the obvious. "A party in your honor." Peter opens his mouth in amazement. That's when Tony remembers something. "...which I just remembered was supposed to be a surprise."

"He just spoiled it for us," Peter whispers, dejected. He loved surprises, and his surprise welcome party had just been ruined.

"Oops," Tony murmurs apologetically.

"Son of a bitch," Yelena mutters, somewhat angry. She also would have preferred not to know about the surprise.

"Forget I said anything," Tony requests.

"Of course, Mr. Stark," Peter resigns.

"Act surprised on that day," Tony tells them before starting to walk back where he came from. "Goodbye, kiddo. Goodbye, little Widow," he says before disappearing from Yelena and Peter's sight.

"Wow, a party!" Peter exclaims excitedly. "Isn't that amazing?"

"I guess it doesn't sound too bad," Yelena responds. She had never been to a party without the intention of killing someone at said event, so a party wasn't something that excited her much.

"Come on, it'll be incredible," Peter tries to cheer her up and get her excited about the party. But his words didn't have the desired effect on Yelena. "I'm sure Kate will agree with me," he says, catching Yelena's attention.

"Will Kate also be at the party?"

"Um... yes? Mr. Stark said it's in our honor, so obviously he also meant Kate," Peter explains.

"That makes sense to me."

Peter was now even more excited as he noticed Yelena paying attention when Kate was mentioned.

"Are you planning to bring someone to the party?" he asks her. Before getting even more excited and telling everything to Kate, he needed to see if Yelena had any interest in bringing someone else to the party.

"Someone like what?" Yelena asks, totally confused and intrigued. She didn't understand why she needed to bring someone to a party. What was the point of that?

"You know... someone to accompany you, dance, hang out, and all that," Peter explains.

"But why would I want to bring someone to the party for all that? I mean, they're going to celebrate us as the new team, right?" Peter nods. "So why can't I do all that with my team?" Peter smiled satisfied, he didn't need more answers, at least not for now.

"You're right, we have each other for that," Peter hesitates for a moment before saying something, but in the end, he goes for it. After all, life is a risk. "Especially Kate, she's really cool, isn't she?"

"The coolest," Yelena replies, smiling. Peter mentally celebrates, "My ship is going to be canon."

"Great, then it will be a fun party," Peter says excitedly, especially because of the potential connection between Kate and Yelena at the party.

"I'm starting to believe it, Pete," Yelena responds, still smiling and feeling an unusual enthusiasm for the party, for a reason she didn't know, but also didn't care to know at that moment. "But enough socializing, it's time to train for real."

"Roger that, leader!" Peter exclaims, giving a military salute. Yelena laughs.

"That's the spirit!"

~

Yelena decided that they would start by training in boxing. Peter had no prior experience before becoming Spiderman, so a boxing routine would be quite helpful.

At first, Peter struggled a bit to understand the footwork, how to throw punches, and other concepts, but he quickly learned.

"You said you couldn't do it, right?" Yelena said to Peter after his first good punch, as he had complained a lot about not being able to do it. "Well done, Pete!"

"Oh, yeah!" Peter began to do a celebratory dance. "I'm a total pro!" he sang as he continued dancing. Out of nowhere, Yelena tackled him in a matter of seconds.

"What was that?" Peter asked from the ground.

"Rule number one: never get distracted," Yelena replied, laughing.

"I won't forget it again..." Peter muttered as he got back on his feet. "Time to test something," Peter thought. "Oh, is that girl coming Kate?" he said, pointing towards the entrance. Yelena unconsciously turned instantly upon hearing her friend's words. Peter took advantage of the distraction to now bring her down.

"That wasn't a cool way to prove my point," Yelena complained from the floor. Now it was Peter's turn to laugh until he remembered that Yelena's action had confirmed what Peter believed: Yelena liked Kate. "Well done, Pete. I didn't see that move coming at all," she congratulated him as she got back on her feet.

"All the opposite, I was expecting that to be your reaction," Peter said, delighted with his discovery. "I wasn't sure, but you did it!" Yelena laughed, totally oblivious to what Peter meant.

"You got lucky this time, it's not easy to distract me."

"The good thing is that I know how to distract you," Peter teased. Yelena looked at him, not understanding what he meant. Peter could see that Kate was now approaching where he and Yelena were. "But look who's coming, it's Kate," he said to Yelena.

"Ha! I won't fall for that trick again."

"It's not a trick," Peter replied, amused. Yelena raised an eyebrow in disbelief, but by then, Kate was practically behind her. "Hey, Kate. What's up? How did it go?" Peter greeted her.

"IT WENT GREAT!" Kate replied, overly excited. Now Yelena believed Peter and turned to see where Kate was. "It wasn't a trick this time," Yelena thought to herself. "Hi again, Yels," Kate greeted her flirtatiously, causing Yelena to blush slightly, but not enough to be visible. Well, it was noticeable, but their teammates could easily think it was due to the training.

"Kate Bishop, hi" Yelena returned the greeting with a smile. "Getting closer every time," Peter celebrated in his mind. "Ready for the party?"

"What party?" Kate asked, puzzled.

"Stark came to tell us that there's going to be a party in our honor, you know, for being the new team," Yelena explained.

"Wow! That sounds awesome," Kate said, excited about the party idea as well. Yelena smiled at how enthusiastic she was. "This is my chance," Kate said to herself.

"Just pretend to be surprised on the day of the party when they announce it's in our honor," Peter added.

"Why?" Kate asked, puzzled by the request.

"We're not supposed to know it's in our honor. Mr. Stark accidentally let that slip," Peter replied. Kate chuckled quietly.

"Yeah, that sounds like something he would do," she said, amused. "Still, we'll be going to our first official party as part of the Avengers!"

"I know!" Peter exclaimed, also excited.

"It will be my first party, I hope it's cool," Yelena commented, catching the enthusiasm from her teammates.

"Is it really your first party?" Kate asked.

"Yep."

"In that case, I'll make sure you have a great time," Kate replied lovingly, which made Yelena smile widely. "It will be the best party of your life, you'll see."

"I'm sure it will be, Kate Bishop," Yelena unconsciously responded in a flirty tone, surprising her friends, especially Kate, who smiled, blushing. "Kate Bishop has such a beautiful smile," Yelena thought as she watched her attentively.

Peter was almost jumping with excitement but restrained himself not to ruin the moment Yelena and Kate were having. However, he realized that he was getting in the way there; it was time to leave.

"I'm leaving now," Peter announced, catching the attention of his companions. "I'm sure Agent Romanoff is waiting for me to continue our training session, and I don't think she'd appreciate me being late," he hurriedly spoke, a sign that he was lying.

"Don't worry, Pete," Kate said to reassure him. "The training is already over."

"Are you sure?" Peter gave Kate a pleading look, hoping she would understand what he was trying to convey. Unfortunately, Kate didn't understand what Peter was trying to say, but luckily Yelena didn't either. "Are you really not preferring me to go and ask her?" he asked, pursing his lips, hoping that Kate would catch the hint. Unfortunately, Kate didn't understand what Peter was trying to say. But to Peter's dismay, Natasha and Wanda were entering the courtyard at that moment.

"It won't be necessary, Parker," Natasha said sternly. Peter felt like he had seen a ghost. "For today, that will be the end of the training."

"U-understood, Agent Romanoff," Peter murmured, his voice trembling.

"You can use the remaining free time to figure out what to wear for the party," Wanda said enthusiastically, also excited about the party.

"That's a great idea, Wands," Yelena responded, smiling. Kate looked away from Yelena, her jealousy evident.

"Thanks for the idea, Miss Maximoff," Peter replied, trying to prevent their obvious reaction from being noticed. Wanda smiled kindly in response.

"That's why we're here for you, sestra," Natasha said to her sister.

"To take you shopping for something nice for the party," Wanda added, completing her girlfriend's sentence.

"I love the idea!" Yelena exclaimed, already envisioning herself in a new vest in her mind. Wanda and Natasha smiled at her.

"Shall we?" Natasha proposed to her girlfriend and sister.

"Yes, that's fine," Yelena agreed after thinking for a moment. She still didn't want to leave her teammates, but maybe she would get a new vest. Her team and she weren't yet so bonded that she would prefer them over a vest.

"See you later, Peter and Kate," Wanda said, starting to walk towards the exit of the courtyard.

"Goodbye, rookies," Natasha also said goodbye, walking alongside her girlfriend. "Let's go, Lena," she said when she noticed her sister hadn't moved from her spot.

"Goodbye, see you later," Peter bid farewell to Wanda and Natasha. Kate didn't even flinch, lost in her negative thoughts.

"I guess I'll see you later," Yelena said, bidding farewell to her companions. Yelena's voice snapped Kate out of her thoughts.

"Take care, Yels. Have fun," Kate murmured with a flat tone.

"Thanks, Kate Bishop. Hope to see you later," Yelena said, smiling sweetly. Kate smiled instinctively. "See you," she corrected herself, remembering Peter.

"Don't worry, I understand," Peter mused. Kate's smile widened as she noticed a faint blush (once again) coloring Yelena's cheeks.

"Anyway, see you later," Yelena said, finally starting to walk towards where her sister and best friend.

"Goodbye, Yel," Peter said.

"See you, Lena!" Kate shouted, noticing that Yelena was already quite far.

"Do svidaniya, Kate Bishop!" Yelena replied in the same manner.

"Her voice sounds sexier in Russian..." Kate whispered, completely mesmerized.

"Lucky for you, Agent Romanoff is not here, otherwise she would have killed you for saying that about her sister," Peter teased.

"Shh," Kate hushed him, still gazing in the direction Yelena had gone. "Let me enjoy this moment a little longer..."

"Do you need much more time? We need to talk," Kate turned to him with an annoyed expression for interrupting her moment. Peter sighed in frustration.

"Fine."

"But first, you go first. You have to tell me how it went with Agent Romanoff!" Kate smiled as she remembered the great progress she had made.

"It went great!"

"Those bruises say otherwise."

"Well, it went great except for the part with the bruises," she explained, not losing her excitement. "I managed to talk to Natasha, tell her how much I'm really interested in her sister, and...," she paused dramatically, seeing the excitement in Peter's eyes. "...you could say she already accepted me."

"Did that really happen?"

"That's basically what she told me," Peter's excitement faded as he listened to Kate. That meant Kate still didn't have Natasha's approval, but Kate believed she did. "She investigated me and knows everything about my past, but I explained everything and she believed me," she continued, and Peter looked at her incredulously. "...well, at least she put me on a trial period or something like that."

"Do you really want me to believe that?"

"It's the truth! I assure you I didn't exaggerate that part."

"Did she really put you to the test?"

"Yes, she did, for real."

Peter fell silent. If what Kate said was true, it meant things were gradually falling into place to clear the way for Kate with Yelena.

"Kate, then you have to pass that trial period," Peter said seriously. "Believe me, now more than ever, you have to give it your all."

"What do you know that you're not telling me?"

"Don't freak out," he cautioned her. Peter looked towards the courtyard entrances to make sure no one would overhear what he was about to say. "I think Yelena also has feelings for you," he dropped the bomb. Kate's eyes widened in astonishment.

"Don't play with that."

"A few minutes ago, while we were training, I mentioned you to see how she would react, and Kate, Yelena smiled a lot when talking about you! Her face literally said 'I like Kate,'" he excitedly recounted.

"Could it have been a figment of your imagination, dude?"

"Kate," Peter murmured in a monotone voice. Kate pouted at feeling scolded. "Okay, yes. It could have been my perception," Kate's expression saddened. She didn't fully believe it, but it was sad to hear Peter say that. "But she genuinely likes you, okay?" a glimmer of hope sprang back to life in Kate. "I also told her that you were coming to see what she was doing, and she instantly turned to look at you. She was completely distracted upon hearing your name!" Kate looked at him somewhat skeptical. Peter noticed it, so he made sure to add more important details. "And also, she always smiles at you and speaks to you in a flirtatious tone. It's obvious that she likes you! In fact, I think her sister knows too."

"Why do you say that?"

"Kate, didn't you pay attention to Agent Romanoff's expressions when you and Yelena started flirting?"

"No, of course not. When I'm with Lena, she's the only one I pay attention to, not anyone or anything else."

Peter smiled as he listened to Kate. "Well, believe me. Her sister already knows or at least suspects it."

"Wow... then I really have a chance with Yelena," Kate murmured, excited but still somewhat incredulous. "I can't believe it..."

"Well, start believing it because now is when you have the best opportunity," Peter encouraged/scolded her. "The party is the perfect chance to get closer to Yelena."

"You're right, Pete. This party is perfect for getting closer to the love of my life," Kate sighed after uttering the last words. "I won't miss this opportunity, I swear on my bow," she raised her right hand to make a motion as if she were taking an oath.

"That's the spirit, KB!"

Chapter 18: Carol Danvers

Summary:

Carol arrives at the perfect moment on Earth to witness all the drama that is about to happen. Additionally, she will undoubtedly be a great friend to our beloved Yelena.

Chapter Text

Wanda, Natasha, and Yelena went shopping to look for clothes they would wear to the party. Each of them chose something according to their personal style. Yelena had the idea of getting a new vest, but in the end, she couldn't find one she liked and ended up buying a red dress that she loved.

Back at the compound, the three of them were in their favorite living room. They were having drinks and relaxing after that long afternoon of shopping.

"Sweetie, are you excited about your first party?" Wanda asked Yelena.

"Yep, I am," Yelena replied, nodding her head.

"You'll have a lot of fun, you'll see," Natasha told her.

"Kate Bishop and Pete said the same thing!" Yelena exclaimed excitedly. Natasha looked at her analytically.

"Oh, really? They said that?" Natasha inquired.

"Yes, even Kate Bishop told me that she would personally make sure I have a great time," Yelena innocently replied, unaware of the impact her response had. Natasha became serious and made a mental note to have another conversation with Kate. On the other hand, Wanda watched her with curiosity. "Interesting," she thought to herself. "So I guess it will be a great party," Yelena added, smiling.

"Party?" a voice said from the entrance of the living room. The three turned to see the speaker. "I didn't know I was going to be welcomed with a party," she added playfully. Natasha and Wanda smiled upon seeing her.

"What the hell are you doing here, Danvers?" Natasha greeted her, getting up to give her a hug. Carol laughed upon hearing her. They exchanged a brief hug as a greeting. "I thought you were somewhere in the universe," Natasha said once they separated from the hug.

"But it's good to see you again, Carol," Wanda greeted her, also giving her a hug.

"Not as good as finally seeing you two together," Carol said once the hug was over. The couple looked at her in astonishment.

"What? Does she know too?" Yelena asked with pain. It hurt her to think that Carol, despite not being on the planet, already knew about Natasha and Wanda's relationship.

"We didn't tell her anything," Natasha quickly explained.

"Sweetie, we haven't even seen Carol since the airport battle in Germany. We don't know how she found out," Wanda added calmly. Something clicked in Natasha's mind upon hearing her girlfriend's words.

"Good point. Danvers, how do you know?" Natasha asked her.

"I didn't know, but you yourselves just confirmed it to me," Carol casually said. The couple exchanged embarrassed looks. Carol laughed at them, and Yelena relaxed knowing that they hadn't lied to her. She joined Carol in laughter, also observing her sister and Wanda's reactions. Natasha rolled her eyes, knowing that her sister and Carol would be great allies once they got to know each other.

"By the way, this is Yelena, my little sister," Natasha introduced Yelena to Carol.

"Your sister has talked a lot about you," Yelena smiled upon hearing Carol's words. "Nice to meet you, Yelena," Carol extended her hand. Yelena took it.

"Likewise, Captain."

"Just call me Carol. Captain sounds too formal," she requested.

"Alright, Carol," Yelena accepted, still smiling.

"Wait, are Natasha and I really that obvious?" Wanda had been thinking about that, so she decided to clarify her doubt and ask Carol.

"Too obvious," Carol smiled at her with obviousness.

"They're not that obvious," Yelena defended them. "I only figured it out because of a slip-up they had."

"I'm not supporting Danvers' point, but Lena, YOU are pretty blind when it comes to noticing those things," Natasha said.

"That's not true!" Yelena said offended. "I would have noticed earlier if you hadn't been so careful."

"Yeah, sure," Natasha sarcastically replied.

"Nat, leave Lena alone," Wanda scolded her.

"Yes, detka," Natasha instantly replied. Carol and Yelena laughed at that.

"How did you figure it out?" Carol asked Yelena.

"I went to Natasha's room to look for her, and I found Wanda's red leather jacket lying on the floor," Yelena told her.

"The red leather jacket?"

"Yeah, that one!"

They both laughed.

"Maybe we were a little obvious..." Wanda murmured.

"How did you know it was that jacket?" Natasha asked Carol incredulously. Carol looked at her with disbelief.

"It's not a secret that the jacket was yours. Everyone here knows it," she replied.

"I hope you didn't think I had anything with your ex, Natalia," Wanda said, scolding her.

"Of course, I didn't think that, moya lyubov'," Natasha replied immediately. She wouldn't be foolish enough to tie the noose herself.

"That's what I thought."

"Wait a second, you two were dating?!" Yelena asked, referring to Natasha and Carol.

"Your sister dated all the 'Fury's daughters,'" Carol responded. Natasha smiled.

"Take that smile off your face." Wanda mutters seriously. Natasha instantly stops smiling.

"What smile?"

"That's better."

Once again, both Carol and Yelena laughed at how easily Natasha was whipped by her girlfriend.

"Too much weird information to process, but all cool," Yelena said. "By the way, who are the other 'Fury's daughters?"

"Besides your sister and me, the other two are Maria Hill and Sharon Carter," Carol answered. Yelena's eyes widened in astonishment.

"I didn't see that coming..." Yelena murmured, particularly because Maria and Sharon were currently married.

"I want to make something clear," Natasha spoke. "My past doesn't matter because I love my beautiful and amazing girlfriend. She is my present and future. I love her, and I'm sure she's the love of my life, and that's all that matters," she added, confidently and romantically.

"You're the love of my life too, Nat," Wanda replied, looking directly into her eyes, smiling wide and lovingly.

"I'm very lucky, I know," Natasha said proudly.

"They give me diabetes, but also they're so cute," Yelena tells Carol as they watched the sweet scene Wanda and Natasha were starring in.

"I agree," Carol replied. "Although it's better to see Romanoff so whipped so easily."

"Damn right!" Yelena exclaimed. Both she and Carol laughed at that fact. Natasha looked at them with annoyance. Wanda smiled delightedly because she loved how Natasha always listened to her.

"Danvers, remind me why you're here and not with your wife and daughter?"

"Nick asked me to come," Carol shrugged.

"You should have brought them with you. We haven't seen them around here for a long time," Wanda said.

"That's what I would have wanted, but they're out of the country on S.W.O.R.D. business, you know," Carol replied.

"You're married?!" Yelena asked, astonished. Carol didn't answer but smiled as she pulled out a photograph from inside her jacket.

"She is my wife, Maria," Carol says, pointing to the woman on the right side of the photograph, "and the little one is our daughter Monica."

"You have a beautiful family, Carol," Yelena says, smiling at her.

"I know, they are my world," Carol replies, smiling as she gazes at the photograph.

Natasha and Wanda were also smiling. Natasha smiled as she imagined herself, not too far in the future, looking at a picture of her and Wanda with their daughters. Wanda also envisioned a family with herself and Natasha. Unbeknownst to both of them, they were imagining their future together.

"Wait a second..." Yelena mutters, breaking the silence that had settled, "If you're married, when did Natasha and you date?" she asks Carol.

"Maria and I took a break after I spent a couple of years off-planet. I met your sister during that break, and well... we dated for a couple of months, but it didn't last long," Carol explains.

"We realized we worked better as friends," Natasha adds.

"Isn't it a bit strange to be friends with your ex?" Yelena asks both of them.

"Usually not, but it also depends on each relationship," Carol replies.

"No, not in my case," Natasha adds, shrugging her shoulders.

"Sweetie, your sister is friends with all of her exes," Wanda tells Yelena.

"And is that okay with you?" Yelena inquires, "Doesn't it make you jealous or anything?"

"No, because I know she loves me," Wanda responds with absolute certainty.

"And she really does..." Natasha murmurs, smiling goofily at her girlfriend.

"Carol, does your wife feel the same way?" Yelena asks.

"Yes," Carol replies, smiling as well.

Natasha stops looking at her girlfriend to pay attention to her sister. Yelena was very curious, which caught her attention.

"Why are you so curious?" Natasha asks her sister.

"Anything you want to share, dear?" Wanda adds. She had also noticed Yelena's curious attitude.

"Nothing. It's just that I thought relationships were more complicated, but I see now that they're not."

"Is there someone special, Yel?" Carol asks her.

"There's a girl on my team, Kate Bishop," Yelena smiles as she talks about Kate. Wanda looks amazed but also excited. Natasha's eyes widen in horror, "She's really cool, I like her a lot... not that Peter isn't, but Kate Bishop is very special, she's different..."

"Sweetie, do you like Kate?" Wanda asks. She feels like the mother of a teenage daughter experiencing her first love.

"What? No, no, no," Yelena shakes her head.

"I think your triple negative says otherwise," Carol teases.

"I agree with Carol," Wanda says.

"Carol asked if there was someone special, and Kate Bishop is very special," Yelena defends herself.

"She meant if you liked someone," Natasha explains. Yelena closes her eyes upon realizing her mistake.

"Oh, damn..." Yelena mutters with her eyes still closed. Carol laughs at her reaction.

"Romanoffs, I think you'll have a sister-in-law soon."

"Shut up, Danvers," Natasha laughs harder upon hearing Carol's comment. Wanda also laughs, fully aware that what Carol says is true. Well, maybe not so soon, but she knows it will happen.

"I don't like Kate Bishop."

"I never said it was because of her," Carol innocently replies to Yelena. The latter blushes while face-palming, causing Carol to laugh again, along with Wanda. Natasha was the only one not at all happy with the situation.

"If my sister says she doesn't like Bishop, it means she doesn't like Bishop. It's as simple as that."

"We'll find out at the party," Carol raises her eyebrows after finishing her sentence.

Chapter 19: Let the party begin!

Summary:

The party begins, and with it, many truths start to unravel.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

The big day of the highly anticipated party had finally come. Most of the Avengers, SHIELD agents, and a few other guests were already gathered in the designated event hall.

Kate and Peter arrived early to the party. They were excited about their first Avengers party, especially because they knew it was in their honor.

"We're at an Avengers party..." Peter whispered, still not fully believing it, as he looked around. Kate, on the other hand, couldn't take her eyes off the entrance.

"I know, it's awesome!" Kate replied, trying to sound cool and not like a fangirl, but her gaze remained fixed on the entrance.

"I see what you're doing," Peter teased.

"What are you talking about?" Kate turned to him, pretending not to know what he meant.

"You can't take your eyes off the entrance, so you won't miss the moment Yelena arrives," Peter poked her ribs, and Kate laughed at his antics. "Do you know what to do, right?" Kate averted her gaze, avoiding an answer. Peter closed his eyes. "Damn it, Kate."

"I have everything under control," Kate defended herself.

"I don't mean to contradict you, but it doesn't seem like you have everything under control." Peter paused, "Breathe, Kate. He's your friend, don't hit him." Kate thought to herself. "You look like you're about to lose control the moment Yelena arrives."

Kate was so busy trying not to hit Peter that she didn't notice the moment Natasha, Wanda, Carol, and Yelena arrived at the party.

Yelena's first move was to find Kate and Peter, especially the former. It didn't take her long to spot them, so she walked towards them.

"I'm going to say hi to my friends," Yelena announced before starting to walk.

"Be careful, sweetie. Have fun," Wanda said maternally.

"Enjoy yourself, Yel," Carol muttered playfully, earning an elbow from Natasha. "Ouch!"

"Have fun, sis," Natasha managed to say to her sister before she disappeared into the crowd.

"I will", Yelena spoke aloud, already quite far from where her sister and the two other women were.

"Why was the hit?" Carol complained.

"You know why, Danvers."

Carol laughed at Natasha's response.

"Nat, why don't we go get a drink instead? It'll help you calm down and not think so much about Lena being with Peter and Kate," Wanda sweetly suggested to her girlfriend.

"That sounds like a good idea, moya lyubov'," Natasha agreed, smiling at her with adoration.

"Let's go!" Carol exclaimed, excited about the drinks. Natasha rolled her eyes in exasperation. Wanda chuckled softly before discreetly planting a kiss on Natasha's cheek, which relaxed her.

"Remind me to make your wife come to the next party," Natasha complained, now more calm.

"You can't complain tonight, Romanoff. You need me as the third wheel so others won't notice your relationship," Carol teased.

"Who wants drinks?" Natasha said resignedly.

~

On the other side of the hall, Kate was still trying to convince Peter that she had everything under control. Peter could tell that she was actually trying to convince herself.

"I've got it all under control, Parker," Kate kept repeating. Peter nodded along, playing along with her.

"My human nature is completely under control, and there's nothing and no one that can change that."

"Hey, team," Yelena's voice sounded from behind Kate. She turned around slowly to see the owner of that beautiful voice with a distinct Russian accent. Kate began to laugh nervously as she faced Yelena.

"I was wrong," Kate whispered to Peter.

"I know," Peter replied, amused.

Yelena looked at them, confused about what was going on. Peter quickly realized it and decided to stop teasing Kate and greet Yelena properly.

"Hey, Yel. Welcome!" he greeted.

"Hi, Lena," Kate greeted as well, smiling broadly. "By the way, you look absolutely stunning." Yelena's cheeks turned as red as the dress she was wearing.

With that ravishing red dress that clung to her body, complemented by sleek black heels, Yelena was a vision of allure. The intricate details of the dress accentuated her every curve, enhancing her natural beauty and leaving Kate captivated. Her choice of jewelry added a touch of elegance, shimmering in the light and drawing attention to her graceful movements. Yelena's flowing, perfectly styled hair cascaded down her shoulders, framing her face like a halo. As she walked, the fabric of the dress swayed with each step, exuding confidence and a magnetic charm that was impossible to resist. Kate found herself mesmerized by Yelena's presence, unable to tear her eyes away.
Kate couldn't help but think that Yelena looked like a living embodiment of temptation, like a seductive siren luring her in. She was a captivating sight, exuding an air of danger and allure that made Kate's heart race. Yelena was an enormous temptation that Kate would be more than willing to fall for...

"T-Thank you, Kate Bishop," Yelena whispered, slightly nervous. Kate smiled even wider. "You look great in that suit too."

Kate was wearing a simple all-black suit that exuded confidence and style, also with the tie slightly loose, giving her a rebellious and sexy touch. The jacket and black dress shirt hugged her frame perfectly. The trousers were tailored to perfection, showcasing her long, toned legs. The hint of a playful smirk on Kate's lips added to her irresistible charm. Yelena found herself captivated by Kate's effortless coolness and couldn't help but be drawn to her magnetic presence.The suit was fitted enough to captivate Yelena, who couldn't take her eyes off her.

Kate couldn't believe what he was hearing. In his mind, all the possibilities skyrocketed to the maximum. Especially feeling Yelena's gaze on her, which only made her excitement grow. Peter watched the interaction between his teammates with a smile, but inside, he was screaming with excitement.

"Peter, what's up?" Yelena said, noticing that she had completely ignored Peter since she started talking to Kate. "Sorry, I forgot you were here," she murmured apologetically.

"I noticed, but don't worry. I understand that Kate looks awesome, right?" Peter said, insinuatingly. Kate turned to him with a look that screamed "SHUT UP, PARKER," but Peter ignored her.

"I know!" Yelena exclaimed, enthralled by seeing Kate in the suit. "Very cool suit, Kate Bishop."

"Thanks, Yel. I guess if you liked it, then I made the right choice," Kate flirted shamelessly. Yelena felt her cheeks blush again. She didn't know why, but she loved hearing that comment from Kate.

"Everyone's on the dance floor, we should join them," Yelena timidly suggested. Kate looked at her with a lot of tenderness. Yelena looked really cute all flushed.

"Dance floor? Whatever you say, Lena," Kate immediately agreed.

"You know I'm always up for dancing," Peter added. Yelena laughed, remembering Peter's moves from the other day during training.

"Let's go then."

~

Most of the Avengers were on the dance floor. Tony was dancing with Rhodes, Sam, Clint, and Maria since their partners hadn't attended the party either.

Steve and Bucky were dancing together, joyous to experience a dance they could never have had back in the 40s. Another group on the dance floor was Natasha, Wanda, and Carol, who were dancing and having a great time to the rhythm of the music.

Scott was dancing solo, occupying a significant portion of the dance floor for himself. He would have liked Hope to accompany him, but she was close to giving birth and chose not to attend. However, she convinced Scott that at least one of them should go to the party.

Yelena, Kate, and Peter quickly joined the dance floor. Peter began showcasing some ballet moves he inexplicably knew. Kate and Yelena, on the other hand, were simply engaging in silly dances that amused them both.

"Check out this move," Kate said, pausing her dance and then proceeding to do a sexy hip-swaying spin.

"I didn't want to see that," Peter muttered in horror, covering his face.

"What's the matter, Peter?" Yelena teased him, but her attention quickly shifted to Kate's movements. "Oh..." she uttered, completely captivated by Kate's sensual dance. "Wow... she dances incredibly," Yelena couldn't take her eyes off Kate.

On the other side of the dance floor, Natasha, Wanda, and Carol observed Yelena's unwavering gaze on Kate. Natasha watched the scene with displeasure, while Wanda and Carol watched with excitement.

"I think she really likes Kate," Wanda said, keeping her eyes fixed on Kate and Yelena.

"Damn, yes!" Carol exclaimed with enthusiasm.

"I'll go for Yelena, I won't be long."

"Nat, let her enjoy her first crush. They're not doing anything wrong. Let her keep dancing with Kate," Natasha sighed heavily upon hearing her girlfriend's words.

"Fine," she reluctantly agreed. "But I expect a reward later."

"Consider it done, babe," Wanda smiled mischievously. "Now, let's keep dancing," she said, attempting to distract Natasha from spying on her sister.

"That's too much information," Carol complained.

~

Thirty minutes later, Yelena, Kate, and Peter were still going all out on the dance floor. Suddenly, the energetic dance music changed to a slower, more romantic tune, perfect for couples dancing. Peter grinned widely, knowing it was his cue to leave and let the two women get closer.

"Oh, this song is slower," Peter casually remarked. "You two should dance to it while I go get some punch," he subtly suggested. Kate smiled with excitement, catching onto her friend's hint.

"That's a great idea, Pete," Yelena was the first to speak, surprising everyone. "Shall we dance, Kate Bishop?" Kate held her breath for a moment.

"Delighted," she quickly agreed. Peter smiled contentedly, his job there was done.

"I'll go get the punch," Peter announced as he started to make his way out, but neither of his friends paid him any attention. They were both immersed in each other's eyes, radiating the happiness they felt in that moment.

"Shall we?" Kate extended her hand with a smile to Yelena, who gladly accepted it.

"Let's dance."

Kate didn't want Yelena to think she was trying to overstep or anything of the sort, so instead of placing her hand on Yelena's waist to dance, she simply held both of her hands as they swayed closely together to the rhythm of 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You', one of the oldies version.

Peter watched the scene with great excitement from the punch fountain. It was heartwarming to see how they couldn't stop smiling at each other while dancing closer and closer. They looked so happy and comfortable together that anyone who saw them could easily mistake them for a deeply in love couple who had been together for a long time. That's how good they looked together.

~

On the other side of the hall, Steve was walking towards where Wanda, Natasha, and Carol were. He hadn't had the chance to greet them, so he decided it was a good moment to do so.

"Good evening, ladies," Steve greeted as he arrived by their side.

"Steve, hi," Wanda murmured kindly.

"Good to see you, Cap," Carol said.

"Likewise, Cap," Steve returned the greeting.

"What brings you here? I thought you were dancing with your boyfriend," Natasha said as a way of greeting. Wanda and Carol chuckled.

"Speaking of couple dances," Steve replied, evading Natasha's comment, "I see that your sister and Barton's protégé are getting along well."

"What do you mean?" Natasha asked, confused. Steve smiled mischievously.

"I think he means that," Carol pointed to the dance floor.

"They look very cute," Wanda murmured, excited like a mom watching her daughter at her first couple's dance. Natasha quickly turned her gaze towards where Carol was pointing, finding her little sister dancing closely with Kate.

Kate held Yelena firmly by the waist, their bodies moving in perfect sync to the rhythm of the music. With each graceful turn and twirl, their smiles grew wider, radiating pure joy and excitement. The chemistry between them was undeniable, as if they were lost in their own enchanting world, oblivious to everything and everyone around them.

Natasha was left speechless, unsure of how to react to the scene she had just witnessed. They weren't doing anything wrong; it was just an innocent dance they were sharing. However, she couldn't shake off the discomfort she felt. It bothered her, even though she knew she had no right to feel that way. She tried to push aside her conflicting emotions and remind herself that Yelena deserved happiness, even if it was with someone like Kate.

Wanda and Carol couldn't help but chuckle at Natasha's sudden departure. They knew exactly what was going through her mind.

"I hope you've already had "the widows and the bees" talk with Lena," Carol teased, trying to lighten the mood. Natasha's horrified expression only deepened.

"Just give me a moment," Natasha said before swiftly disappearing. She took advantage of Steve's presence to avoid being stopped by Wanda, knowing she needed some time alone to process her emotions.

Both Carol and Steve burst into laughter at Natasha's hasty retreat. Wanda let out a resigned sigh.

"Well, I tried," Wanda murmured.

"I have a feeling Natasha's girlfriend won't be rewarding her tonight," Carol nudged Wanda with her elbow. Wanda looked at her in astonishment, realizing her slip-up. Steve also turned to her, utterly surprised.

"Natasha has a girlfriend?"

"No, she doesn't," Carol immediately denied. Wanda subtly shook her head.

"How long has this been going on?" Steve asked, completely disregarding Carol's lie.

"She doesn't have a girlfriend".

"Almost seven months."

Carol and Wanda answered simultaneously. Wanda decided they wouldn't deny that Natasha had a girlfriend, but they wouldn't reveal her identity, just not yet.

"Are you telling me that in the last seven months, whenever I asked, "What's new?" you never thought to mention that Natasha has a girlfriend?" Steve reproached with excitement. "Natasha has a girlfriend! I can't even remember the last time that happened!" Steve was overjoyed by the news.

"Just don't tell Natasha you found out from me," Carol requested of Steve.

"No problem, I won't," Steve reassured her. Carol breathed a sigh of relief. "But how did they meet?" Steve asked, intrigued.

"Natasha hasn't told us much about her girlfriend," Wanda lied.

"I'm dying to meet her!" Steve exclaimed with enthusiasm. "I'm sure she must be an amazing woman for Nat to be dating her."

"You have no idea, Steve, you have no idea," Carol whispered with a mischievous smile.

Wanda nodded, trying to hide the wide smile that had formed on her face. Steve noticed her reaction and began to piece together the puzzle with Carol's earlier comment.

"I hope she introduces her to the team soon," Steve added, waiting to see Wanda's response.

"Me too," Carol agreed with excitement. Wanda remained silent, simply nodding her head while trying to contain her overwhelming joy. Steve smiled knowingly. He had confirmed that Wanda was the mysterious girlfriend of Natasha.

"Where did Romanoff go? I don't see her with her sister and Kate," Carol said, trying to change the subject. She was starting to suspect that Steve had figured out who Natasha's girlfriend was, so it was best to divert the conversation.

Both Wanda and Steve turned their heads towards the dance floor where Yelena and Kate were still dancing. At this point, they had imagined a completely different scene. It seemed that Natasha had kept her promise not to go after Yelena. Wanda smiled satisfied realizing that, but quickly removed that expression from her face so as not to draw Steve's attention.

"Good question. I thought by now she would be punching Kate," Wanda mentioned.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find Bucky," Steve told them as he started to walk away from where they were.

"Good luck with your boyfriend!" Carol shouted at Steve as she saw him leaving, but he pretended not to hear anything. "Will Nat and I be like that? Will we be as obvious as Steve and Bucky?" Wanda wondered mentally.

"We should go to Lena and Kate while we wait for your beloved widow to show up," Carol told Wanda, successfully pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Yes, let's go," Wanda agreed. "But before that..." Wanda punched Carol in the arm.

"Why did you do that?" Carol complained.

"For almost revealing my relationship with Nat."

"It's not like you're exactly the most cautious ones..."

"Let's go to Lena and Kate before I really hit you."

"Let's go!"

Meanwhile, Kate and Yelena had stopped dancing. They approached one of the tables with bottles of water, they were thirsty after dancing so much. Yeah, just because of that...

"Are you having a good time?" Kate asked after taking a sip from her water bottle.

"I'm having a blast, Kate Bishop! 10000/10!" Yelena exclaimed happily. Kate smiled affectionately at Yelena's joyful reaction.

"I'm glad to hear that, Lena," she responded softly. Kate wanted to get to know Yelena better; it was the perfect moment to learn more about the girl who lived rent-free in her mind. But she couldn't do that as their actions had to be postponed when they heard a voice beside them.

"Hi, girls," Wanda greeted as she arrived next to Kate and Yelena.

"Are you having fun?" Carol added playfully. Kate looked at both of them frustrated, they had interrupted their moment.

"Yeah, this it's so cool!" Yelena replied excitedly, completely oblivious to what Carol meant.

"It's quite obvious, sweetie," Wanda responded, also implying how comfortable Yelena had seemed while dancing with Kate.

"By the way, Kate Bishop, this is Carol Danvers," Yelena introduced them. "The famous Captain Marvel is back on Earth, isn't that cool?"

"Yeah, of course," Kate murmured, feeling a bit jealous of the description Yelena used to introduce Carol. "Nice to meet you, Captain."

"Likewise," Carol replied. "It's good to finally put a face to the much-mentioned Kate Bishop." Yelena didn't know why, but her cheeks turned red upon hearing Carol's words. Kate was perplexed but didn't say anything. Her mind was still processing what she had just seen and heard. Wanda laughed at the reaction of both Yelena and Kate, just like Carol. They were so cute together, they would undoubtedly make a lovely couple.

They were so focused on what had just happened that none of them noticed Bucky had arrived by their side.

"Evening, ladies," Bucky greeted them. They all turned to look at him. "Oh, great. Another one," Kate internally complained.

"Hey, Barnes," Carol greeted. "I thought you would be with Rogers," she added teasingly.

"He was looking for you," Wanda added in the same manner, winking at the end.

"Oh, for vodka's sake! Is it official already?" Yelena asked, impressed.

"Ha! Very funny," Bucky replied sarcastically. "I just came to tell Yelena that Romanoff was looking for her." He took a long sip from his whiskey glass.

"Why would my sister want to talk to me?" Yelena asked, confused. "Didn't she see that I'm busy with Kate Bishop?" she innocently added. Kate's expression turned to terror, she was in serious trouble if Natasha had seen them.

"Yeah, strange that Nat would want to talk to you," Wanda said with irony.

"Who would've thought?" Carol added, completely amused.

"Let's just go before she comes to find you," Bucky said, somewhat irritated for being the messenger. But Yelena didn't budge.

"Sweetie, I think you should go," Wanda whispered. Yelena leaving would be good for an idea that had just occurred to her.

"Fine," Yelena reluctantly agreed. "Are you coming with me?"

"It's better if Carol goes with you, and I stay here with Kate so she's not alone," Wanda knew that by mentioning Kate, Lena wouldn't refuse. Kate looked at her bewildered, she didn't expect this turn of events. "What do you think?"

"Alright," Yelena muttered. "I'll be back in a moment, Kate Bishop." She gave her a warm smile that calmed Kate's nerves.

"Sure, no problem. I'll wait for you," Kate replied softly. Yelena smiled even brighter, and Kate returned the smile.

"Can we go now?" Bucky asked exasperatedly, seeing Yelena getting lost in "Kateland" again.

"Lena?" Carol asked sadly. She didn't want to interrupt the scene. Yelena sighed upon hearing her.

"Let's go," she said, turning around before regretting leaving Kate.

"See ya," Carol also said her goodbyes. "Lots of lesbian drama," Bucky complained as he followed Carol and Yelena.

Kate's nerves returned once she was completely alone with Wanda. She knew it wasn't a coincidence that only the two of them remained.

"I guess it's just the two of us, Bishop."

"Is she going to ask me to stay away from Yelena because she's interested in her?" Kate thought with pain.

Peter, from the punch table, had seen that Kate was left alone with Wanda, so he quickly came to her rescue.

"Hey, girls," he said as he arrived where they were. "Thank Odin you showed up, Pete," Kate thanked him internally. "What's up?" he asked casually, as if he hadn't seen anything that happened.

Pete, great to see you," greeted Wanda. Peter's arrival caused Wanda to change her plans, but she still intended to do something to confirm whether Kate liked Yelena.

"The feeling is mutual, Miss Maximoff," Peter replied.

"Just call me Wanda, Peter. "Miss Maximoff" sounds like I'm a teacher or an old lady, and I'm neither of those," Wanda said with a friendly smile.

During that time, Kate couldn't stop looking at Wanda with an inquisitive gaze. She knew there was something behind Wanda's decision to stay with her, but she wasn't sure exactly why. Kate only hoped that Wanda wouldn't ask her to stay away from Yelena, that's all she could handle.

"Why did you decide to stay, Wanda?" Kate asked directly, skipping the small talk.

"You know... I just wanted to get to know Lena's new friends better," Wanda replied. Kate felt a pang in her chest upon hearing Wanda's words.

"Maybe my theory wasn't wrong after all," Kate thought. Peter looked at his friend with concern, imagining what Wanda's comment could have provoked in Kate. Meanwhile, Wanda observed them analytically. She felt the urge to read their minds, but she knew that wouldn't be right.

"And here comes the fun," Pietro sang as he arrived alongside his sister. "I was looking for you, sis."

"What happened to your hair?" Wanda was quick to comment upon seeing him. Pietro no longer had his silver hair, now he sported his natural brunette hair.

"It's my new look," Pietro replied, smiling widely and tilting his head to the side.

"And what was wrong with the previous one?" Wanda asked, confused. She had no idea that her brother was considering changing his cherished hairstyle. Pietro's smile shifted from wide to nervous.

"Nothing... I'm just trying something new," he answered, avoiding eye contact with his sister. Wanda knew he had something up his sleeve, but for now, she didn't pay much attention to it.

"That look suits you well, Mr. Maximoff," Peter complimented.

"Thanks, Pete," Pietro replied. "But just call me Pietro, I'm not that old."

"Okay... Pietro," Peter muttered nervously. Kate rolled her eyes with amusement, thinking to herself, "He's more of a fanboy than I am."

"And what were you all doing before I arrived?" Pietro asked.

"Nothing much, I was about to suggest a game to get to know each other better," Wanda answered.

"I love the idea!" Peter exclaimed, excited about the suggestion. "These kinds of activities are important for creating a good work environment," he added in a tone worthy of Captain America.

"We can play 'Never Have I Ever,'" Pietro proposed. "Have you played it before?" he asked Kate and Peter.

"Never in these circumstances..." Kate mentally replied, recalling the parties where she had played that game.

"I've always wanted to play," Peter replied cheerfully. "I've never had many friends to play it with... it would be fun to give it a try."

"Then we shall play that, Pete," Wanda responded kindly.

"Sure, why not?" Kate added.

"Great. I'll go first," Pietro declared.

"Just don't go overboard, Pietro," Wanda warned him.

"Oh..." Pietro complained.

"The game hasn't even started, and I already feel exposed," Kate thought with fear. She was almost certain that it would turn out badly for her. But it was just her paranoia speaking.

"Let me fetch some drinks for the game, won't be long," Pietro used his powers to get the drinks, returning in less than two seconds with his hands full. "Sokovian beer for me. A glass of wine for my sister," he handed the glass to Wanda, who thanked him. "A bottle of water for Pete," he passed the bottle to Peter, who also expressed his gratitude. "I don't know what you like, Bishop, but you have the look of someone who drinks whiskey or fancy businessdrinks," Kate took the glass, surprised. In fact, whiskey was the drink she usually preferred. She was a whiskey girl.

"Kate isn't old enough to drink, Pietro!" Wanda scolded him.

"What?" he said, perplexed. "How old are you?" he asked Kate, confused.

"Twenty," Kate replied. Pietro was about to protest but then remembered they were in the United States.

"Ah! Usonians laws are so strange," Pietro murmured.

"But I'll be twenty-one in a couple of months..." Kate omitted mentioning that it was almost a year away, but those were just details. "I'm in college, obviously this isn't my first drink..." Kate commented to prevent the Maximoff siblings from assuming a responsible adult role.

"I have no problem with it, Bishop," Pietro explained. "But my sister, this lady, might," Wanda gave him a piercing look for the nickname. Kate looked at Wanda, silently asking if it was okay for her to drink the beverage in her hand. Wanda hesitated for a moment, but ultimately decided to let it slide this time.

"Fine... but just this once," Kate nodded her head. "And no alcohol for Peter, he's too young to drink."

"No problem, W-Wanda," Peter muttered.

"Okay," Pietro clapped his hands. "Never have I ever played spin the bottle," he said, starting the game.

"Never," Peter replied.

Kate discreetly took a sip from her glass. Wanda, on the other hand, drank from her glass with a mischievous smile on her face.

"I hope it wasn't with who I think it was," Pietro told Wanda, not at all happy. Wanda chuckled. "And I hope it wasn't with Yelena..." Kate thought to herself.

"You're not mistaken, brother," Wanda replied unabashedly.

"Who's next?" Pietro asked with a resigned tone. He wasn't the biggest fan of his sister's relationship with Natasha.

"Me, me!" Peter eagerly volunteered. "But I don't know what to ask... Oh, I got it!" he suddenly shouted with more excitement than before. "Never have I ever been intentionally hit by someone from the Avengers," he paused for two seconds. "Well, outside of battles and all that," he added, considering the battles in Sokovia and the airport in Germany.

"No, never," Wanda replied after taking a few seconds to recall.

"I think me neither," Pietro added.

"I have," Peter said casually before taking a sip from his water bottle. The Maximoff siblings looked at him stunned. "It was Kate, by the way," he added upon noticing their confusion.

"You deserved it," Kate defended herself.

"That reminds me, you should drink too," Peter teased. "Remember, it was the same day you got hit, well, the first time you got hit," he laughed at the memory. Kate looked at him indignantly before taking a sip from her glass. "Only you would say something like that in front of..." Kate interrupted him.

"We get it, Parker!"

"Sorry..." Peter apologized, realizing what he almost revealed.

"Who hit you, Bishop?" Pietro asked curiously and mockingly. "No, wait... why did they hit you?"

"I don't remember," Kate feigned ignorance. "Probably for something unimportant."

Wanda stared at her inquisitively. It was evident to Wanda that Kate was lying.

"Oh, sure," Pietro muttered incredulously. "Nobody believes that, Bishop. Anyway, who's next?"

"I think it's my turn," Wanda quickly responded. "Never have I ever had a crush on someone from the Avengers," that was the first filter to see if Kate had a crush on Yelena.

"Not me," Peter replied with a wide smile, discreetly glancing at Kate.

"Yes, me," Kate proudly replied, taking a big sip from her whiskey glass. Wanda smiled faintly as she nodded slowly. She was certain that the person Kate liked was Lena. Now she just had to confirm it with another round of the game.

"Well... in my case, it's not someone from the team, or at least not yet..." Pietro murmured, smiling foolishly as he thought about the person he had a crush on. Wanda stared at him in astonishment.

"Oh no," she muttered after reading her brother's mind to find out who it was.

Pietro grumbled in annoyance. "Don't read my mind," he muttered. "Just drink from your glass."

"Fine. But we'll talk about this later," Wanda pointed her finger at him before taking a sip from her glass.

"Yeah, yeah. Just drink," Pietro replied dismissively.

Kate watched intently as Wanda drank. She shook her head slowly, thinking, "I really hope it's not Yelena..."

"It's your turn, Kate," Wanda said once she finished drinking.

"What if we change the game?" Kate suggested. She needed a game with more direct questions.

"Oh no. What do you suggest?" Peter asked.

"Truth or drink," Kate answered without hesitation. This way, she could ask Wanda about her relationship with Yelena once and for all, but she could also avoid answering uncomfortable questions herself.

"Good idea, Bishop," Pietro agreed.

"Yes, I like that," Wanda added. She also found this new game much more beneficial.

"Perfect, we just need a bottle," Kate mentioned.

"Give me a second," Pietro said before rushing off and returning exactly one second later with an empty bottle. "I think this one will work fine."

"Great. Then I'll start," Kate began spinning the bottle, which came to a stop a few seconds later, pointing at Pietro. It wasn't what Kate expected, but at least she could get another answer to something that bothered her. "Who do you like that's at the party?"

"I don't know," Pietro replied with a wide smile, but avoiding eye contact.

"No, they didn't come," Wanda told her brother, using a neutral pronoun to not reveal the gender of the person Pietro liked. Pietro's smile turned into a pout.

"At least it's not my future wife," Kate celebrated internally.

"Pete, why don't you take your turn while Pietro recovers?" Wanda suggested, seeing her brother still had the same expression.

"Really? Thanks, Wanda!" Peter thanked her before spinning the bottle. Surprisingly, the bottle pointed back at Pietro. He muttered in a low voice upon realizing that. "Who is the mysterious person you like that didn't come to the party?" Peter was ready to ship a new couple. Unfortunately for the ultimate shipper, Pietro chose to drink from his glass.

"Who's next?" Pietro inquired once he finished drinking. Kate and Peter couldn't help but laugh at Pietro's reaction.

"Your reaction only made them more curious," Wanda remarked. She was right; now both Kate and Peter were even more curious to know who Pietro liked.

"Whatever," Pietro waved it off. "It's my turn." Pietro spun the bottle, and this time it ended up pointing at his sister. Pietro smiled mischievously.

"And you, sister?" Pietro asked, his voice dripping with mischief. "Who do you like that's at the party?"

"You know it," Wanda proudly answered. She wouldn't deny her amazing girlfriend.

"There are too many people here. I hope Kate doesn't get influenced," Peter thought worriedly as he looked at his friend. Meanwhile, Kate thought, "I'm sure it's Yelena."

"It's my turn to spin the bottle," Wanda said before giving it a whirl. She had been waiting for this moment since the game started. Coincidentally, the bottle stopped spinning and pointed at Kate. Wanda smiled triumphantly. "Who do you like that's at the party, Kate?"

"Yes," Kate replied.

"Great," Wanda murmured. "She likes someone from the Avengers, and that person is at the party... definitely Yelena."

"Bishop, it's your turn again," Pietro said.

"Here I go," Kate took the bottle and spun it. Perhaps Kate had prayed to Odin a lot because the bottle pointed directly at Wanda. "The person you like is Yelena, right?" she asked straightforwardly, getting straight to the point. "Do you have something more than a friendship?" she added. Peter's mouth dropped open in surprise, he didn't expect his friend to ask such direct questions.

"Of course not!" Wanda replied, taken aback. She had no idea why Kate would think that. "Where did you get that idea?"

"From how affectionately you talk to each other, not to mention that you're always together..." Kate murmured with regret.

"Yelena is my best friend, of course we're going to treat each other with affection," Wanda responded with obviousness. "But Lena would never be more than that. She's like a little sister to me."

Kate still looked somewhat skeptical. "So you don't have feelings for her?"

Wanda couldn't help but laugh softly. It was obvious that Kate was jealous. Pietro burst into laughter too, he had noticed it as well.

"No," Wanda replied with a sincere and playful smile. Kate's expression softened upon hearing that. Peter subtly started doing a celebratory dance.

"Good to know," Kate responded, also smiling.

"Well, who's next?" Pietro asked, opening his hands after giving them a round of applause.

"I want to give it a spin," Wanda requested.

"Yes, go for it!" Peter encouraged her.

Wanda excitedly spun the bottle. Seconds later, it stopped and pointed at Peter, but Wanda discreetly used her powers to move the bottle in Kate's direction.

"I'm so excited..." Peter murmured, fanning himself with his hands.

"It's going to get interesting," Pietro murmured too, watching expectantly for what was about to come.

Kate felt restless. She had a strange feeling, as if something... big was about to happen.

"You like Lena, don't you?" Wanda blurted out with a slightly mischievous and playful smile.

"What?!" Kate stammers hurriedly. "Why do you think that?" she adds in an unconvincing tone.

"Do you really have to ask?"

Notes:

If you have read the tags of this story, you might have noticed one that says "Kind of girl penis." Well, the story is not GP, but it's something along those lines... You'll understand it better in the chapter where Natasha has "the widows and the bees" talk with Yelena.

Also, if you have noticed that Kate is quite insecure and jealous, that will be of great importance to understand the alternate story.

Chapter 20: A proud Huffledor

Summary:

Kate finally admits to the Maximoff siblings that she likes Yelena.

Chapter Text

Kate fell silent, unsure of how to respond. She felt trapped. While she was relieved to know that Wanda wouldn't be an issue, she couldn't help but worry that Wanda might turn out to be a Natasha 2.0, and that was the last thing Kate needed. But she couldn't deny that she had feelings for Yelena either. She didn't want to deny it, and it didn't make sense to do so. It was more than obvious that almost everyone present already knew the answer.

"Anyway, we already know your answer, Bishop," Pietro said mockingly. Kate looked at him astonished, she didn't consider herself so obvious for him to know. "Come on, just say it."

"Yes, say it!" Peter encouraged her.

"We want to hear you say it," Wanda added excitedly.

Kate sighed. She could no longer deny the obvious. The best thing she could do was simply accept it. I mean, what's the worst that could go wrong? Moreover, If she denied it, it wouldn't be very Huffledor-like of her. You can't be a Huffledor without the loyalty of a Hufflepuff and the bravery of a Gryffindor. So she would be loyal to her feelings for Yelena and, at the same time, brave enough to finally admit it.

"Yes... I like Yelena, I really do," Kate murmured shyly, with a nervous smile.

"Oh, yeah! She said it! She said it!" Peter sang while doing a celebratory dance.

"She said it! She said it!" Pietro joined Peter in the celebration.

"Finally, she said it!" Wanda did a little weird dance to join the celebration.

"Was I really that obvious?" she asked, watching them celebrate. The three of them stopped dancing and turned to look at her with a "Bitch, you better be joking" expression.

"I always told you," muttered Peter. "I don't know how Yelena hasn't noticed."

"Your behavior gave it away, Kate," Wanda said, ignoring Peter's comment. "Well, that and how attentive you are with Lena." Kate blushed at the last comment. Obviously, Yelena had told Wanda about their conversations.

"The times I went to her training, I noticed how you looked at Lena. You're WAY too obvious," commented Pietro. "But I didn't confirm it until tonight. You can't hide your jealousy side."

Kate remained silent."Okay, maybe I am a little obvious," she thought.

"Now tell me, what are your intentions with my Lena?" Wanda asked threateningly. Kate looked at her in terror, "Is she going to hit me too?" she thought. "I'm waiting, Bishop."

"Are you going to hit me too?" Kate murmured with her voice trembling.

"No."

"Thank Odin," Kate sighed with her eyes closed, leaning against the wall.

"One moment," Wanda says as she processes what Kate had told her. "Did someone hit you?"

"And more than once," Peter added with amusement at the memory.

"I think we know who it was," Pietro said teasingly. Wanda shook her head, she would have to talk to Natasha about that later.

"It was Natasha who hit you, right?" Wanda asked. "It seems that someone will be left without her prize", she thought to herself.

"Yes, it was her."

"It was very funny," Peter murmured, laughing. Pietro also chuckled at the mental image of Natasha hitting Kate for trying to seduce Yelena.

"Alright, now that you know what Natasha is like, believe me, she will be the least of your problems if you dare to hurt or play with my Lena," Wanda threatened. Kate swallowed in fear. "Is that clear?" Wanda asked. Kate nodded quickly. "So, what are your intentions with my Lena?"

"The b-best... I want something s-serious with her," Kate stammered, stumbling over her words. Wanda didn't change her hostile expression, so Kate cleared her throat to provide more details. "I really like her, okay? I know it sounds unbelievable, but I swear on my bow that I liked her from the moment I saw her. Since then, I've done everything possible to be someone worthy of Yelena. And yes, I know we might not have anything... but it's okay, the effort will have been worth it anyway."

Wanda allowed herself to use her powers on this occasion to see if what Kate was saying was true. She wouldn't rely solely on the young woman's word. Wanda smiled satisfactorily when she saw that Kate wasn't lying, her intentions were sincere.

"I hope so, Bishop. You have my approval."

Kate looked at her in disbelief. She didn't think Wanda would give in so easily.

"That's not the Wanda I know," Pietro murmured.

"That's awesome, Kate!" Peter congratulated her, completely thrilled. "So cool!" He fanned his face with his hands to control his excitement.

"Thank you, Wanda. I assure you, you won't regret it," Kate whispered once she regained her composure.

"No problem, Kate," Wanda replied, still smiling. "But you know, if you hurt her..." Wanda stopped smiling. Her face became threatening, with red eyes. The redness of her magic engulfed her completely as she showed a hint of energy emanating from her hands.The worst part? That wasn't even 1% of Wanda's power.

The scene Kate witnessed was too intimidating, she was terrified.

"Am I clear?" Wanda asked once she stopped displaying her powers.

"Y-yes, very clear," Kate muttered, still shaken. "What have I gotten myself into... but well, it's all for Yelena," Kate encouraged herself in her mind.

"I was scared too," Peter murmured, also disturbed by Wanda's demonstration.

"That's the Wanda I know!" Peter exclaimed, amused by the reaction of the younger ones. "That look is intimidating."

"What can I say? I'm protective of my family," Wanda said proudly.

"Then Kate does have a chance with Yelena," Peter mused thoughtfully. "Because you threatened her for a reason, right? Because you know that Yelena likes Kate too," he added, more than happy with his deduction. Wanda smiled knowingly, while Kate was left in shock.

"It's hard to be 100% sure... but yes, I believe so," Wanda replied, also excited.

"No one asked me, but I believe it too," Pietro added.

"Really?!" Peter exclaimed with all the enthusiasm in the world.

Kate remained in shock after hearing Peter's theory.

"Really," Wanda responded with complicity.

"I can't believe it... I actually have a chance with Lena," Kate told herself.

"Wanda..." Kate murmured, still somewhat stunned. She turned to look at her. "Does Lena really like me? Do I have a chance with her?" Kate wanted to confirm that she wasn't dreaming.

"Lena says she doesn't," Kate felt her heart shatter into a thousand pieces. "But we believe she does," Kate saw a glimmer of hope. "Lena is still trying to understand herself, her emotions, and feelings. It will take her a little more time to figure out what she feels for you, but eventually, she will realize it; there's no doubt about that. You'll have to give her time, Kate."

"I'll wait as long as it takes," Kate murmured, once again filled with confidence, security, and happiness. Now that she knew more about Yelena's situation, she would be more at ease.

"That's the spirit, my best friend's future girlfriend!" Wanda congratulated her. Kate smiled widely; she had no problem imagining herself as Yelena's girlfriend.

"Congratulations, Bishop!" Pietro applauded. "You've won over Lena's best friend/almost sister. Now your only problem will be Natasha," he warned. Kate groaned. She still had traces of Natasha's last warning on her body.

"Don't worry, she won't be a problem," Wanda reassured her. She would take care of talking to Natasha so that she wouldn't go too hard on Kate.

"Alright. Anyway, I talked to her yesterday, and it seems like she's starting to accept me," Kate commented. Wanda and Pietro looked at her incredulously, that didn't sound like something Natasha would do.

"Did Natasha tell you that?" Wanda inquired.

"More or less," Kate gestured, downplaying it.

"That's why she's not a Ravenclaw," Peter thought.

"Of course..." Wanda murmured ironically. She didn't want to take away that illusion from Kate.

"Oh, Kate!" Pietro exclaimed, laughing slightly. "I can assure you that's not what she said. Romanoff is very protective of her little sister; there's no way she would accept you that easily." Pietro (unlike his sister) didn't mind taking away that illusion. "She almost killed me when I tried to ask Yelena out on a date," he added casually, earning a look of utter disgust from Kate.

"Do you like Yelena?" Peter asked, more than willing to defend his ship.

"No!" Pietro quickly denied. "Yelena is very cute, but she's not my type. I only see her as a friend," he clarified. "Besides, remember that I like someone else..."

"And why would you ask her out, then?" Kate asked, not entirely convinced. Pietro smirked.

"Don't worry, Bishop. I only did it to annoy Romanoff, that's all," Kate still had doubts about whether to believe him or not. "Widows are not my thing."

"What is your type, Maximoff?" Kate's voice was severe. Pietro's mocking smile turned dreamy and foolish.

"I like militaries, that's my type," he proudly stated. That significantly reduced the number of people he could be interested in among the Avengers.

"Oh, and boy, do you..." Wanda complained under her breath. She still couldn't believe who her triplet was interested in.

"I hope so, Maximoff," Kate replied seriously.

"Seriously, don't worry. Yelena is all yours, Bishop," those words managed to relax Kate, who smiled softly.

"Thank you."

"No fear of dying," Peter jokingly told Pietro.

"No, because if she were afraid of me, she would have stopped talking a long time ago," Wanda mentioned. Pietro rolled his eyes, amused.

"Calm down, as if I was going to say that Na..." Wanda interrupted him before he could say more.

"Pietro!"

"Alright, I'll shut up," Pietro murmured after seeing his sister's murderous glare.

Kate and Peter exchanged curious looks. Kate had no idea what Pietro had almost revealed. Peter, on the other hand, was beginning to formulate a new theory.

Chapter 21: "I'm in love with Yelena"

Summary:

Kate realizes something that changes her life.

Chapter Text

On the other side of the party hall, Natasha and Yelena were standing with other Avengers. Natasha had given her word to Wanda that she wouldn't go after Yelena, so she found a loophole in what she said and sent Bucky under the pretext of introducing her to the rest of the Avengers, when in reality it was to take her away from Kate.

"Natasha, can you tell me why I'm still here with you instead of dancing with my friends?" Yelena asked, getting bored. She wanted to continue dancing with Kate. She didn't understand why her sister wouldn't let her go back.

"I already told you. It's for you, as the leader of the YA, to get to know the rest of the Avengers better," Natasha explained.

"Yeah, right," Carol murmured, making Steve and Bucky laugh as they knew that Natasha's protective mode was because of the new relationship forming between Yelena and Kate.

"Your sister is right, Yelena," Clint said, completely unaware of the real reason. Yelena rolled her eyes at Clint's comment. She still didn't quite like her sister's best friend.

"Okay... I've spent enough time with them, can I go now?" Yelena asked her sister. "I really want to keep dancing." Natasha remained silent, contemplating whether to let her sister go or not.

"Come on, Nat. Let her go," Carol intervened on Yelena's behalf. Carol didn't know it at that moment, but Natasha would seek revenge one way or another for that.

"Yeah, let me go," Yelena added.

"Mm," Natasha murmured thoughtfully. Yelena's insistence didn't sit well with her; it actually worried her.

"Let her go for Peter and Kate," Steve also interceded. "It's time to announce the reason for the party."

"Steve is right. Yelena should go for the rest of her team," Clint unknowingly also stood up for Yelena. Natasha sighed.

"Fine, just don't take too long."

"Why? It's not like we don't know the reason for the party," Yelena said casually, forgetting what Tony had asked of them.

"How do you know?" Natasha asked her.

"The day Stark came to tell us about the party, he accidentally let slip that the party was in our honor," Yelena began to explain. "He realized instantly what he had done, but he asked us to pretend to be surprised when the announcement was made. So that's what we'll do, pretend to be surprised."

Steve's expression hardened as he listened to Yelena. Natasha and Clint exchanged exasperated looks, they already knew what was coming.

"Let's go get your team, Lena. I'll accompany you," Carol volunteered, also knowing what was coming.

"I'll go talk to Stark," Steve said, angry. His voice and his face were evidence of that. He began to walk away from the group to find Stark.

Bucky cast a disapproving look at him. The thought of Steve going to find Tony for yet another heated confrontation, as they often did, didn't sit well with him. Bucky felt a pang of jealousy, he couldn't help but feel that way.

"Don't start one of your dramas," Natasha warned as she saw Steve continuing to walk determinedly towards Tony.

"Of course not," Steve replied before disappearing from the sight of the others.

"Clint, you know what to do," Natasha said to him.

"Yeah, I'll take care of them," Clint responded before following Steve.

Yelena burst into laughter. She found the whole situation truly amusing, with Steve's typical arguments with Tony and the rest of their teammates implementing plans to prevent bigger fights among themselves.

"That was really funny," she said amidst laughter. Bucky gave her a sour look, he didn't find the situation amusing at all. Carol couldn't help but laugh as well.

"Go get Parker and Bishop," Natasha told them. "Just don't take too long," she warned. "Especially you, Yelena."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Yelena replied, quickly getting up to leave.

"We're leaving now, we won't be long," Carol also got up.

"Don't speak for me, Carol," Yelena playfully retorted as she began to walk away.

"Yelena!" Natasha scolded her. Carol burst into laughter.

"I'm just joking, sestra," Yelena said. Her words said one thing, but her mocking gaze said another.

Yelena and Carol quickly made their way to the other side of the hall where they had left Wanda and Kate.

"Something tells me that Yelena will have a girlfriend soon," Bucky told Natasha before downing his glass of whiskey in one gulp.

"Of course not. Why would you say that?" Bucky laughed at Natasha's response. He looked at her analytically. "What do you know, Barnes?"

"When you sent me to find Yelena, I was with her and Bishop," he began to recount. "I'm pretty sure I saw a... spark between them. You get me?"

"What?"

"Well, it's probably nothing," Bucky poured himself another drink to downplay his words. "I just wanted to warn you that something might happen between them."

"Between Yelena and Bishop?"

"Yes."

"Between my sister and Bishop?"

"Yes," Bucky replied, starting to get exasperated.

"Between my sister Yelena and Bishop? Bishop, the protégé of my best friend who's practically like a brother to me?"

"Yes!" Bucky was restraining himself from hitting Natasha, hoping she would finally understand.

"Oh, this can't be possible," Natasha's tone was overdramatic, refusing to accept reality.

"Alright," Bucky thought he had gotten away from the topic, until he heard Natasha scream.

"Bozhe moy!" she shouted in Russian. Bucky's calmness faded away. "I can't believe it! I mean, I don't care who Barton's protégé is involved with... but my sister? Isn't that like incest or something? Bishop is like Clint's daughter, who is also like my brother," Natasha began to ramble, which was very unusual for her. "Oh no... then they're going to have sex... and what if they get married?" Natasha's voice sounded increasingly paranoid. Bucky couldn't help but laugh at this. "This is terrible, really terrible," she ran her hand through her head in despair. "And I can't stop Bishop, can I? I mean, I can, but Yelena should do whatever she wants," she slumped frustrated onto a nearby chair. "I can't believe it... Bishop is going to marry my little sister," she murmured in terror.

"Okay, enough. It was exasperating at first, then funny, and now it's exasperating again," Natasha looked at him without understanding. "Don't you think you're overreacting?" That caught Natasha's full attention. "Yelena is growing up, it's normal for her to be interested in someone. And who better than Clint's almost-daughter?"

"It's too soon for Yelena to go through all of this. You, more than anyone, understand the life Yelena has led," Bucky nodded remorsefully. "I don't oppose my sister having a relationship, but I'd like her to experience a little more before that."

"Yes, I understand. But at least her first interest is Bishop, Barton's kid. Lena will be fine," Bucky tried to encourage and reassure Natasha, thinking it would calm her down.

"I don't like Bishop for my sister."

"Why? I hope it's not because of anything you said in your paranoid moment, because none of those reasons are valid."

"She's a player," Bucky burst into laughter. Natasha looked at him irritably. "What?"

"You're not the right person to complain about that," Bucky teased. "Besides all the widows you had something with in the Red Room, there are the 'Fury's daughters,' several SHIELD agents, from..." Natasha interrupted him before Bucky could continue with his list. Sometimes she hated how well Bucky knew her, he even knew things that Clint had no idea about.

"Yes, yes. I dated many women, I admit it. But I never played with any of them, and you know that," Bucky nodded, still with the smile that remained on his face after laughing. "I was always very clear about my intentions with all of them. And the few times I was in a relationship, I was completely faithful and committed."

"Maybe Bishop is the same," Bucky tried to give Natasha a positive perspective.

"No, she's not. I investigated her, her profile is similar to Stark's," Bucky's gaze changed at the mention of Stark. A mocking smile appeared on Natasha's face. "I forgot you were jealous because your boyfriend went to fight him."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Bucky pretended not to understand.

"I know you, Barnes. You know that doesn't work with me," Bucky sighed, conceding that Natasha was right. "How are things going with Rogers? I saw you dancing together, you looked very happy."

"Yeah, although we haven't made much progress overall. Since we were in Wakanda, that time was mostly about catching up, although we haven't done anything we didn't do in the '40s."

"And have you talked openly about how you feel?"

"We talked a lot in Wakanda, we both know what we feel, what we've always felt for each other... But I don't know, I still have doubts about what he feels for Stark," he muttered disheartened.

"He came to the party with you, not with Stark," Natasha tried to cheer him up.

"Yes, and then he left me to go with him."

"No matter what did or didn't happen between them, Steve has always loved you. And that nobody or nothing can change it," Bucky gave her a half-smile. "He's an idiot, but he loves you. Just give it time, being frozen for so long affected him." They both laughed. Natasha managed to cheer up Bucky.

"I hope you're right, Romanoff," Bucky murmured.

"When have I ever been wrong?"

~

Back with the Maximoffs, Peter and Kate.

Peter started recalling all the times he had seen Wanda and Natasha together. It was quite common to see them together or in the company of Yelena. Moreover, Wanda always had a wide smile whenever she was with Natasha, and vice versa. If Peter added to that the assurance with which Wanda said she could make sure Natasha wouldn't hit Kate anymore, and what Pietro almost revealed, it meant that they were a couple.

"What were we talking about?" Wanda said, trying to change the subject. She looked somewhat nervous.

"Was Pietro going to say that..." Peter said, but Wanda interrupted him.

"No, he wasn't going to say anything."

"Yeah, I wasn't going to say anything," Pietro added with some fear. With their reactions, Peter knew his theory was correct, Wanda and Natasha were girlfriends.

"Yeah, sure," Peter murmured sarcastically. "It's so obvious, I don't know how I didn't see it before," he added excitedly. He had unlocked another ship.

Kate, on the other hand, didn't understand what was going on at all.

"Peter, I don't know what you're talking about," Wanda said convincingly, but Peter didn't believe her.

"I'm not understanding either," Kate added, truly lost in the conversation.

"Never mind... it's nothing," Peter replied, still very happy about the new ship he had discovered.

No one noticed that Carol and Yelena were coming back to where they were. It wasn't until Carol spoke that they realized.

"We're back!"

"We're finally back!" Yelena exclaimed dramatically. For her, it had been too long with her sister's friends.

A silly smile appeared on Kate's face as she saw Yelena again. It's not that Kate considered herself very romantic, but she could swear without any problem that she would never get tired of seeing Yelena.

"Hey, Lena," Pietro greeted. "Good evening, Captain Danvers," he added in a formal tone. Wanda rolled her eyes upon hearing him.

"I already told you to call me Carol, Pietro," she reminded him.

"I couldn't address her like that, Captain. I admire her too much for that," he replied, again in that formal tone.

"Stop being so flattering; it doesn't suit you," Wanda said, making the group of youngsters laugh, including Carol. Pietro looked at her with a sour face. "What? Is there something you want to tell me, little brother?"

"No," Pietro muttered through clenched teeth.

"Yelena, it's great to have you back!" Peter said, changing the subject to lighten the slightly heavy atmosphere. "Kate, isn't it great that she's back?"

"Yes, it's awesome to have you back," Kate replied, smiling widely at Yelena. Yelena smiled back at her.

"I told you I'd come back, and I did," Yelena said, giving Kate a flirtatious look. "I would never let you down, Kate Bishop."

Kate felt her cheeks flush. Unknowingly, Yelena was flirting with her. This undoubtedly surprised the rest of the people present, especially Wanda, who knew her better. Nevertheless, everyone watched the scene with excitement.

"Sweetie, why did your sister want you?" Wanda asked her after a while.

"She wanted me to get to know the other Avengers because, according to her, as the leader of the Young Avengers, I should have a better relationship with the rest of the Avengers," Yelena told her. "That's all it was."

"It must have been awesome," Peter said in fanboy mode.

"It wasn't that cool," Yelena replied. "I wanted to go back after five seconds of being with them, but Natasha wouldn't let me," she added, completely ignoring the reason why her sister wouldn't let her return. "It's like she didn't want me here with you and Kate Bishop."

"How odd," Carol murmured sarcastically.

"And she asked why," Pietro added in the same manner.

"Aww, Sweetie. You're so innocent," Wanda whispered.

"Hey, God. It's Kate again," Kate prayed in her mind.

Peter didn't make any comment. He simply laughed, especially at the frightened expression on Kate's face.

"I know!" Yelena replied to Carol and Peter's comments. "I have no idea why my sestra would do something like that. Anyway, she's just a bit weird."

"The good thing is that you're here now, Lena," Kate said. If her time was limited, she would make the most of it.

"I say the same, Kate Bishop."

Both of them got lost in "Kateland" and "Yeleland" (respectively) again. Basically, the two girls couldn't take their eyes off each other as they smiled foolishly.

"Lena, remember why we came," Carol told her, seeing that Yelena and Kate had no intention of stopping.

"Chill out, Cap," Yelena replied, already out of Kateland. "I don't think Natasha will come looking for us."

"Sweetie, it's like you don't know your sister," Wanda said. Before Yelena could say anything, a murmur from Carol was heard.

"And speaking of..." Carol hadn't finished speaking when Natasha's voice approached where they were.

"What did I tell you about taking so long?" her voice sounded very annoyed. "Especially you, Yelena."

"Oops," Yelena said, not at all worried. Kate resumed her prayers.

"Don't worry, Lena," Carol whispered. "I've got your back."

"Oh, great. Just what I needed! I get rid of one and another one comes," Kate complained in her mind upon hearing Carol. Although it was a whisper, Kate was very close to Yelena, so she perfectly heard what Carol said to her.

"I think you're in trouble, Yel," Pietro teased. He knew a show was about to happen.

"Not even if I avoid it," Wanda said to herself more than to the rest.

"What's life without danger?" Yelena said with amusement. Her expression changed when she saw Natasha's furious gaze. "Oh..."

"You simply had a task to do," Natasha began scolding them. "A damn task that you couldn't complete!"

Yelena definitely didn't like her sister yelling at her. Carol quickly decided to intervene upon noticing Yelena's expression.

"That's what we were doing."

"Oh yeah? Then why the hell did I have to come?!" Natasha replied even more enraged.

"Natasha, calm down," Wanda told her.

"If I were you, I would listen to her," Carol added, raising an eyebrow. Natasha took a couple of seconds to do exactly what Wanda had asked her, calm down.

"Why did it take you so long?" she asked again, but now her voice was much softer. Wanda rewarded her with a faint smile. Carol, Yelena, and Pietro couldn't help but laugh at the sudden change in Natasha's behavior. Peter also found the situation quite amusing, but he stifled his laughter. Kate was the only one who was lost as to what they were laughing about.

"I think it would have been better if you hadn't come, sestra," Yelena mocked.

"First of all, I wasn't supposed to come because YOU were supposed to take care of giving the notice," Natasha replied sharply. "And Carol was supposed to make sure you didn't take too long."

"What? I thought I had to make her take longer," Carol commented playfully. Kate didn't find Carol's comment pleasant at all. Natasha, on the other hand, looked at her with a face that screamed "Danvers, I want to hit you." Obviously, she wouldn't, at least not while Wanda was there.

"Relax, sestra. We were just about to come," Yelena now intervened on Carol's behalf.

Wanda also decided to help them, so she read Yelena's mind to see what they were supposed to do.

"They were just telling us that the big announcement of the night was about to happen," Wanda said confidently.

"Exactly! That's what we were doing," Yelena added. Carol gave them a thumbs up. Peter and Kate exchanged glances as they didn't understand what they were referring to.

"What are they talking about?" Kate whispered.

"Just go along with it," Pietro replied in the same manner.

"Fine, I'll believe you," Natasha said, much calmer now after the "Witchy" effect. "We should leave then."

"Sounds perfect," Wanda seconded, smiling at her girlfriend. Natasha smiled back.

"And there they go again..." Yelena whispered to Carol. She chuckled quietly.

"I know," Carol replied in the same manner.

Kate watched the two blondes with an obvious expression of annoyance. She didn't appreciate the closeness and complicity between Yelena and Carol at all.

"Aren't we going already?" Pietro interrupted the moment between his sister and Natasha.

"Right," Yelena agreed. "A couple of minutes ago, you wanted to kill us for taking too long."

"Yes, go away," Natasha replied to them.

"Are you coming too?" Wanda asked her.

"Yes," Natasha replied with a smile.

"I don't understand, Nat."

"I need to talk to Bishop about something."

"W-what?" Kate muttered nervously.

"Carol, Pietro," Wanda said. "Go with the others." Kate's expression was now one of pure terror.

"Why?" Yelena inquired. "I don't understand anything."

"Yes, that's exactly why," Pietro whispered. Carol and Peter laughed quietly upon hearing him.

"Sweetie, please just listen," Wanda asked her without going into details.

"Fine," Yelena reluctantly agreed. "I'll go."

"Come on, Lena," Carol said, pointing them in the direction they had to take. Yelena started walking towards the exit without saying anything else. Carol followed her.

"Good luck, Kate," Pietro said as he passed by her before leaving. "Nice to have met you!"

"Hope to see you again," Peter murmured before leaving as well.

Kate watched in panic as they left her alone with Wanda and Natasha.

"You didn't have to stay," Natasha murmured softly to Wanda.

"I want to make sure you don't kill her."

Natasha sighed. That meant Wanda was already aware of the warnings she had given Kate.

"I won't. I promise I'll just talk to her," she explained. Wanda looked at her intently before responding.

"You better make sure of that, Natasha."

"When have I ever let you down?" Natasha said with a flirtatious smile. Wanda blushed.

"Never," she replied with a smile too.

Under different circumstances, Kate would have noticed the flirting between Natasha and Wanda, but she was more concerned about realizing that Wanda was leaving her alone with Natasha.

"Natasha is going to kill me."

"Don't worry, Kate," Wanda reassured her before leaving. "You'll be fine. Nat will only talk to you."

Kate looked at her skeptically. She obviously didn't believe her. But she didn't believe her because she didn't know about the relationship between Wanda and Natasha. Otherwise, she would know that Natasha would never go against something Wanda told her or break a promise to her girlfriend.

"Well, if you're going to kill me... I just ask that you do it quickly, please," Kate murmured, resigned to her fate.

"Relax, Bishop. I'm not going to kill you," Natasha said to reassure her and create a civilized environment for them to talk. "At least not today," she added, causing Kate to look at her with terror again. Natasha couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Oh, really?" Kate muttered, far from being calm.

"No, just talking."

"About what?"

"Listen carefully, Bishop, because I won't repeat it again. Got it?" Kate nodded. "You're not good for my sister, and I don't want to see you trying for anything more than friendship with her," Natasha stated firmly. "END. OF. STORY." Kate looked at her without understanding, thinking that she had made progress with her future sister-in-law. "Is that clear?"

"But why? We would make a great couple!" Kate complained, but Natasha's stern expression didn't waver. "Every brunette needs a blonde..."

"I already told you, Bishop. Don't you dare challenge me."

"I genuinely care about Yelena, I want something serious with her," Kate began to explain. "I've never wanted something like this with anyone before, only your sister has had and will have that power over me. I know my past leaves much to be desired, but I assure you it won't be a problem. Since I first saw Yelena, I've been faithful to her. So if one day I'm lucky enough to call myself her girlfriend, I can tell her, 'I've already been faithful to you since before we made it official.'"

Natasha observed her analytically, trying to determine if what Kate said was a lie. Either way, she would conduct her own investigation to see if Kate's words held true. She wouldn't be swayed by flowery speeches.

"Yelena isn't ready for a relationship," Natasha said seriously.

Kate sighed before responding.

"I don't mind waiting, I'll wait for her as long as necessary," she said. "Even if nothing happens with Yelena, the attempt will have been worth it." She thought to herself, "Is this where I start praying?"

"You know whether you're waiting or not. In the meantime, try to go beyond friendship with my sister," Natasha declared before leaving Kate.

Kate leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. She was alive, and that was enough.

"What I have to go through for you, Lena... but it won't matter. I can handle this and more, just for you," she thought with her eyes closed. Suddenly, a series of flashbacks of Yelena began to pass through Kate's mind.

The first flashback was of Yelena acknowledging her with a slight nod as she poured herself a drink of vodka. Kate remembered how much that simple gesture meant to her. Yelena had seen her and greeted her, and for Kate, that meant everything.

Then came an endless number of moments where Yelena would smile at her happily. It was a joyful, innocent smile, one that only transmits peace and tranquility. Kate could vividly recall the first time Yelena had smiled at her like that, Kate could vividly recall the first time Yelena had smiled at her like that. As the stream of memories continued, Kate realized just how deeply Yelena's smile had impacted her. It had become her guiding light, a source of strength and motivation. Yelena's smile had the power to turn her darkest days into something bearable, something worth fighting for.

With each recollection, Kate's determination grew stronger. She would do whatever it took to protect that smile, to keep it radiant and full of happiness. She wanted to be the reason behind Yelena's smiles, to create countless joyful moments together.

Lost in her thoughts, Kate couldn't help but smile herself. The love she felt for Yelena was undeniable, and she was willing to face any obstacle, including Natasha's doubts, to prove her sincerity and commitment.

The next memory that came to her was Yelena fighting alongside Natasha. Kate remembered how sexy the blonde looked in combat, so focused and ready to beat up her sister. Kate didn't know she had a kink for watching someone fight; that was something she discovered when she saw Yelena in action.

The next flashback was of Yelena's laughter. The kind she would let out whenever she teased someone. Yelena called it her "loud laugh," but for Kate, it was one of the most beautiful sounds she had ever heard in her life. She definitely wouldn't mind hearing that sound for eternity.

Yelena mocking Natasha's poses was another memory that both amused and cherished Kate. She still couldn't understand how someone so beautiful, sweet, and fun-loving could also possess such a tough, cunning, and cold personality. Kate didn't get it, but that was another reason why Yelena fascinated her. Yelena imitating Natasha was undoubtedly part of the first description.

Another gesture that Kate adored from Yelena was when she closed her eyes, smiled, and placed her hand on her head, as if face-palming. Kate found the gesture truly endearing and charming.

Kate also cherished the gesture of confusion Yelena made before accepting something. But nothing compared to when Yelena smiled widely, her shining eyes radiating joy and happiness. Another treasured moment for Kate was Yelena's strange celebratory dance whenever a dish turned out phenomenally well.

Watching Yelena train definitely ranked among Kate's top five favorite things to see. The look of concentration on her face, the lethalness of her strikes and movements, and how sexy she looked, not to mention what a great teacher she was. But what Kate enjoyed most about watching Yelena train was when she laughed or smiled at anything; that was her favorite moment in every training session.

Yelena's mischievous/flirtatious smile was another one of Kate's favorite expressions, especially because she had only seen it directed at her. How could she resist that gaze when Yelena looked at her in such a way?

Countless other flashbacks of Yelena performing quirky moves during training or teasing Natasha or Pietro flooded Kate's mind. She also remembered how Yelena explained things, gazing into her eyes while patiently addressing any doubts she had. Whenever Kate spoke, Yelena would give her undivided attention, watching her intently as if she were sharing the most interesting piece of information in the world. At least, that's how Kate felt.

"Could I be in love with Yelena?" Kate murmured, realizing the cascade of flashbacks she was experiencing.

Continuing with the reminiscence of Yelena's memories, the next one was of Yelena dancing with a whiskey glass on her head, a moment that occurred while they were dancing with Peter that night.

Yelena drinking vodka also appeared in her mind. It was impressive how she could consume large quantities of vodka as if it were water. Perhaps it wasn't the best quality, but it was definitely something that Kate loved seeing Yelena do.

"What don't I like about Yelena? She's perfect!"

Vests, Yelena loved vests, and whenever she could, she would talk about how cool they were. Moreover, she knew how to rock them in the best way possible. Vests were to Yelena what a crown was to a princess. Kate had learned this by listening to her speak with such excitement about them, so she made a mental note to gift her queen a vest on her birthday.

Although talking about vests wasn't the only thing Yelena liked to discuss. Kate adored seeing Yelena get lost in passionate conversations about any topic or thing that fascinated her. Like when she told Kate and Peter why hot sauce is the perfect complement to macaroni and cheese, or when she explained why vodka was the best drink in the world. But she also talked about the importance of family, friendships, and how beautiful nature was.

No matter if Yelena made a gesture of confusion, mocked someone, spoke to her while smiling divinely, drank vodka, laughed, walked like a runway model, cooked, trained, or simply existed. None of that mattered because regardless of what she did, Kate would be more than delighted to see her. It was at that moment that Kate realized something she hadn't noticed before.

"I'm in love with Yelena..." she whispered in astonishment, still finding it hard to believe. "Oh, by Odin... I'm in love with Yelena!" she exclaimed, thrilled and overjoyed by what she had discovered. "I will wait a thousand years if necessary."

Chapter 22: Unraveling the Truths

Summary:

The party continues its course, and with that, many truths begin to unfold.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Natasha didn't take long to return with the rest of the Avengers. When she returned, she noticed that everyone was already gathered for the official announcement of the party.

"Romanoff's back, so we can finally make the damn announcement," Tony said. "Now, who's going to do it?"

"I think it should be Nat, considering that the party was her idea," Clint suggested. Natasha shifted her gaze, not wanting anyone to know it had been her idea, but Clint had already exposed it.

"I agree," Steve concurred.

"Yeah, let it be Romanoff!" Carol exclaimed. Natasha gave her a stern look.

"What do you say, Romanoff?" Tony asked.

"I don't know..."

"Come on, Natty. Do it," Wanda whispered discreetly.

"Fine, I'll do it," Natasha announced. Applause could be heard from the crowd.

"Whipped," Carol mocked under her breath. Fortunately for Natasha, the applause drowned out anyone else hearing it.

"Anyway, I'll make the announcement," Natasha said. "Although I don't know why, but everyone already knows the reason for the party and the announcement, thanks to someone's discretion."

"No complaints, Romanoff," Tony defended himself. "I've had enough with Rogers, I don't need any more scolding."

"Natasha, are you going to make the presentation?" Steve asked when he saw that she hadn't given the announcement yet.

"Yes, I'm going," Natasha approached the front, more than ready to make the announcement. Wanda gave her a discreet squeeze for support.

"Wait!" Yelena exclaimed when she saw her sister about to make the announcement. Natasha turned to look at her to see why she had asked her to wait. "Kate hasn't returned yet."

"Good catch, sweetie," Wanda said playfully. Peter, Pietro, Carol, and Steve were also amused, especially when they saw Natasha's not-so-happy expression.

"I don't understand anything," Yelena murmured.

"Clint didn't even notice that Kate isn't here, but you were the only one who noticed," Pietro remarked. Those who understood (Carol, Wanda, Peter, Steve, and Bucky) laughed at what that meant.

"It's not my fault, I assumed she would be here," Clint defended himself, not understanding what Pietro had said.

But Clint wasn't the only one who didn't understand. Tony, Rhodes, Sam, and Scott didn't understand either. Maria Hill took a moment to understand what was happening, but she fully understood when she saw Natasha's disturbed expression. If there was one thing she had learned during her five years of dating Natasha, it was how to recognize what her looks meant.

"You won't have to wait for Kate anymore, Lena," Peter said. "Look, there she comes," he pointed backward where Kate could be seen walking perfectly.

Yelena watched intently as Kate walked towards her and Peter. Yelena had already seen how beautiful Kate looked in the black suit she was wearing that night, but seeing her walk with such confidence and grace was another level.

"Lena, shut your mouth before a fly gets in," Carol teased. Laughter erupted again from those who understood what was happening between Yelena and Kate. Yelena didn't even flinch, she was completely lost in Kate. "So discreet..." Carol added.

"I know, right? She's definitely Natasha's sister," Wanda said with amusement.

"Enjoying the view, Lena?" Peter asked, teasingly. Yelena did hear that comment, which caused her to let out a nervous giggle, feeling exposed.

"Hi again, Lenn," Kate greeted with a big smile, noticing that Yelena couldn't take her eyes off her.

"Nice to see you again, Kate Bishop," Yelena greeted back, blushing profusely.

"They are so cute," Wanda murmured excitedly, like a mom watching her daughter with her first crush. Peter vigorously nodded, like the captain of the Bishova ship.

"They're giving me diabetes, and they're not even officially together yet," Carol added.

"x2," Pietro whispered.

"x3, as the kids say," Steve chimed in.

"Romanoff, don't kill anyone," Bucky told Natasha, approaching her. Natasha looked at Yelena, disgusted and irritated that her little sister couldn't stop foolishly staring at Kate, and vice versa. "There are plenty of witnesses, it's not worth it for you."

Natasha didn't say anything; she just let out a heavy sigh before speaking.

"Now that everyone's here, it's time to make the announcement," Natasha spoke up to grab everyone's attention. "As you all know, this party is in honor of the new Avengers team. Young Avengers, this is our way of giving you the warmest welcome to our family, the Avengers family." Yelena, Peter, and Kate smiled slightly at Natasha's words, it was a nice welcome. "You are the future of this family. We're glad to know that our legacy is in good hands. Without further ado..." Natasha raised her glass, "I propose a toast in honor of the Young Avengers. Cheers!" The rest of the attendees raised their glasses as well, and a resounding "Cheers" echoed in unison.

"The Avengers are in excellent hands, sestra," Yelena whispered. "We'll do a great job!"

"Yeah, we won't let you down!" Peter added, excitedly.

"We'll be the great start this new phase of the Avengers needs," Kate chimed in.

The rest of the attendees began applauding as well.

"We hope so, Young Avengers," Steve commented.

"We know you won't disappoint us," Clint said proudly, in a totally dad mode.

"At least you two get along from the start, that's progress," Tony mentioned.

"And two of them more than well," Carol teased.

"Shut up, Danvers," Natasha whispered, hearing perfectly well what was said. But that only made Carol laugh harder, along with others in the room. Wanda gave her a warning look, so Natasha chose not to say anything more about it.

"You'll do great!" Scott cheered, continuing to applaud.

"Just don't take any cohabitation advice from Stark," Rhodes commented.

"Or from Rogers," Sam added.

"Just be yourselves, and you'll do fine," Maria encouraged them. Sharon nodded and smiled at them in response to what her wife had just said.

The team smiled and nodded at everything they were being told. They were very happy with the cool welcome they were receiving. At that moment, more than ever, they made an internal pact to give their best, something they would undoubtedly fulfill.

"I can't wait for us to grow in numbers!" Peter exclaimed excitedly. His teammates agreed with him.

"Chill out, kid. You still have to go through several tests among the three of you before adding more," Tony reassured him.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark. You're right," Peter apologized shyly. "It's just that I'm excited about the idea of having more people on our team."

"Yes, it will be really cool to see that," Yelena added.

"Yelena is right, it will be awesome," Kate whispered. It wasn't that she didn't like the idea, in fact, she found it fascinating, but Kate would agree with whatever Yelena said.

"Maybe soon you'll have more teammates, right, Danvers and Lang?" Maria asked them with a mischievous smile.

"My answer is that it might not be that soon, but yes," Carol replied first. She had a meeting with Fury precisely about that topic.

"From my side, maybe by the end of this year or the beginning of the next," Scott responded.

The group exchanged looks of excitement and curiosity. They knew there was a hidden message behind those words, but they didn't yet know who the new additions would be or why Maria specifically asked Carol and Scott. Yelena was the only one who knew that Carol had a daughter, so she thought it might have something to do with her. Regardless, they didn't pay much attention to it for now, as that night was their moment, and they would celebrate it to the fullest.

"Keep enjoying your party, Young Avengers," Natasha said, smiling softly. "Let the party continue!"

~

The party continued smoothly. Yelena returned with Kate and Peter, much to her sister's dismay. Kate and Yelena danced together for as long as they could, until they noticed people starting to leave and the music no longer being suitable for dancing.

By midnight, all the guests and SHIELD agents had already left the party. Maria Hill, Sharon Carter, Sam Wilson, James Rhodes, and Scott Lang had also departed by midnight, leaving only Natasha Romanoff, Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, Carol Danvers, Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes, and Clint Barton. And of course, the new team members: Yelena Belova, Kate Bishop, and Peter Parker.

Once only a few Avengers remained, four of the six originals present, they decided to gather in the lounge area of the party venue. Each of them grabbed a drink from the bar before taking their seats.

"Hey, Nat," Steve said once they were in the lounge. "Is it true that you have a girlfriend?" Clint, Tony, and Natasha herself looked at him in astonishment.

"What?" Natasha murmured, still surprised that Steve would ask her that. If Bucky had asked, she wouldn't have been surprised because he already knew, but it did surprise her that Steve had noticed than she was in a relationship. Maybe Bucky had mentioned something to him, although he didn't mention anything when they talked that same night.

"Did you say Romanoff has a girlfriend?" Tony inquired skeptically. "Has someone finally caught her?" Natasha smiled at the thought of her Witchy.

"Yes, it seems so," Steve replied.

"Why does Rogers know and not me?" Clint complained. Natasha hadn't dwelled on that.

"Good question. How did you find out, Steve?"

"I heard a rumor," Steve answered with a smile. He wouldn't reveal it was Carol who told him, so a rumor was the best option.

"Fuck," Natasha now wondered where that rumor had come from.

"So, it's true," Tony made the observation. Natasha sighed as she crossed her arms before responding.

"Yes, I'm seeing someone," she couldn't deny it anymore, she could only avoid saying who it was.

"I'm offended you didn't tell me earlier, Nat," Clint complained again. "But I'll let it slide because I'm really glad you finally found a girlfriend." Natasha smiled gratefully at him. "So, who's the lucky one?" Clint asked with curiosity.

"Yeah, we want to know who caught the playgirl," Tony teased.

"Do you really want to play that game, playboy?" Natasha retorted, raising an eyebrow.

"And proudly," Tony defended himself.

"Going back to the topic," Steve muttered, not very pleased with Tony's response. "We're still waiting for you to tell us who the lucky one is."

"Yes, we want to know," Clint seconded.

"I can't answer that, not yet," Natasha replied. "We've been dating for a while, and everything has been perfect so far. We haven't wanted to tell anyone for that reason."

"So when will we know who it is?" Clint inquired.

"My amazing girlfriend and I have discussed it. We don't have a date yet, but you'll know soon enough."

"I'm looking forward to that moment," Steve replied with a knowing smile, as he was almost certain who it was.

Carol, Yelena, Kate, Peter, Bucky, and Pietro approached the group. Only they and Wanda remained, so they decided it would be best to join them. Wanda had taken a drink before joining the others, but she told them to go ahead, saying she would catch up.

"Where did you leave Wanda?" Natasha asked when she noticed she wasn't with them.

"She went for a drink, she said we should go ahead," Carol replied.

"She shouldn't take long," Yelena added, reassuring her sister. Natasha didn't respond, she just gave them a slight nod.

"You guys are always with Romanoff," Tony said to the newcomers. "Do you know who her girlfriend is?" he asked, ignoring what Natasha had previously told them.

Peter internally celebrated because he was almost certain that Natasha and Wanda were together, which was another piece of evidence. Kate looked surprised at the new revelation, she hadn't heard about it. Bucky simply found everything highly entertaining.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Carol evaded the question. This time, she wouldn't be the one to give away her friends.

"And if we knew, we wouldn't tell you," Yelena added.

"Mind your own business, Stark," Pietro chimed in.

Tony rolled his eyes, annoyed. Nobody paid attention to the fact that Wanda had arrived with them.

"I'm back," Wanda announced, trying to be noticed. "What did I miss?" she asked with a slight smile, completely ignoring the inconvenient topic they were discussing.

"Not much, sis," Pietro replied.

"Yeah, we practically just got here too," Yelena said, trying to steer clear of anyone bringing up the topic again.

"Have you heard about Nat's secret girlfriend?" Clint innocently asked. Wanda's eyes widened in surprise at the question.

"Uh... y-yes," she stammered, stumbling over her words. "I think she mentioned it, yes," she added, slightly nervous, scratching the back of her head.

"When are we going to meet this..." Steve murmured, smiling knowingly.

"...mysterious girl?" Stark finished Steve's question.

"She's very shy, I don't think she's up to meeting everybody yet," Natasha whispered.

"Yeah, I don't think she's up to meeting everybody yet," Wanda said without thinking.

Carol and Yelena exchanged a mischievous smile, silently agreeing to tease Natasha and Wanda. Kate watched the interaction between the blondes with suspicion. She didn't like that.

"I don't care, I want to meet this girl," Yelena said playfully.

"Who's the best sex she ever had," Carol added in the same manner.

Natasha smiled somewhat uncomfortably.

"Really?" Wanda inquired, quite excited. She was aware of her girlfriend's past, so hearing that was a HUGE compliment, especially coming from one of Natasha's exes. "Did you hear that?" she asked Carol.

"Yep," Carol replied, amused, especially by Wanda's reaction.

"You said that?" Wanda asked directly, looking at Natasha.

"Maybe I did say that..." Natasha said with a slightly mischievous smile.

Wanda chuckled with excitement.

"What's so funny?" Natasha asked, raising an eyebrow, delighted by her girlfriend's reaction.

"Because I'm really happy for her," Wanda replied with a wide smile. "and you, you lucky dog!"

"Thank you, I'll pass on your well wishes," Natasha said with a mischievous smile.

"That's great, Nat," Wanda smiled back playfully, biting her lip after she finished speaking.

Upon seeing that, Yelena regretted starting the joke. She made a disgusted face and quickly downed her drink to shake off the awkwardness. Pietro had a similar reaction, looking on with utter disgust at the scene between his sister and Natasha. But they weren't the only ones affected—Kate, in her mind, was desperately seeking the context of what had just happened, she had understood everything, but she was astonished because she had never considered the fact that Natasha and Wanda were dating. If she had known that, she would have saved herself from a lot of things.. Meanwhile, Peter could only think, "That's a lot of information..."

Steve, on the other hand, smiled as he averted his gaze. Witnessing that interaction between his friends confirmed to him that Wanda was indeed Natasha's girlfriend.

Tony also smiled, thoroughly amused, as he caught on to who Natasha's mysterious girlfriend was.

Bucky offered them a sideways smile. He was more than happy that his friend had finally found what seemed to be the love of her life.

"So when are we going to meet her?" Clint asked again. He hadn't caught on at all that Wanda was Natasha's girlfriend. Everyone looked at him with disbelief, unable to believe that anyone could be so blind.

"Are you serious, Barton?" Kate asked, amused and skeptical of what her mentor had just asked.

"For being 'Hawkeye,' you don't have a very keen eye for this," Tony added, teasingly. Clint looked at them, still not understanding what they were referring to, along with Kate.

Natasha took a big sip of her beer to compose herself. She really needed to be alone with her girlfriend. But for now, she had to change the subject of conversation.

Let's change the subject instead," Natasha said casually.

"We should play the game we were talking about earlier," Pietro suggests. "What do you say? It would be fun."

"That's a great idea!" Peter exclaims, excited to play again.

Kate nods, not entirely convinced.

"Sure, why not?" Wanda adds.

"What game are you playing?" Steve asks with uncertainty. The Captain feared they might be playing something he wouldn't approve of.

"Truth or shot," Pietro responds.

"That sounds interesting," Tony remarks. "But we could add a dare option, that would make the game even more interesting."

"Good idea, Mr. Stark," Peter compliments.

"What does everyone else think?" Natasha quickly asks, preventing Tony from making one of his narcissistic comments.

"I'm not quite sure how the game works, but it sounds fun. Count me in," Yelena replies, slightly excited.

"I'm in too," Kate instantly adds, smiling. Yelena gives her a little smile in return, which goes unnoticed by most.

"Yes, let's play," Wanda said to distract Natasha.

"Count me in as well," Carol adds, thoroughly amused. She had a feeling that the game was going to get interesting.

"I'm in too," Clint says as he plays with a pair of drumsticks.

"Same," Bucky muttered before taking a sip of his beer.

"I suppose I'm in too," Steve chimed in cheerfully.

"Great," Tony applauded. "Flash, you go first."

"Don't call me that," Pietro complained. "And yes, I'll go first, but only because it was my idea, not because you told me to." Tony rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Let me grab a bottle, I'll be back in a second." Just as he said, he returned with an empty bottle. He placed it on the coffee table and spun it. The bottle stopped spinning, pointing at Natasha. A mischievous smile appeared on Pietro's face. "What will you choose, Romanoff?"

"I think I'll start with truth," Natasha replied.

This time, Pietro showed mercy to his sister's girlfriend. He would definitely ask a question that would bother someone, but for this occasion, it wouldn't be directed at Natasha.

"Tell me, if the other three out of the original six present here were women, who would you choose to marry?" Pietro asked, highly amused by the response Natasha might give.

"None of them, I refuse," Natasha replied instantly. "Egocentric," she discreetly pointed at Clint, "hermit," now she pointed at Steve, "and womanizer," she added, looking directly at Tony. "I wouldn't waste my life with any of them, it would be better to live in a convent." Laughter erupted from the others, while the three mentioned looked indignant.

"I've never agreed with you more, Romanoff," Pietro said, laughing.

"Egocentric.?" Clint raised an eyebrow, arms crossed.

"Hermit?" Steve added, clearly offended and also crossing his arms.

"You called me a womanizer?" Tony exclaimed with a mixture of amusement from what she said about the other two and indignation from what she said about him.

"You know it's true," Natasha replied. "Especially you, Stark." Tony smiled proudly, after all, it wasn't something he was ashamed of. "Alright, it's my turn." She spun the bottle. When it stopped spinning, it ironically pointed at Tony. "What do you choose, Stark?"

"Truth."

"Would you have something with someone here?" she asked. Natasha knew that this answer would be helpful in calming Bucky's insecurities, of course, assuming the answer was negative.

Tony evaded answering and instead took a sip of his drink. Steve looked at him somewhat surprised. Bucky, on the other hand, gave him a very displeased look.

The actions of these three made the rest of the attendees laugh, finding the synchronization of their movements quite amusing. The only one who didn't understand what was happening (as usual) was Clint.

"My gaydar knew it," Kate celebrated internally, while Peter was amazed, but now he admired his mentor even more.

"I take it to not sound narcissistic by saying my name," Tony excused himself. "Besides, I'm back with Pepper, and we have an excellent relationship. I wouldn't ruin that."

"Of course, that's why," Natasha muttered sarcastically. Tony shrugged it off to downplay it.

"Whatever. It's my turn," Tony said before taking another sip of his drink.

"Spin the bottle, Stark," Natasha encouraged.

"No. Instead, let those who have a crush on someone here at the party take a drink," Tony suggested to everyone.

Wanda was the first to take a sip of her wine.

"Guilty," Natasha murmured, smiling as she looked at her girlfriend. Without hesitation, she took a big gulp of her beer.

Without coordinating, Steve and Bucky both took a drink at the same time. A faint smile appeared on each of their faces when they realized it.

"I love the drama," Yelena thought, finding it quite amusing to watch people taking their drinks. It was all laughter and fun until she saw Kate taking a sip with a smile on her face. Yelena's smile faded instantly and a grimace appeared on her face. "Oh..." she murmured, far from happy. Peter and Carol smiled upon noticing Yelena's reaction upon seeing Kate drink.

"Oh, for Odin's sake!" Peter exclaimed as he fanned his face with his hands.

Pietro watched as everyone drank with a sad half-smile. "I wish you had come..." he thought.

"What's happening? I don't understand," Clint muttered, visibly confused by seeing so many people drinking.

"I must admit, I didn't expect this many," Tony added, also astonished by the number of people drinking.

"And that's not all," Carol chimed in with a teasing tone in her voice. "Someone else hasn't realized it yet."

"I agree with Carol," Wanda quickly added, a smile on her face.

"We're three now," Pietro added.

"Four" Peter chimed in, as the captain of the Bishova ship.

"Five" Bucky joined them, surprising some.

"Six" Steve unexpectedly added.

"I never imagined it would come this far," Kate thought as she sighed, then smiled slightly at the excitement and support she was receiving.

Natasha looked at them all with a panicked expression. Panic was the best word to describe her look. She refused to believe what they were insinuating. It's not like she didn't know, but seeing so many people saying it... she just couldn't keep up with how quickly things were happening. At least, that's how it seemed from her perspective.

"It's official," Clint complained. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I don't understand either," Yelena muttered, somewhat serious.

"We're three," Tony agreed.

"Then you're just as blind as Barton," Carol teased. "Or as Lena..."

"Ouch, that hurt," Tony muttered, feigning a pained expression.

"Hey! Why are you insulting me?" Yelena indignantly confronted Carol. "I thought we had something special..."

That comment didn't sit well with Kate. Suddenly, she felt her heart and stomach sink.

"Of course, that's why I can tease you," Carol replied with a half-smile.

"Just when I thought I was getting close..." Kate lamented internally. She discreetly wiped away a betraying tear that escaped her.

"Oh, no!" Natasha exclaimed with great disgust. "Not with my sister, Danvers."

"Chill out, Romanoff," Carol murmured calmly.

"Yeah, calm down," Yelena added quickly. "When I said 'something special,' I meant a friendship. Just that, sestra."

Natasha fell silent, processing their words. While she trusted Carol's faithfulness, it was always better to err on the side of caution.

"Hope is restored," Kate thought, feeling a wave of relief wash over her.

"And remember that I'm married," Carol mentioned, surprising Kate and Peter, who were unaware of this detail.

"And she has a daughter," Pietro chimed in with a grin.

"Shut up, Pietro," Wanda silenced him, shooting him a stern look.

"In my favor once again," Kate cheered herself on mentally.

"I know, I just wanted to make it clear," Natasha finally responded to Carol and Yelena after much contemplation.

"Seriously, so much lesbian drama," Bucky complained as he poured himself a whiskey.

"It's great to see this overprotective side of Nat," Steve commented, thoroughly delighted to witness his friend in that light. He knew how much Natasha longed for a family, and now she had a chance to be with her complete family once again.

"It's not that I'm being overprotective," everyone turned to look at Natasha with disbelief. "I simply won't let anyone come near and harm my little sister." Kate swallowed hard, feeling the weight of Natasha's gaze on her.

Yelena smiled softly. She enjoyed feeling protected by her older sister again, just like when they were kids living in Ohio. It was amazing to have Natasha back in her life.

"Too much sentimentality," Tony mocked. "Let's just keep playing. Who's next?"

"I want to go," Clint requested. "Which Captain do you prefer? Rogers or Danvers?"

"Rogers," Bucky instantly responded, a beautiful smile forming on his face. Steve smiled nervously as he raised his hands. Tony rolled his eyes.

"I guess both," Natasha replied. She couldn't choose between the two. They were so different, yet both of them were among her closest friends.

"I can't decide either, so I'll also say both," Wanda murmured after thinking for a couple of seconds.

"Captain Danvers, of course!" Pietro exclaimed with too much enthusiasm.

"Danvers too," Yelena added, smiling. Carol smiled back at her and gave her a thumbs-up.

Kate's discontent was evident. Perhaps Carol may be married and have a daughter, but that no longer reassured her as it once did.

"Rogers," Kate muttered under her breath.

"I choose both," Peter added as a devoted fanboy.

"Great," Clint said once everyone had responded. The only one who didn't say anything was Tony, but they let it slide. "Who's next?"

"I'll go," Pietro volunteered. He took the bottle again and spun it. When it stopped, it pointed at Steve.

"I choose dare," Steve said before Pietro could ask.

Pietro smiled mischievously. This would be a great opportunity to tease Natasha.

"Dance for Wanda," he said, and both Natasha and Bucky turned to look at him with a disgusted expression. Wanda looked at him in surprise, she hadn't seen that coming.

"Alright," Steve agreed, amused. Without further hesitation, he quickly approached Wanda and began to dance for her in a lap dance style. Wanda squirmed uncomfortably, covering her eyes.

The laughter of the others couldn't be contained. The only ones who were not at all happy with the scene were Natasha and Bucky. This only made Yelena laugh even louder.

"What happened, Romanoff? Why that face?" Pietro taunted.

"Don't make me hit you," Natasha said. Pietro laughed upon hearing Natasha's words.

"Wanda wouldn't let you hit me," he mocked again.

"No," Wanda said once Steve stopped dancing for her. "I won't let her hit you because I'll do it myself." Pietro swallowed hard. From experience, he knew that not even being her twin could exempt him from Wanda's wrath.

"That's very amusing," Yelena murmured between laughs. Pietro's reaction only made her laugh even harder.

"Alright, enough fighting," Steve tried to calm things down. "Let's continue with the game. It's my turn."

"Go ahead, Captain Popsicle with a complex of a stripper," Tony replied in his characteristic mocking tone.

"Drink if you're in a relationship," Steve proposed to everyone.

"Proudly," Carol was the first to drink from her beer.

Tony also took a sip from his glass with a smile on his face. Clint likewise took a drink from his glass.

"It's no longer worth hiding," Wanda smiled before taking a sip from her glass.

"Exactly," Natasha responded, also smiling and drinking from her beer. It felt good to finally stop hiding their relationship, even though she knew her friends would tease her a lot. At that moment, it was the least of her concerns.

"It's about time," Bucky congratulated them, applauding. Steve gave them a thumbs-up like as the proud friend than he was.

"SO COOL!" Yelena exclaimed excitedly.

"Once again, just being a spectator," Peter murmured as he watched his second favorite ship with excitement.

"Didn't know you were seeing someone, Wanda," Clint cheerfully commented, completely oblivious (as always) to what was going on. His comment earned him several disapproving looks. "Who is it?"

Natasha smiled strangely. Sometimes she was amazed at how clueless her best friend could be.

"Aww, Clint," Wanda murmured, touched by her friend's innocence.

"Are you kidding?" Kate asked, hoping her mentor was just joking.

"I hope you are joking, Barton," Bucky complained.

"No one can be that slow," Carol remarked.

Tony covered his face, exasperated by the slowness of Hawkeye.

"Wait a second," Steve said, indirectly putting a stop to the attacks on Clint. "Peter, do you like someone?" he asked, processing what the young boy had mentioned earlier. Peter blushed slightly as he felt everyone's attention on him.

"Yeah... there's a girl at school, her name is MJ," he replied timidly. "But I'm not sure if I have a chance with her, we're just... friends? Yeah, I think we're friends."

"Of course you have a chance!" Kate encouraged him. "You just have to give it a try, Pete."

"Absolutely, kid," Tony chimed in. "In fact, I'll help you."

"Wow!" Peter exclaimed, excited. "Thank you, Mr. Stark."

"Seriously, Stark?" Steve scolded him. "You're not the most suitable person to teach the kid about that stuff." Tony rolled his eyes. "I think someone else should help him," Steve crossed his arms.

"Who? You?" Tony countered sarcastically. "If you're going to help him, it'll take him more than eighty years to ask the girl out."

Bucky nodded dishearteningly, muttering a "True," earning him an indignant look from Steve. This caused the rest to burst into laughter again, with Yelena ironically laughing the loudest.

"Peter, I can help you if you want," Natasha offered, partly to prevent Tony and Steve from continuing their argument, but also because she wanted to help her sister's young friend. She liked Peter, he was a good kid.

"You?" Steve questioned again. "You're not the best choice either, Romanoff."

"Natasha is an excellent choice," Wanda advocated for her girlfriend. Natasha smiled widely at that, and Wanda responded in the same way. They got lost for a few seconds, gazing into each other's eyes until they remembered what they were doing.

"You see, Parker? I'm a better option than those two fossils," Natasha added once she snapped back to reality from the gaze of her girlfriend.

"First, teach your sister how to flirt, Romanoff," Tony defended himself. "The kid is mine, I'll teach him."

"My sister doesn't need to know that, durak (idiot)."

"It wouldn't hurt her," Carol added, amused.

"I said she doesn't need it," Natasha emphasized sternly.

"I agree with Nat," Yelena interjected. "I honestly don't know why anyone would want to learn that."

"Don't get discouraged, Kate. You know it will take time, but you can do it," Kate encouraged herself.

"Oh, sweetie," Wanda murmured. "You'll need more than just learning to flirt." This prompted laughter among those who knew about Kate and Yelena's visible mutual crush.

"Only time will tell," Natasha said, resigned. Kate looked at her somewhat surprised. "Anyway, that wasn't the point."

"Now that we're back to Peter," Pietro commented, "I could also help you," offering his assistance.

"I don't think so," Wanda stopped him abruptly. "You can't even say out loud the name of the person you like. What a great example for Pete!" she exclaimed ironically.

"I could if I wanted to."

"Prove it, say it," Wanda challenged him. Pietro remained silent, holding back everything he wanted to shout but couldn't. "That's what I thought."

"Better luck next time, Sonic," Yelena mocked Pietro, laughing at him.

"Whatever," Pietro muttered under his breath.

On the other hand, Peter couldn't believe that almost everyone present was offering to help him. He didn't know how he hadn't fainted from excitement.

"Enough of this, oldies," Kate said confidently. "I'm your best friend, Pete. I'll help you."

"Oh no, not you!"

"Oh heavens, not you!"

Natasha and Clint exclaimed at the same time. Kate looked at them, a mix of confusion and indignation on her face.

"Why did they react like that?" Yelena wondered as she observed Kate's expression.

Notes:

If sometimes there are certain dialogues that sound like they're from TV shows, it's because they are, haha. This story started on TikTok, so in some episodes, I used audio clips from series. Likewise, I invite you to follow the story on TikTok, where it's already in its second season.

Chapter 23: Love and Laughter

Summary:

Natasha and Wanda share their love openly, while their friends speculate on the identity of Pietro's crush. But that's not all, as Yelena also starts acting a bit strange.

The chapter ends with a hint that there is only one possible option.

Chapter Text

"Kate is right. She's the closest in age to Peter and she's his friend, I don't see anything wrong with her helping him," Steve says.

"For Bishop to be the one to help him, it would be the same as letting Stark do it," Natasha mutters sternly. For those who had already noticed what was happening between Kate and Yelena, they now understood the reason behind Natasha's reaction. If she was comparing Kate to Tony, it was probably because the young woman had a reputation as a "playgirl, millionaire, and philanthropist." The only one who didn't understand the reference was Yelena, but she still felt a strange sensation in the pit of her stomach.

"Kate is like my daughter, and I know her well, that's why I don't think she's the best influence for Peter in these matters," Clint says, and Kate looks at him indignantly. "Don't look at me like that, you know it's true."

"Maybe she was until recently... but believe me, that has changed," she replied, discreetly looking at Yelena, the reason for her change. Natasha noticed that and her expression hardened. Fortunately, Wanda also noticed and took her girlfriend's hand to reassure her. Carol also noticed, so she decided to intervene to divert the topic from Kate.

"Well, anyway," Carol says, applauding, "Pete, if you need advice, feel free to ask me. I might be a bit older, but I believe my advice can still help you."

"Thank you, Captain Danvers," Peter muttered shyly but excitedly because everyone wanted to help him. "And thank you all for offering your help," he received nods from those who had offered to help him. "I'll keep it in mind, thank you!"

"Anytime, kid," Tony gave him a light pat on the shoulder.

"Now, who's next?" Pietro asked.

"I want to go," Carol and Yelena say at the same time, laughing at the coincidence. Kate looks away from them with a gesture of annoyance. Although she knew they had nothing going on and that Carol was even married, she couldn't help feeling jealous of their closeness.

"I think Captain should go first, Lena," Pietro said subtly.

"No, it's okay. Let Lena go first," Carol says politely.

"Aww," Yelena murmurs softly. "Thank you, Carol." Kate lets out a heavy sigh, trying to calm her jealousy.

"As you wish, Captain," Pietro responds with a formal tone in his voice.

"Flatterer," Wanda murmurs so quietly that not even her girlfriend can hear what she said.

"Sonic, what do you choose?" Yelena asks with a smile worthy of the Cheshire Cat.

"I think truth," Pietro answers without thinking, without seeing Yelena's expression.

"Who do you like?" Pietro's response is exactly what Yelena wanted to hear. "I've had that question all night."

Pietro doesn't respond; instead, he quickly drinks from his glass.

"Who's next?" Pietro says once he finishes his drink.

"Good choice, brother," Wanda teases.

Natasha carefully analyzes him while thinking, "For his sake, I hope it's not Lena."

"Now I'm curious too to know who it is," Peter says, being the good shipper he is.

"Same here," Kate adds.

"Me too," Bucky chimes in. "I knew you liked someone, but I didn't imagine who it could be. Although I think I already know who it is," he winks playfully at Pietro, who looks away, feeling caught. This causes Bucky to laugh when he notices it.

"Pietro, it's your turn again." Steve cuts in, serious and abrupt, interrupting the interaction between Pietro and Bucky.

"I'll give my turn to Captain Danvers," Pietro's comment confirms Bucky's theory even more.

"It wasn't necessary, but I'll still take it. Thank you, I really appreciate it" Carol said.

"It's nothing, Captain," Pietro responds, inclining his head with a slight smile.

"Do you have a thing for Captain?" Tony asks with his eyes half-closed.

"What? No, I don't have a thing for Captain!" Pietro quickly responds to avoid misunderstandings. Then something clicks in his mind, so he rushes to add, "No, I don't like Captain Carol Danvers. No offense, Captain." Carol gestures that it's no problem.

"Good thing you clarified," Wanda teases him again. Bucky laughs delighted, confirming once and for all who Pietro's crush is.

"Then why have you been acting that way all night, Flash?" Tony asks again.

"I was just being a gentleman," Pietro answers irritably at the nickname Tony used to call him. "And I told you not to call me that." Tony doesn't say anything more, just rolls his eyes.

"I think I was right," Bucky says, smiling contentedly.

"I also think I know who it is," Natasha adds after connecting the dots. She smiles with relief upon realizing it's not her little sister.

"You guys better keep quiet," Pietro mutters under his breath. "I mean, I don't know what you're talking about," he adds to avoid being discovered.

The comment from Pietro made Wanda, Natasha, and Bucky laugh even more, as they were the only ones who understood what was happening. The rest had no idea who it could be. Most of them were curious and didn't understand what they were referring to. Steve was the only one who started feeling an unsettling doubt, hoping it wasn't about Bucky.

"Can I go now?" Carol asked, somewhat desperate and confused.

"Of course, Captain," Pietro replied courteously as he adjusted his jacket.

Carol nods slightly before turning to Yelena with a somewhat mischievous smile.

"Lena, what do you choose?"

"Truth," Yelena responds without hesitation. Carol smiles widely; that's exactly what she wanted to hear.

"Do you like someone?" she asks, raising both eyebrows.

"You know I don't, Carol."

But Carol wouldn't give up so easily. She had faith that she could get another response from Yelena. She was determined to help Kate, and it would also annoy Natasha in the process.

"And you're not dating anyone at the moment, right?" she inquires again.

"No, I mean..." Yelena pauses briefly. "...I don't know how to date."

Everyone is attentive to the exchange of words between the two blondes, especially Kate.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-two," Yelena answers, calmly sipping her vodka. "Twenty-two, almost twenty-three."

"Okay... and you've never really been on dates?" Carol asks to clarify.

"Well, to be honest... I've never been interested in any of that," Yelena replies without going into much detail. Most of her life was controlled, so she hadn't had the opportunity to experience those things, to have a normal life. In the short time she had been free from mental control, she tried to make up for lost time; therefore, matters of love were not among her priorities. Besides, Yelena didn't really feel attracted to any of that stuff.

"So, in the hypothetical case of someone asking you out on a date, would you say no?" Carol asks again. Kate adjusts herself to listen better to Yelena's response.

"I don't go on dates," Yelena honestly answers.

"And if someone were to say, 'Hey, Lena. Let's go to dinner'?"

"I wouldn't know what to do," Yelena replies sincerely.

"You say yes or no, it's as simple as that," Carol tells her.

"Ask me out on a date," Yelena said without thinking how her words would sound.

Everyone exclaims in surprise at what they just heard, except for Natasha and Kate, whose breath momentarily catches in their throats.

"No, I'm married. I'm not going to ask you out," Carol responds playfully. She had realized that Yelena hadn't meant it with that intention.

"No!" Yelena says, trying to clarify with a nervous laugh. "No, I know. I didn't mean it like that... I meant you should do it hypothetically."

"Alright, I'll do it," Carol agrees playfully, especially enjoying the way Natasha glares at her. It was always entertaining to annoy her friend. "Hey, would you like to go out to dinner sometime?"

Yelena couldn't help but laugh before answering Carol.

"No," she says with laughter, "You're married, Carol!"

Laughter filled the air, and even Carol was laughing at the plot twist Yelena made.

"That's my sestra," Natasha said proudly.

Kate also laughed, feeling relieved that the conversation didn't go in the direction she feared.

"Nice one, Yel," Clint said, finally understanding what was going on.

"The con artist got conned," Yelena teased Carol.

"Yes, that was a good one, Yel," Carol said with laughter. Yelena simply laughed again, proud of her move.

"Alright, I think it's my turn again," Yelena says a couple of seconds later. "Kate Bishop."

Kate raises her eyebrows in surprise upon hearing Yelena mention her name. She wasn't expecting Yelena to choose her for a question. "So, what do you choose?" Yelena asks.

The small group of Katelena shippers watches the scene with excitement. Natasha is the only one wearing a displeased expression. Both Bucky and Carol seize the opportunity to tease her about it.

"Truth," Kate replies, determined as she gazes steadily at Yelena, who averts her gaze slightly blushing. Kate smiles.

"Who do you like, Kate Bishop?" Yelena refuses to leave that question unanswered. For some unknown reason, she feels the need to know who holds that privilege.

Yelena's question not only perplexes Kate but also everyone present. Even Clint is surprised, though the idea of why Yelena would ask such a thing doesn't cross his mind.

"I guess I'll take a sip," Kate says after pondering for a moment. Something inside her tells her it's better not to tell the truth just yet, that she needs to wait for a better moment. Besides, confessing in a party game isn't how she wants both of them to remember that confession; it wouldn't be romantic or special enough.

"Oh..." Yelena murmurs, not particularly pleased, as she watches Kate take a sip of her drink. Part of her wanted to hear Kate say that she didn't like anyone, another small part was relieved to not hear any names, while a larger part deep inside her was furious because Kate liked someone.

"I don't know whether to laugh or cry," Peter thought after witnessing that scene.

"You're so blind, sweetie," Wanda murmured, both amused and concerned about Yelena's obliviousness.

Clint had switched to dad mode. He knew he had to have several conversations with his protege, something he didn't particularly enjoy, but he knew he had to do it. He would definitely be in for a big surprise when Kate told him everything.

"How can the Little Widow not notice it? Legolitas practically has a sign on her forehead," Tony remarked in his typical tone.

"Youthful and blind love," Steve thought with a smile. In a way, it reminded him of when he was young and in love with Bucky, although he hadn't realized it until a few years ago.

"You're even blinder than Barton," Bucky teased Yelena.<7p>

"She definitely is," Carol added in the same manner.

Yelena watched them with little amusement. She didn't understand what they were implying, which somehow irritated her even more.

"Really?" Pietro joined in bullying Yelena. "Not even a clue?"

Maybe it was the somewhat arrogant way Pietro said it, or perhaps because he was smiling, but Yelena began to think that maybe Kate was interested in Pietro. The mere idea made her stomach churn.

Natasha tried to come up with a thousand theories about why her sister was behaving this way. Much to her dismay, she knew the answer. She had to accept it; her little sister was growing up.

"Kate, I think it's your turn," Wanda said to keep the game going and to distract her girlfriend from the chaos in her mind.

"Carol, truth or dare?" Kate muttered as soon as Wanda stopped talking.

"Truth," Carol replied simply, shrugging casually.

"Time to clarify my doubt," Kate thought before asking her question.

"Have you ever been or would you be involved with someone here?"

Kate wanted to ease her lingering doubt. She had noticed how well her dear Yelena and Carol got along, and she wanted to be certain that it was just a friendship.

"The second one," Carol answered, holding back the urge to laugh. She had an idea of where that question was coming from.

"I imagine a Widow," Kate muttered under her breath. Her mind didn't let her think clearly; it quickly wandered elsewhere.

"Yes, but not who you think," Carol responded playfully. Kate's face changed dramatically, she felt a bit embarrassed realizing how exposed she had been.

Everyone chuckled, especially those who remembered when Carol and Natasha were together. They were an unusual couple, but they looked great together. But of course, that was in the past, and everyone agreed that they looked much better as the best friends they were today.

Peter was the only one (besides Kate) who was surprised to hear Carol's answer. He never would have imagined it.

"Oh..." Kate muttered, still somewhat embarrassed.

"Don't worry, Bishop. I'm not interested in anyone other than my beautiful and beloved wife," Carol smiled calmly to assure her that her words were sincere. Kate smiled faintly, feeling more relaxed. Now she was sure she didn't have to worry about Carol.

"Don't encourage her, Danvers."

"Nat, please," Wanda pleaded softly. Natasha sighed, she had nothing left to do.

Meanwhile, Yelena and Clint were the only ones who hadn't caught on to what they were referring to. They tried to connect the dots and figure out what they had just witnessed, but they had no idea. They felt like they were missing something, but they didn't know what.

"You should give it already, Carol," Wanda added to change the topic once again. Her girlfriend had been very patient in not letting go and hitting Kate; she didn't want that patience to run out.

"Sure," Carol replied understandingly. While it was super fun to tease Natasha, she was also aware that she had to stop a little, or at least not with the subject of her sister. "Wands, truth or dare?"

"I don't want a challenge like Steve's, so I guess I'll go with truth," Wanda said, not very confident if that was the best answer.

"When was the last time you had sex?"

"Danvers!" Steve scolded. "What kind of questions are those?"

"Don't be such a prude, Captain Virgin," Tony said, rolling his eyes. Steve looked at him annoyed. Bucky, on the other hand, let out a laugh that didn't go unnoticed by anyone, causing Steve to blush. The laughter from the others soon followed.

"Anyway, continue," Steve muttered, averting his gaze to the floor.

"Now that we have the apparently not-so-puritanical Cap's blessing," Carol added teasingly, "So, Wands, we're still waiting for your answer."

"This morning," Wanda answered, also blushing and nervously smiling. Pietro and Yelena made disgusted faces upon hearing it, they definitely didn't want to know that.

"Weren't you with Nat all morning?" Clint asked, very confused.

Wanda and Natasha exchanged guilty glances, while the rest (except for Pietro and Yelena) laughed at them and Clint's question.

"That's right, she was with me all morning," Natasha replied, smiling proudly. Wanda smiled, biting her lip, probably recalling the very... productive morning she had with her girlfriend.

"Get a room," Tony teased upon seeing them, causing the others to laugh. Clint remained stunned.

"Do you get it now, Barton?" Bucky asked, but it took Clint more than a minute to snap out of his thoughts and respond.

"I don't understand," Clint said, confused. "Did Wanda lie?" The majority couldn't help but roll their eyes at Clint's question.

"I give up with you, Barton," Bucky complained, annoyed.

"Man, you're making us look bad," Kate admonished him.

"What? Why?" Clint asked, even more confused.

"Clint," Wanda said, tired of her friend's blindness, "Natasha and I are girlfriends." Clint turned to look at her, astonished.

"Do you get it now, Legolas?" Tony asked, somewhat teasingly, seeing Clint's astonishment. "How did you not notice?"

"What do you mean?" Clint looked both confused and hurt. "Did everyone already know?"

"They've been dropping hints and flirting in front of everyone all night," Bucky replied before taking a sip of his drink. "It's incredible that you didn't notice."

"And eyeing each other," Carol added, mockingly. Natasha smiled proudly, while Wanda smiled nervously. Maybe they had been quite obvious after all.

"Nat, why didn't you tell me?" Clint asked after several seconds of processing everything.

"Wanda and I didn't want to tell anyone yet, it was our secret," Natasha replied. "You were going to be one of the first to know, but the party happened earlier and exposed us."

"Okay, I understand," Clint murmured, smiling slightly. "I can't believe it... I have to admit I didn't see it coming, but you two make a great couple." Wanda nodded, smiling.

"We are, in my amazing girlfriend, I found the love of my life," Natasha recited, looking directly at her girlfriend.

"I can't wait to tell Laura, she'll be thrilled too!"

"I'd like to go visit her and the kids to give them the news," Natasha suggested.

"Yeah, I like that idea too," Wanda added, excited about the idea of being introduced to the rest of the Bartons again, but now as Aunt Nat's girlfriend.

"Whenever you want," Clint replied, smiling. "But now, how did everyone else notice?"

"I was the first to notice," Pietro bragged. "Although, on second thought, I would have preferred not to have found out," he muttered, disgusted. "I guess that's one of the downsides of sharing the womb with your sister, you find out everything... even things you don't like."

"Don't be so dramatic," Wanda told him.

"Anyway," Yelena muttered, "I found out recently. They look really cute together... but I understand Pietro. Sometimes I wish I never found out," she made a disgusted face. Natasha rolled her eyes, amused.

"Maybe someday you'll understand, Sweetie," Wanda told her. Kate smiled at the idea, and now Peter grimaced in disgust. Wanda's comment confused Yelena, and Natasha looked horrified.

"I realized it when I came back," Carol mentioned, trying to change the topic. "They were very obvious, they gave themselves away."

"The rest of us noticed tonight, Mr. Barton," Peter told Clint. "They couldn't hide it all night."

"Even the kid noticed," Tony said to Clint. "You should change your name, Hawkeye," which prompted laughter from everyone.

"Anyway, who's next?" Steve asked to continue the game.

"Peter, it's your turn," Wanda whispered. "If you want, you can use my turn," Wanda hoped Peter would say something that would favor Yelena and Kate.

"Thanks, Wanda," Peter accepted excitedly. "I'll use the turn wisely." Wanda smiled in response, that's exactly what she was hoping for.

"I know, Pete, I know..."

"Kate, I choose you!" Peter exclaimed, excitedly.

"What?" Kate didn't see that coming.

"What do you choose, KB?" Peter got closer to Kate. "Say dare," he whispered discreetly.

"Hmm..." Kate murmured, indecisive about whether to listen to Peter or not. "I suppose I'll go with dare, I guess..."

"Great choice!" Peter clapped his hands in celebration. "Now, sing the song you would dedicate to the person you like."

Kate looked at him with a smile that said, "Are you trying to get Natasha to kill me?" Her fear was not unfounded; Natasha looked at her intensely with a stern gaze.

"Sing! Sing!" Carol cheered her on.

"We want to hear you, Bishop!" Pietro joined in, doing a strange dance.

"Yeah! Let her sing!" Wanda joined the cheer.

"Yes, let Legolas Jr sing!" Tony chimed in, dancing along.

Yelena was not at all pleased with the excitement and encouragement they were giving Kate to sing. She turned to look at her intensely, shrugging her shoulders while giving her an unpleasant and challenging gaze.

"Sing, Kate." Yelena seriously said.

After witnessing Yelena's reaction and hearing her cold words, Kate started to hesitate whether to sing or not. The last thing she wanted was for Yelena to think something else or to have problems with her.

"You should sing, Bishop," Bucky encouraged her with a faint smile. "Trust me."

Natasha was staring intently at her sister's expression, and with each passing moment, she had fewer doubts about what that behavior meant. The idea didn't sit well with her at all.

"Alright," Kate agreed. After all, she had nothing to lose by giving it a try.

"Don't sing the whole thing, just the exact part that expresses how you feel," Peter advised her, moving around too much due to his overwhelming excitement.

Kate sighed and nodded. That's exactly what she would do – sing a portion of a song that perfectly describes her feelings for Yelena.

"Now I'm falling in love with you," Kate began to sing, "falling in love with you... I know I shouldn't, but I can't help falling in love with you." A smile spread across her face. "It feels like I'm falling into another world, and your arms look so secure." She glanced at Yelena out of the corner of her eye as she continued singing. "Maybe I'll stumble, but I know I'll be your girl..." As she sang the last part, she couldn't help but gaze directly at Yelena, whose face instantly softened. Yelena felt a strange sensation in her chest and stomach, and she couldn't hold back the faint smile that formed on her face. Kate smiled back, confirming that she hadn't made a mistake in choosing that song – Kate knew she would be her girl.

The applause from the others snapped both of them out of the brief trance they had entered. Blushing, they both looked away, especially Yelena, who couldn't understand what had just happened.

"Turn down your hormones, Little Legolas," Tony teased.

Kate laughed, but she immediately stopped when she saw the deadly look Natasha was giving her. Kate swallowed nervously at the sight. That night, she had cheated death more than once, and she hoped to continue having that luck.

Carol whispered, "Lena is so oblivious," as she observed Yelena and Kate continuously stealing glances at each other with shy yet excited smiles.

"It seems to run in the family," Wanda murmured, more to herself than to the others, though her words were perfectly audible.

"What do you mean?" Natasha asked softly. Wanda chuckled at the memory.

"Do you remember how long it took you to realize that we were together?" Wanda asked, amused. Natasha remained silent, and that was answer enough. Yelena burst into laughter.

"I didn't know that story," Yelena said, genuinely interested in hearing it.

"I need to know that story," Pietro added with amusement, sensing it would be excellent material to tease his dear future sister-in-law.

"We want to know," Tony chimed in.

"We're curious," Steve joined, smiling with excitement at the idea of learning more about their friends' relationship.

"Since you insist," Wanda agreed, smiling. Natasha decided that was the perfect moment to down her drink in one gulp.

Kiev, Ukraine, June 25, 2016.


Pietro and Yelena had gone grocery shopping for the week. Wanda had asked her brother to take Yelena along so she could talk to Natasha about something. She didn't disclose the topic to Pietro, but he agreed nonetheless.

Natasha had gone to feed her cat, Liho, while Wanda took the opportunity to grab beers and wine from the refrigerator. She wanted everything ready for when Natasha returned, they had to have "the talk" about what they were right then and there.

After a few minutes, Natasha came back. They started conversing about trivial topics, and when they reached flirtatious comments, Wanda decided it was the perfect moment to ask the big question.

"Nat, what are we?" Wanda inquired. Natasha tilted her head slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, are we friends?" Wanda nervously played with her hands, trying to calm the rising anxiety.

"Of course," Natasha replied with a faint smile.

"Are we more than friends?" Wanda murmured, her voice barely audible. There was a part of her that hoped for more than just friendship.

"Not in a romantic way, we're just friends," Natasha shrugged slightly.

"Well, alright, yes..." Wanda mused. Sometimes Natasha frustrated her a bit. "But sometimes we share a blanket when we watch movies," she added. That was one of those things that made her feel like their relationship went beyond mere friendship.

"Yeah, well... that can be platonic," Natasha evaded eye contact.

"Sure, sure... but on more than one occasion, we've shared a drink with two straws," Wanda reminded her. Natasha looked away again before responding.

"That's nothing."

Wanda raised an eyebrow before continuing.

"Sometimes we walk holding hands."

"Platonic friends can do that," Natasha countered.

"On my birthday, you gave me heart-shaped jewelry."

Each of the things Wanda mentioned, taken individually, could be dismissed as something that friends could do. But when you added them all up... well, that changed things. What she described was practically a checklist of things that couples do.

"That's not unusual... you like hearts!"

"Okay... what about when I'm cold?" Natasha made a face, knowing what Wanda was going to add next. "Whenever I'm cold, you let me cuddle up next to you."

"I just don't want you to get hypothermia," Natasha excused herself once again.

But Wanda wouldn't give up. She needed a clear and concise answer.

"We go to Stark's parties together."

"As friends!"

"We're living together, Natalia."

"As roomies!" exclaimed Natasha. "Your brother and my sister live here too!"

"We adopted Liho together."

"Correction, I adopted him. The fact that we decided to be co-moms is very different," Natasha said matter-of-factly. Wanda was starting to feel really exasperated.

"Well, anyway. But what about that time when we were lying on the roof", Natasha's expression indicated that she didn't remember that moment, but she actually did. "We lay on our backs, you nestled up next to me. We looked at the sky and talked about life, what do you say about that?"

"Oh, damn..."

The two of them started to speak openly about their feelings and what they meant to each other. They decided to officially start dating, and less than three weeks later, they were already a couple.

When Wanda finished telling the story, laughter quickly filled the room. Natasha smiled and shook her head, knowing exactly what was coming.

"You surprise me, Romanoff," Tony was the first to speak. "I never thought the fearless Black Widow could be so blind. Now I understand why Barton and you are best friends."

"Hey!"

"Hey!"

Both of them exclaimed indignantly, which only fueled more teasing and laughter.

"I think it runs in the family," Steve added with amusement.

"Now we know where Lena got it from," Bucky chimed in.

"I told you it runs in the family," Wanda teased both sisters.

Kate filled with more hope. If Wanda could win over Natasha, she could win over Yelena.

"Hey, I'm not oblivious," Yelena complained indignantly.

"Yeah, sure," Carol muttered sarcastically.

"In my defense," Natasha said, "it's not like I didn't notice. Obviously, I was aware of everything that was happening, and my Witchy had already captured my heart. But I didn't believe I was worthy of her," she added, her gaze lowered. "I still don't believe it...," she murmured.

"Of course you are, moya lyubov'," Wanda leaned closer to her girlfriend and caressed her face. "No one makes me as happy as you, Natty". Natasha smiled faintly. She still didn't feel worthy of Wanda, but she would strive every day to become worthy. No matter how many people told her she was deserving of Wanda, she still wouldn't believe it.

"And you make me so happy too, detka," Natasha took her girlfriend's hand and gave it a gentle kiss.

Everyone watched the scene, touched by the moment. While most of them had known Natasha and her previous girlfriends, as well as her countless one-night stands, they had never seen her so vulnerable, mushy, and lovey-dovey. Wanda was evoking feelings in Natasha that she didn't even think were possible. It was becoming increasingly obvious that this couple was endgame.

"You make such a beautiful couple, ladies," Clint whispered, moved and excited. He was the happiest to see his best friend in this mood.

"Barton is right, you make a really lovely couple," Steve added, smiling knowingly.

Wanda and Natasha smiled at their friends.

"Yes, we are," Wanda said proudly, which caused Natasha to smile even wider.

"I admit you make a beautiful couple," Pietro spoke. "But it's even more beautiful to see Romanoff whipped by my sister."

"That's not true," Natasha objected. Wanda raised an eyebrow.

"Nat, leave Pietro alone," Wanda said, trying to hide her triumphant smile.

"As you wish, my love," Natasha replied, avoiding eye contact. "Who am I kidding?" Natasha thought, smiling.

"Great, babe," Wanda responded, smiling.

Laughter filled the air once again. Natasha sighed, knowing that her friends would tease her about it. But she didn't care, she was proud to be under the rule of Wanda Maximoff.

"I told you so," Pietro said mockingly.

"Love is for children," Clint imitated Natasha's voice.

"You can't deny it, sestra," Yelena added, laughing.

Kate smiled as she watched Yelena laugh and couldn't help but think, "I understand, Romanoff. I would be the same way with your sister."

"Someone controlling you was just what you needed," Bucky whispered, smiling at his friend.

"Well, now you know that Wanda is my girlfriend," Natasha shrugged. "How can I not be this way when I'm with the perfect woman? She deserves everything."

"I love you so much, my love," Wanda couldn't hold back any longer and kissed her girlfriend. The kiss didn't last long as the noise from the others made them separate.

"I love you too, moya lyubov'," Natasha whispered against her lips. They continued to gaze at each other with smiles on their faces until Tony spoke up.

"Someone throw water on them."

More laughter ensued.

"Don't be jealous, Stark," Natasha defended herself. Tony rolled his eyes.

"I hate to say it, but he's right," Wanda whispered in her ear. Natasha smiled upon hearing it. It was true, Stark was right in making that comment.

"Wow, you were pretty obvious," Clint muttered as he watched them. He now began to understand everything that was happening at the party.

"I never thought I'd live to see this moment, Romanoff," Bucky added, somewhat surprised but happy for his friend. "And that's coming from someone who's almost a hundred years old".

"You amaze me, Nat," Steve added, still amazed to see the formidable Black Widow in such a way but also happy for the same reason.

"Who would've thought the fearsome Black Widow could be so lovey-dovey," Tony added in his characteristic tone as he poured himself another drink. "She turned out to be quite the poet."

"I insist, it's because of my amazing girlfriend," Natasha replied with a smile.

Pietro rolled his eyes, amused and exasperated by witnessing so many romantic scenes between his sister and Natasha.

"Can we get back to the game, please?" Pietro asked.

"Of course," Bucky agreed. If Pietro wanted to continue the game, they would, but he wouldn't complain. "Truth or dare?"

"I think this time I'll go with dare," Pietro responded. The last two questions hadn't been to his liking, so he wouldn't make the same mistake again. Bucky smiled mischievously.

"I dare you to say the name of the person you like," Bucky said, not willing to give up easily.

"Damn it," Pietro muttered.

"I bet it's someone we know," Natasha teased. It was a good opportunity to give her future brother-in-law a taste of his own medicine.

Yelena's mind started to wander, and she thought that her sister was referring to Kate.

"Answer, Pietro." Yelena said seriously.

Pietro exchanged glances with everyone. He felt trapped and didn't want to answer that question, not yet.

"Leave Pietro alone," Steve jumped in to his rescue. Pietro thanked him with a grateful look after breathing a sigh of relief.

"Pietro can't say the name of the person he likes because he values his own life," Wanda teased.

Natasha hesitated for a moment and thought that maybe her girlfriend was referring to Pietro liking Yelena, but she quickly dismissed that thought. However, Kate noticed Natasha's gaze at Pietro and started to overthink as well. "Chill out, Kate. Pietro told you he doesn't like Lena, there's no reason for him to lie to you." Tony also noticed Natasha's gaze, but there was another option that he couldn't rule out.

"Following that clue, there are only two people that the speedster could like," Tony added. Pietro made a grimace, hoping that Tony wouldn't mention any names.

"What are the options, Stark?" Carol asked curiously. Tony smiled mischievously. Pietro closed his eyes, resigned; it was his end.

"I don't think you like either of them, Danvers," Tony replied. Pietro sighed in relief once again. With that small act, more than one person confirmed their theory.

"I don't understand," Carol muttered, confused.

"No, there's only one option," Natasha added, smiling even more relieved because it wasn't about her sister, but also with a mischievous expression because she now had more verbal ammunition to defend herself against her brother-in-law's attacks.

Wanda smiled and nodded, agreeing with her girlfriend. There was only one option.

Chapter 24: The Final Showdown

Summary:

Finally, the end of the party arrives. More things come to light, some more secret than others. Moreover, at the end of the party, only two people remained. The tension in the air is palpable as the two of them confront a conversation they have avoided for a long time.

Chapter Text

"If what Romanoff says is true, you'll be dead," Tony told Pietro.

"I know..." Pietro replied disheartened.

"I don't know who's more suicidal, you or Bishop," Bucky also mocked him. More than one person laughed at that comment, including Pietro and Kate.

"Yeah, I guess I'll die first," Pietro said before he let out a heavy sigh.

"Don't worry, I've got you covered," Bucky said, offering a reassuring smile. Steve turned to look at Bucky, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course you will, you're the one who got me into this mess," Pietro complained, reproaching Bucky.

"I'm not to blame for you liking..." Bucky didn't finish his sentence as Pietro interrupted him.

"James, shut up!"

Bucky smiled amusedly, satisfied with having managed to annoy Pietro.

"I warned you," Wanda teased, joining in on mocking her brother. Natasha laughed along as well.

Most of those present didn't understand what they were talking about, or rather, who they were referring to. Steve was the only one who had some idea, and he didn't like it at all. He couldn't help but notice how close Bucky and Pietro seemed to be, which didn't sit well with him. He knew they were friends, but he hadn't realized just how close they had become.

"Can we get back to the game?" Steve requested sternly. "We've veered off track for too long."

"Someone sounds upset," Natasha remarked playfully, clearly aware of Steve's jealousy.

"Why would I be?" Steve retorted sharply.

"I don't know, you tell me," Natasha insisted.

"Can we just get back to playing?" Steve muttered again, using the same harsh tone as before.

"Yeah... let's just keep playing," Bucky requested, feeling disheartened. It was becoming increasingly clear to him that things were getting complicated between him and Steve. Both Natasha and Pietro shot Steve a disapproving look.

"Sometimes you're such an idiot, Rogers," Natasha thought to herself.

"Anyway, who's next?" Wanda asked, changing the subject.

"Me, Wands!" Peter eagerly volunteered.

"Go ahead, Pete," Wanda responded excitedly, curious to see what Peter had in mind.

"Kate, you know," Peter said excitedly.

"Dare," Kate replied after thinking for a moment. "...I think."

"Excellent choice!" Peter exclaimed enthusiastically. That was the answer he wanted to hear. "Now, show us a photo of your edgiest look."

"Why?" Kate asked, confused.

"Don't ask questions, just do it," Peter replied, feeling a bit anxious. "Trust me, just do it," he whispered discreetly to his friend.

"Since you insist..." Kate replied before taking out her phone and searching for a photo of her edgiest look. Yelena couldn't help but watch Kate's movements intently, feeling immensely curious about what Kate was about to reveal. "Well, I think this one is it," Kate added before showing the photo.

It was a photograph from a couple of years ago. In the picture, Kate had shoulder-length hair and even sported bangs. She was wearing a sleeveless top that showed off her toned arms, paired with ripped gray jeans and Converse sneakers, exuding a rebellious style. With an intense gaze towards the camera, she struck a pose that oozed confidence. Looking at that photo, it was easy to understand why Kate had such success with girls.

Yelena's mouth dropped open as she saw the image, completely fascinated. She didn't understand why, but she couldn't help but be captivated by how amazing Kate looked in that photograph.

"What's going on, sweetie?" Wanda asked playfully, noticing that Yelena wasn't reacting.

"Yeah, why the face?" Peter added in a similar tone.

Yelena, snapped out of her daze, blushed slightly, realizing that everyone was looking at her. She tried to compose herself and replied, "Oh, uh, nothing. I just... found the photo really cool, that's all."

Peter raised an eyebrow and exchanged knowing glances with Wanda, Pietro, Carol Tony, Bucky, and Steve. They all shared a silent understanding of what was happening, except for Clint, who was still clueless.

Kate, unable to contain her happiness, grinned at Yelena and said, "Glad you liked it."

Natasha, on the other hand, felt a mix of terror and protectiveness for her little sister. She wasn't ready to accept that Yelena was growing up and potentially falling for someone. She observed the scene silently, her mind filled with conflicting emotions.

"Looks like you enjoyed the view," Carol teased.

"And boy, did she," Tony chimed in, echoing the playful banter.

"Do you need a napkin, Lena?" Pietro added, joining in the teasing.

Yelena let out a nervous laugh, unsure of what she was feeling in that moment or why her teammates were making those comments.

"Who's next?" Yelena murmured, trying to divert the attention away from herself.

Kate, watching Yelena intently, couldn't help but think, "She'll be my wife, I know it."

"Someone wants to die," Natasha muttered. She didn't need to read Kate's mind; the goofy smile on her face while looking at her sister was enough to warn Natasha.

"Don't start, Natasha," Wanda scolded her.

"As you say, my love," Natasha replied instantly with a faint smile.

"Who's next?" Kate asked, trying to change the subject.

"It's your turn, little Legolas," Tony reminded her.

"Right," Kate replied, staring at Yelena intently. "Time to take a little more risk."

Natasha warned her once again, "You're pushing it, Kate."

"I could say the same to you, Natasha," Wanda retorted, causing Natasha to avert her gaze and remain silent. "Go ahead, Kate," Wanda encouraged her with a gentle smile. Kate smiled in gratitude, knowing that with Wanda there, she would be safe from Natasha.

"I guess, truth," Yelena replied, smiling nervously but not understanding what had just happened.

"What would be your perfect date?" Kate asked, trying to sound as casual as possible. This information would be useful for the future.

Most of them were surprised by Kate's question, they didn't expect something like that. Natasha had to restrain herself from disobeying her girlfriend.

"I didn't see that coming," Pietro murmured, excited for the drama.

"I don't know... I've never really thought about it, Kate Bishop," Yelena replied. "But I think it would be a picnic with spicy macaroni and vodka. That sounds pretty cool to me," she explained with enthusiasm. Kate couldn't help but imagine that moment, visualizing it perfectly.

"That sounds amazing, Yel," Kate said, smiling at her. "That would be my perfect date too." Yelena widened her smile upon hearing Kate's words.

"What a coincidence," Yelena muttered.

"Yes, what a coincidence..." Kate's smile may have been faint, but it was still there.

Snorts, groans, and laughter were heard from the rest of the group. They couldn't understand how Yelena didn't realize it. Only a few truly understood that it was because she was still new to matters of the heart.

"Nice try, Kate," Steve said, amused.

"Keep dreaming, Bishop," Pietro added, teasingly.

"What a coincidence. They'll definitely be good friends," Clint commented, oblivious to everything that had just happened. He received incredulous looks from everyone except the (not yet) couple formed by Kate and Yelena.

"Don't worry, Lena. There's still hope," Bucky replied before taking a sip of his drink.

"Of course, there is! My Lena is still young, but she'll grow up," Wanda said in a motherly tone.

"Well, I tried. I know she likes me, now I just have to wait for Lena to notice it," Kate encouraged herself mentally.

"Start those lessons, Romanoff. The Widow Jr really needs them," Tony added with his typical mocking tone.

"Shut up, Stark," Natasha retorted, not happy with her friend's comment. Tony laughed, satisfied that he had succeeded in annoying her.

"What the hell are you all talking about? I don't understand anything!" Yelena complained.

"That's precisely what we're talking about," Bucky replied, amused. Laughter filled the air, and even Kate couldn't help but chuckle.

"I still don't get it," Yelena complained again.

"It's nothing, sestra," Natasha reassured her. "It's your turn to ask a question, come on," she encouraged Yelena to continue with the game.

"Fine," Yelena replied, still not entirely convinced. In the end, she didn't dwell on it too much; she would find out eventually. "I don't know who to ask," Yelena muttered, thinking about whom and what she could ask. "Pete, I'll give you my turn instead," she told her friend, who smiled more than delighted.

"Thanks, Lena!" Pete thanked her. "I want to get to know you all better, so tell me what excites you the most," he requested from everyone present.

"My answer is pretty simple, kid," Tony replied, pouring himself another drink. "What excites me the most is myself," causing some eye rolls from the others at his typical egotistical comment.

"Vests, there's never enough of them!" Yelena responded with the smile that always adorned her face when talking about vests. Yelena's birthday was just a couple of weeks away, and Kate already had in mind what she would gift her.

"For me, you already know it's archery," Kate took a sip of her drink, trying to hide the fact that she had been staring at the smile on Yelena's face.

"For me, it's my family," Clint gave a simple response. There was also a happy smile on his face, the one he always wore when talking about his family.

The rest were still pondering their answers. There were many things they could say, but they weren't sure which would be the best response to Peter's question.

"I think it's living," Bucky murmured after taking a big sip of his beer.

"For me, it's everything we do. Helping others, fighting for good and justice," Steve replied with his typical Captain America tone.

Tony rolled his eyes upon hearing it.

"In my case, I think it would also be my family," Carol hurriedly responded to prevent Tony and Steve from starting one of their well-known arguments. Pietro smiled upon hearing Carol's answer, now he knew what he was going to say.

"Speed and space. Anything related to space, robots, flying, and all that," Pietro mentioned, thinking about that person who had him head over heels. "Or those who work in that field..." he added.

"You couldn't have been more obvious," Natasha mocked him. Bucky and Wanda laughed upon hearing her, while Pietro pretended not to have heard anything.

"Mmm," Wanda murmured, still thinking about what she would say. "I get most excited... I suppose, when cooking and eating."

"Watching you eat, it's so thrilling..." Natasha said without thinking.

Wanda blushed instantly, regretting not carefully considering her response to avoid saying something like that, only to be exposed by her girlfriend.

Everyone had a different reaction upon hearing Natasha's comment. Steve looked at them, somewhat confused by the audacious remark, mainly because he understood the reference. Tony had a mocking smile on his face. Carol and Bucky laughed, particularly at Wanda's flushed face. Clint made a disgusted gesture, not wanting to know anything about his best friend's and Wanda's intimate life, as he cared for Wanda like a sister or older daughter. Both Pietro and Yelena grimaced in disgust, growing tired of hearing about their sisters' personal lives. Finally, Kate and Peter exchanged somewhat uncomfortable glances, although Kate couldn't help but laugh a little.

"Nat..." Wanda murmured, feeling embarrassed.

"Sorry, babe... it slipped out," Natasha apologized, although she didn't truly regret anything.

"I noticed," Wanda murmured, biting her lip as she noticed the "innocent" gaze with which her girlfriend looked at her. Everyone could sense the growing sexual tension between the couple.

"Behave yourselves, there are children present," Tony scolded playfully. Natasha and Wanda took a sip of their drinks to compose themselves, knowing they would have more time later to resume where they left off.

"What's happening? I don't understand," Yelena muttered. Such behaviors sometimes puzzled her due to her lack of experience, so in these situations, she had to ask in order to comprehend.

"You're quite oblivious, Belova," Bucky mentioned, teasingly.

"Oh, really?" Yelena raised an eyebrow. "Truth or dare, soldier?"

"Truth," Bucky responded calmly. Yelena smiled with self-assurance, that's exactly what she wanted to hear.

"Are you dating someone?" she inquired. Yelena would show him that she wasn't as blind as he claimed.

"No," Bucky answered. He had to admit he didn't expect that question. Steve looked at him somewhat indignant.

"So, you're single, huh?" Yelena insisted.

"Completely single," Bucky reaffirmed.

Steve continued to look at Bucky with indignation as he kept denying it.

On the other hand, Kate was going through a tough moment due to the thoughts that started swirling in her head. She couldn't understand why Yelena seemed so interested in knowing whether Bucky was in a relationship or not. Fortunately for her, Yelena spoke again, causing those thoughts to come to a halt.

"Really?" Yelena said, feigning surprise in her voice. "I could've sworn you had a boyfriend. I've seen you going out with a nice guy on more than one occasion," she added teasingly. Kate sighed in relief, now understanding the reason behind Yelena's questions. "I've seen you together several times, that's why I thought you were already an official couple."

Bucky smiled wryly, realizing too late that he shouldn't mess with Yelena.

"I told you they were too obvious, Barnes," Natasha added with a playful smile on her face.

"Very much so," Yelena chimed in, smiling and nodding her head.

Steve shook his head upon hearing the sisters' comments. According to him, they were being cautious not to get caught, but it seemed like they weren't doing a good job.

"We're not dating, he doesn't know what he wants," Bucky muttered disheartened.

"And do you know what you want?" Natasha inquired. She already knew the answer but wanted Steve to hear what his silence was causing in Bucky.

"Yes, and he knows it," Bucky replied.

"If he doesn't know what he wants, then he'll be missing out on a great opportunity," Yelena told him to cheer him up. "He's the one missing out, not you."

"Lena is right," Natasha agreed. "There will be other men who do genuinely want you and aren't afraid to admit it."

Steve shifted uncomfortably in his seat, feeling the weight of all the indirect remarks. On the other hand, Bucky smiled slightly at both sisters for lifting his spirits.

The rest had stayed on the sidelines of the conversation, but what was happening didn't go unnoticed by anyone. The only one who didn't understand was Clint, but that wasn't something new.

"You see, Buck? It's the same thing I always tell you!" Pietro complained.

"Same goes for your Cap," Bucky replied in the same manner.

"Fair point," Pietro chuckled. "I know, we should make a pact instead," he proposed with a mischievous smile on his face.

"What kind of pact?" Bucky asked curiously.

Pietro's mischievous smile widened as he explained his idea.

"Let's make a pact to support each other in finding love and not settle for anything less than we deserve," Pietro suggested, eliciting astonishment from everyone. "You know I have a thing for military types," he added flirtatiously. Bucky smiled in the same manner, reciprocating Pietro's playful comment.

Steve watched the interaction between Bucky and Pietro with panic. He didn't like what was happening at all. He felt like he could lose the love of his life at any moment and didn't know if there was anything he could do to prevent it.

"I accept," Bucky murmured, still smiling at Pietro.

"Good to hear that, Jamie," Pietro winked playfully.

Wanda also watched her brother with astonishment. That night, she found out that her brother had feelings for someone within their close circle of friends, and she witnessed him making a pact with another friend. So many revelations in a single night.

"I didn't see that coming, but congrats," Yelena said amusedly.

"Nobody did, but I think they have potential as a couple," Natasha added in the same manner.

"That was unexpected," Carol chimed in.

The rest of them were still processing what had just happened. It all happened so quickly that they couldn't understand when things took that unexpected turn.

"I don't know what's going on, but good for them. The best part is that I don't have to worry about either of them anymore," Kate thought with a faint smile.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Steve demanded angrily once he snapped out of his astonishment.

"Language," Tony muttered.

Steve ignored Tony's comment completely. His attention was solely on Bucky, who hadn't responded yet.

The rest of the attendees could feel the tension in the air, and nobody wanted to intervene in the discussion. Well, except for Pietro, who thought about provoking Steve even more to see if he would finally react and try to formalize his relationship with Bucky.

"I made a pact with a friend," Bucky replied after several seconds of silence. "What part didn't you understand?"

Steve looked at him with pain before averting his gaze to the floor. In a way, he knew he deserved this, but it still hurt to see Bucky making romantic pacts.

"That's the spirit, Jim!" Pietro cheered, flashing a mischievous smile. Bucky gave him a faint sideways smile, causing Steve to look at him indignantly once again.

The reactions of the rest of the people present varied. Yelena burst into laughter first, finding the scene truly entertaining. Natasha tried to hide a smile caused by the situation, knowing that things would soon change between their friends. Peter was having a HUGE shipper dilemma, not knowing if he preferred "Stucky" or "QuickWinter."

"Okay... I'm outta here," Wanda muttered before getting up from her seat and walking out of the party room. Before leaving, she gave Natasha a discreet playful smile, which Natasha understood perfectly.

"This got weird," Carol commented on the tension between Steve, Bucky, and Pietro.

"More like awkward," Kate added, noticing that Steve and Bucky couldn't take their eyes off each other. "You can literally feel the tension in the air."

"I think we should all leave and give them some privacy," Clint suggested, finally understanding what was happening. As soon as Clint said that, Natasha quickly stood up. Unbeknownst to her, her friend had given her the perfect excuse to go find her Witch. Unbeknownst to her, her life was about to change forever.

"See you later," Natasha bid farewell, almost from the entrance/exit. "Good luck," she told Steve and Bucky before finally leaving.

"That was fast," Carol said teasingly.

"She thought we didn't notice, but we did," Tony added in the same manner.

"Ugh, I don't want to hear anything else," Yelena complained. Unfortunately for her, this time she understood exactly what they meant.

"Whatever, Barton is right," Tony replied, also getting to his feet but not letting go of his drink. "It's better to leave these fossils to their century-long frustration."

"See you," Clint said, "Just don't make too much noise," he requested from Steve and Bucky, but they were still caught up in their own world.

"Whatever you say, Mr. Stark," Peter muttered, gesturing to his friends to leave as well.

"Goodbye, team!" Carol said, already standing and walking towards the exit.

"Great party, thanks!" Peter shouted as a farewell. "See you tomorrow."

"До скорого (Until next time)," Yelena said as well.

"Goodbye," Kate walked alongside Yelena. Their hands lightly brushed against each other, causing both of them to blush and smile. "See you tomorrow, Lena," Kate murmured, turning to look into Yelena's eyes intently.

"Likewise, Kate Bishop," Yelena replied with a shy smile. Kate had to make a tremendous effort not to jump and kiss her right at that moment. After a few seconds of gazing at each other, Yelena began walking towards her room. "See you, Pete," she waved to her friend.

"Goodbye, Lena!"


Seconds later, Yelena had disappeared down the hallway. Kate kept staring at the hallway, sighing like a silly lovesick fool.

"Let's get out of here before you create a drool carpet," Peter said, pulling her away.

"She's so perfect..." Kate whispered, Yelena's image still vivid in her mind.

"I hope I never become as cheesy as you," Peter muttered, amused.

Once they left, only three people remained in the party room. Pietro knew he had to go to let Steve and Bucky talk, but they wouldn't leave without teasing Steve a little more.

"I guess I'll go too," Pietro addressed Bucky, who turned to look at him with a faint smile on his face.

"Take care, Maximoff." Steve said curtly, urging Pietro to leave as quickly as possible. Pietro let out a mocking laugh at Steve's reaction.

"Just saying a proper goodbye to Jim before I go," Pietro murmured, enjoying the jealousy on Steve's face. "Goodbye, my dear Jimmy." Pietro gave Bucky a daring kiss on the cheek as a farewell. Bucky chuckled quietly; he truly adored Pietro. Steve cleared his throat, causing Pietro to move away from Bucky.

"Goodbye, Pit," Bucky bid Pietro farewell, who gave him one last flirtatious smile before disappearing down the hallway.

The room fell silent for about five seconds before Steve broke it.

"Are you done flirting?"

Bucky murmured without looking Steve in the eye, "I wasn't flirting."

"Then what do you call what you were doing with Pietro?"

"Having a conversation with a friend."

"I didn't know you got along that well with your friends."

Bucky burst into laughter without humor.

"You, of all people, know how well I can get along with a friend," Steve couldn't help but blush at Bucky's comment.

"I didn't know you got along that well with Pietro," Steve returned to the topic they were discussing.

"We're good friends, but that's all."

"Well, it didn't seem that way earlier when you were flirting."

"I was talking to my friend, with whom I made a pact to get married in case the man I love never pays attention to me."

"Don't you think you're overreacting?"

"No, I don't."

Steve whispered, calmer but still somewhat serious, "I think you're rushing things too much. We reunited and connected not too long ago... you're moving too fast."

"I've been waiting for this opportunity for over eighty years," Bucky murmured before taking a sip of his drink.

"Me too," Steve replied with crossed arms.

"Your words say that, but your actions say something completely different," Bucky murmured with pain.

"You can't say that, Buck," Steve replied indignantly, his voice filled with pain as well. "Not when I've shown you all my life that you're what matters most to me."

"That has changed since you came back to New York without me."

"That's not true, I'm still the same," Steve retorted.

"Maybe with everyone else, but not with me. You keep hiding me or treating me like a dirty secret."

"Of course not!"

"Then why aren't we together, Steve?" Bucky asked, distressed. "Why do you deny me and hide me as if you're ashamed of me?"

"It's not like that, Buck," Steve muttered, his head bowed. "I would never be ashamed of the man I love."

"Then why do you deny me?"

"It's not that I deny you, I told you I needed time."

"I thought you had gotten over what happened with Stark..."

Before Steve and Bucky's reunion, Steve had something with Tony. It didn't progress because Steve couldn't be with anyone other than Bucky, the only person he had truly fallen in love with. During his time in Wakanda, Steve told Bucky everything, and Bucky understood perfectly. Still, he occasionally felt jealous of the dynamic Steve and Tony maintained. That's why Bucky thought that maybe Steve's behavior was because he still had feelings for Tony.

"No, it's not because of that either," Steve hurriedly clarified. "What happened with him was a long time ago and it doesn't matter anymore. I don't have feelings for Stark beyond friendship."

"Okay, I believe you," Bucky replied sincerely. "But that still doesn't answer why you don't want to make our relationship official."

Steve let out a heavy sigh. He had been avoiding having this conversation with Bucky, but it seemed he could no longer avoid it.

"I'm Captain America... How would people react?" Steve whispered, not meeting Bucky's eyes. "I'm supposed to be the perfect role model, and a relationship between two men is still not widely accepted. After everything that happened last year, people started trusting me again. They expect me to do what's best, to set the best example, to be the perfect model... I can't let them down, Buck."

"It's not the 40s anymore, Steve. I'm sure most people will still support you no matter who you're with," Bucky whispered softly. He understood what Steve was telling him, but he also had to consider that the world had progressed, even if only a little.

"I know, but there will still be many who won't approve," Steve murmured, raising his gaze to connect with his companion's. It was now Bucky's turn to sigh.

"I understand, I really do," Bucky said, not breaking eye contact. "But the situation isn't fair to either of us. Out of fear of what others might say, you're depriving yourself, and you're depriving me of a happy life together. It's depriving us of finally being able to live our love," Steve didn't say anything, he just looked away again, his gaze falling to the floor. "I've loved you my whole life, Steve," the mentioned man raised his gaze again. "But I won't wait any longer if you're not willing to put in the effort. Think things through, and when you have a clear answer, come find me," Bucky stood up to leave. "Regardless of the decision you make, I only hope you choose what makes you happy."

Steve didn't respond, he just watched as Bucky left the room, leaving him alone. He couldn't hold back any longer and started crying in the darkness of the room. He felt like he was losing the love of his life, and it broke his heart.

He had lived his life without Bucky for many years, and he hated the idea of having him away from his life again. That same night, Steve made his decision. He wouldn't lose the love of his life, especially not because of what a bunch of narrow-minded people might think of him.

Chapter 25: Monica Rambeau

Summary:

The mysterious person that Pietro likes finally makes their appearance. But that's not all, Kate also has another significant breakthrough with Yelena.

Chapter Text

The next morning, silence reigned throughout the complex. Most people were still asleep in their rooms after last night's party, except for Kate and Peter, who had risen early. They gathered in their favorite living room to have breakfast and watch some television, but after half an hour, they grew bored.

"Hey, what if we go train instead? I'm getting restless," Kate suggested to Peter. Kate had the spirit of a golden retriever and needed constant movement to entertain herself.

"Great idea, KB!" Peter exclaimed, leaping off the couch.

Kate wasted no time and followed suit. She couldn't stand being on the couch any longer.

"Do you think Natasha's training room is open?" Kate asked as they started walking out of the living room.

"I'm not sure, but we have nothing to lose by checking," Peter replied.

"You're right, let's go!" They both began walking towards Natasha's training room. It had become one of their favorites.

"Although, if you want, we could also go ask Yelena," Peter said, teasingly poking Kate's ribs.

"I'd like that," Kate said, sporting a huge smile at the mention of Yelena. "But I'm sure she's still asleep. We better let her rest."

"Aww," Peter exclaimed, placing his hands over his chest. "It's nice to see how much you care about her. I can only imagine what you'll be like when you're finally together!"

"I imagine it too..." Kate let out a dreamy sigh. "You have no idea how much I dream about that moment, Pete." Her friend patted her shoulder.

"You're getting closer every day, KB. I'm sure that before you know it, you'll be with Lena," he encouraged her.

"I hope so, Pete..."

"And it will happen, you'll see!" Peter cheered her up once again. "In the meantime, what we should do is go train," he added. "It'll serve you well to impress your girl in the next session."

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Without waiting for a response from her friend, Kate started running towards the training room. Peter laughed before following her.

Once they arrived at the training room, they engaged in various exercises and workouts. They ran, jumped, did strength and endurance exercises, and finally decided to start a boxing routine.



~

A couple of hours later, in another area of the compound, Yelena was gathering her belongings before heading to her sister's training room. She had just returned from running in the field outside the compound and now wanted to continue with her daily routine. She hadn't had any nightmares that night, but she still felt the need to keep herself occupied to clear her mind, especially since there were no signs of her sister and best friend.

Pietro was running around the compound using his powers. He passed by where Yelena was and stopped when he saw her.

"Hey, Lena," he greeted. "What are you up to?"

"Hey," Yelena nodded in response. "I'm gathering my things to go train a bit. What about you?"

"Nothing new, just bored," he shrugged. "Can I join you? Everyone is still asleep, and it's too dull being alone."

"Sure," Yelena replied as she continued packing her things. "It's not like you're giving me many options, Sonic."

"I'll take that as a 'I'd love to, buddy!'" Pietro muttered sarcastically.

"Take it however you want, Flash," Yelena told him before starting to walk towards her sister's training room.

Pietro didn't say anything, he just rolled his eyes before using his powers to run to Natasha's training room. In less than a second, he had arrived and realized that both Kate and Peter were there. Pietro smirked mischievously before returning to where Yelena was. Now he had something better to train with - teasing Yelena about Kate.

"I think they beat us to it," he told Yelena once he returned.

"What do you mean? I thought Natasha wasn't awake," Yelena replied.

"I'm not referring to her," Pietro replied teasingly. "I was talking about a certain dark-haired girl who you find SO interesting." Yelena looked at him with a raised eyebrow, not understanding what Pietro was trying to say.

"Ugh, just open the damn door," Pietro complained about Yelena's slowness.

"Sometimes you're so weird, Son..." Yelena's words trailed off as she opened the door.

Inside the training room, Peter and Kate were practicing with the punching bags. Of course, Yelena's gaze was fixed on one particular spot - a sweaty and fiercely training Kate Bishop.

"Oh, for vodka's sake..." Yelena whispered as she saw Kate Bishop in that state.

Pietro laughed at the dumbfounded expression on Yelena's face as she stared intently at every movement Kate made.

"What's the matter, Yel? Enjoying the view?" he teased.

"Of course, Yelena couldn't ignore it any longer. In that moment, there was no one else in the world; only Sexy Kate Bishop existed.

"Hi, guys," Peter greeted as he noticed Pietro and Yelena standing at the entrance. "We didn't hear you coming," Kate stopped training upon hearing her friend's voice. She turned to the entrance to see who it was and smiled instantly upon seeing Yelena. Her smile grew even wider with pride as she noticed Yelena couldn't take her eyes off her.

"Hey, what's up?" she greeted softly, gazing deeply into Yelena's eyes. That was the only way Yelena managed to snap out of Kateland.

"Kate Bishop, hi," Yelena responded instantly, her voice carrying a somewhat flirtatious tone.

Both Pietro and Yelena made their way further into the room. Yelena placed her belongings in the first available spot.

"Hi, Lena," Kate replied in the same manner.

"I didn't know you boxed so well, Kate Bishop," Yelena complimented.

"Aw, thank you," Kate murmured excitedly. "Obviously, I'm not as good as you, but I hold my own."

"I'd say you do more than hold your own," Yelena added, maintaining the flirtatious tone in her voice. Kate's smile became even goofier, and a slight blush spread across her cheeks.

Pietro and Peter were simply enjoying the Katelena moment. Pietro had a teasing smile, especially recalling that Yelena hadn't caught his earlier comment and was now casually flirting with Kate. Peter watched with excitement (as the good captain of the ship) as his friends had more and more of these moments. He genuinely enjoyed seeing them.

"If you want, we can train together, Kate Bishop," Yelena suggested, gazing intensely at Kate, who swallowed hard at the intense gaze fixed upon her.

"Sure... I'd like that," Kate replied after giving Yelena a playful look.

"Sure, shall we start?" Yelena suggested.

Before Kate could respond, the sound of the entrance opening caught everyone's attention. Kate instinctively jumped back from Yelena, but let out a sigh of relief when she realized it wasn't Natasha. Feeling more relaxed, she "casually" moved closer to Yelena, who smiled with a slight blush upon noticing Kate's action.

"Sorry for interrupting," the person who opened the door apologized. A smile formed on Pietro's face as he recognized who it was.

"Captain Monica Rambeau, a pleasure to see you," Pietro greeted, approaching her.

"I'm glad to see you too, Pietro," Monica greeted back, returning his smile.

To nobody else did the silly smiles on both Pietro and Monica's faces go unnoticed, although Pietro's was much more visible.

Peter and Kate had no trouble guessing that Monica was the mysterious person Pietro liked, but Yelena was another case. The idea didn't cross her mind, but Monica seemed familiar to her, although she didn't know from where.

"I didn't expect to see you so soon, Captain Rambeau," Pietro commented, not losing that smile from his face. Monica shook her head, but she couldn't stop smiling either.

"How many times have I told you to call me just Monica? I'm not that old, Monica reminded him, smiling.

"Alright... as you wish, Mon," Pietro unconsciously changed his excited smile to a flirtatious one. A similar change occurred in Monica, except hers was a satisfied smile.

Both of them stood like that for a couple of seconds until Monica was the first to break their fixed eye contact.

"Anyway, have you seen my mom? I've been looking for her and can't find her," Monica asked, remembering the reason why she was there. She could enjoy the mild flirtation she was having with Pietro, but Monica was a responsible woman and wouldn't neglect that aspect of her life for anything in the universe.

"I haven't seen her, but I can help you look if you want," Pietro offered without hesitation. He didn't know how long Monica would be in town, and he would undoubtedly make the most of every moment.

"That would be great, thanks," Monica accepted after thinking for two seconds. In the end, she would fulfill the purpose for which she had come to the compound and also spend time with Pietro—a two-in-one deal, without a doubt.

"Perfect, shall we go now?" Pietro said, pointing towards the door. Monica agreed and started walking, but two steps later, she stopped and turned her gaze back to Pietro.

"By the way, I like your new look," Monica complimented. "Your natural brown hair suits you very well."

Pietro felt as if he had achieved the greatest accomplishment of his life. He changed his look to catch Monica's attention, and not only did he succeed, but he also received praise for it.

"Thanks for noticing, Cap," he muttered almost in a sigh of excitement.

Monica smiled sweetly at Pietro's tender reaction. But she wasn't the only one; Kate and Peter (mentally) were cheering for Pietro. Kate understood perfectly, she also got very excited when she made an impression like that on Yelena. Peter began shipping Pietro with Monica, seeing potential in that couple. Yelena was the only one who noticed what was happening, but that wasn't surprising.

"Hey, buddy," Peter spoke, attracting the attention of both Pietro and Monica. "Won't you introduce us to your friend? Remember, we haven't met everyone here yet." Kate rolled her eyes upon hearing him. Peter was so obvious and extremely excited about the new ship.

Just as Peter was saying the last sentence, Carol entered the training room. She was looking for her daughter and came into the room when she heard noise, intending to ask if anyone had seen her. She didn't say anything, just leaned against the wall to see how long she could go unnoticed.

"She looks familiar to me, but I can't remember from where," Yelena commented, now drawing everyone's attention.

"Maybe you recognize her because her mother told you about her," Pietro replied with a faint smile. That answer puzzled Yelena even more, she had no idea who it could be.

"But I don't know who her mom is," Yelena complained, at which both Pietro and Monica chuckled quietly. Yelena remembered Monica's name, but she didn't connect that woman with Carol's little daughter.

Monica was the first to notice her mom in the room, just before introducing herself properly.

"Mom..." she whispered, looking towards the door.

Pietro shifted uncomfortably, hoping that Carol had just arrived recently.

"Hi, Lieutenant Trouble," Carol greeted her daughter with a smile. "I'm glad you came, dear." She approached Monica.

"Hi, Mom," Monica replied, hugging one of her moms. "I'm glad to see you too."

The rest were astonished to learn that Monica was Carol Danvers' daughter. Perhaps the most surprised was Yelena because she had seen the photograph that Carol showed her of her family, and Monica was just a child. When did she grow up so much? Although Peter and Kate couldn't help but wonder how someone who looked so young could have a daughter who seemed to be their age. Pietro chuckled quietly, knowing well that people often reacted that way when they saw Captain Danvers with her daughter.

"I thought your daughter was like ten years old," Yelena muttered after the mother-daughter hug. Carol burst into laughter upon hearing that, expecting such a reaction.

"And she had them, almost twenty-four years ago," Carol replied playfully.

Pietro smiled, averting his gaze. He couldn't think of anything else but "I like them older."

"Thanks, Mom, for revealing my age," Monica complained, causing Carol to laugh again.

"Sorry, dear," Carol apologized. What she didn't know was that her daughter complained because she revealed her age in front of the handsome young man she had been getting along with moments ago.

"How is it possible that she's your daughter? You don't look old," Yelena spoke again, still not understanding. It made sense that Monica had grown since the photo was taken, but she didn't understand how Carol looked exactly the same.

"Advantages of working in space," Carol replied somewhat mockingly. She loved to boast about that.

"Okay... that makes sense to me," Yelena responded. Carol's explanation was simple, but it was enough for her. After all, Yelena had been injected with a special serum that caused many "anomalies," one of which was aging slower. That's why Carol's explanation was more than enough to understand. Yelena was well aware that anything was possible with a little science in your body.

Carol chuckled before giving Yelena a thumbs-up. She didn't need to go into details to know why Yelena didn't ask more questions, she knew why she understood easily. After all, Carol was well aware of all the effects of the serum injected into the Black Widows.

"Sorry, Mom, but who is she?" Monica asked a little suspiciously, seeing how well her mom Carol got along with that other blonde. It wasn't that Carol gave her daughter any reasons to distrust her, but after her moms took a break and Carol dated Natasha during that time, Monica sometimes had a little distrust in her mother.

"She's Yelena, Nat's sister," Carol calmly replied. Monica relaxed instantly; she knew that her mom wouldn't have anything with Natasha Romanoff's little sister, even if she were single.

"What's up?" Yelena greeted her, nodding in agreement with what Carol had said.

"Hey... hi," Monica approached and shook her hand in greeting.

"Pleasure's mine, Monica," Yelena continued, "Carol talks a lot about you and your other mom."

"That's good to hear," Monica replied, turning to smile at her mom, who also smiled while shrugging.

"Of course, I talk about you all. My family is my greatest pride!"

"And you were the one teasing my sister," Yelena teased Carol, causing slight laughter among Pietro, Monica, and Carol herself.

"Maybe I can be a sentimental romantic, but at least I'm not blind," Carol retorted to Yelena. Pietro and Peter laughed, Monica watched the interaction with amusement, even though she didn't understand what her mom meant. Yelena didn't understand either, but she was starting to get annoyed that everyone was saying the same thing. Kate didn't laugh; instead, she decided to do something to defend Yelena.

"Wow, it seems like all the Cap's on the team are fossils," Kate casually remarked. Yelena laughed heartily upon hearing that, and Monica also chuckled a bit. Carol looked indignant, but then smiled knowingly, understanding why Kate had said that.

"Kate!" Peter scolded her, but Kate gestured for him not to bother her.

"Don't be disrespectful, Bishop." Pietro also reprimanded her. Kate rolled her eyes upon hearing that; Pietro was still trying to make a good impression in Carol's eyes.

"Maybe I'm an old lady, but you'll want to look like me when you're my age," Carol joked, amused and using her ego. Yelena stopped laughing the instant she heard that, especially when she saw Kate's expression implying that she couldn't defend against that.

"There's no way Kate could look bad," Yelena spoke, capturing everyone's attention, especially a surprised Kate. "That would be impossible." Kate smiled foolishly at Yelena, while the latter smiled sincerely back.

Peter was on the verge of dancing with excitement; it was a great day to be a shipper.

"What did I miss?" Carol murmured, still in shock from Yelena's comment.

"I'll tell you later," Pietro replied, maintaining the flattering tone he used when referring to Carol.

"T-thanks for the c-compliment, Yel," Kate stammered, nervous, excited, and still amazed by Yelena's words.

"Whenever you want, Kate Bishop."

"I guess this is the rest of the new team that Uncle Nick told me about," Monica said to her mother after witnessing the previous interaction.

"That's right, Monn," Carol confirmed. "This is Kate Bishop, the new Hawkeye," she pointed to Kate, who raised her hand in greeting. "And the boy is Peter Parker, better known as Spider-Man," she now pointed to a bashful Peter.

"What's up?" Kate greeted casually, accompanying her words with a nod as a greeting.

"Nice to meet you, Kate," Monica greeted back, amused by the jovial behavior of the new Hawkeye.

On the other hand, Peter approached Monica and extended his hand.

"Pleasure to meet you, Captain Monica," Peter said as he shook her hand. "It's an honor to meet Captain Carol's daughter," Peter was in full fanboy mode. "We also hope to have the opportunity to work with you."

"Likewise, Peter," Monica replied. "I also look forward to the chance to work with you," she added, exchanging glances with the new team.

"Great, Captain Monica," Peter murmured, trying to sound casual.

"Yeah, that would be cool," Kate added, earning a not-so-happy look from Yelena. "Why does Kate want to spend time with Carol's daughter now?"

"Well, going back to introductions," Carol said, amused, clapping her hands to draw everyone's attention. She had noticed Yelena's expression and could sense why she reacted that way. "I've already introduced Yelena to you," Monica nodded with a faint smile, "and I'm sure you remember Pietro; Wanda's brother," Monica's smile widened at the mention of Pietro, who blushed and smiled back.

"Of course, I remember him," Monica replied with a flirtatious voice, her gaze fixed on Pietro. In her excitement, she had forgotten that she was talking to her mother, Carol.

Carol stared intently at the interaction, starting to piece together what was happening right in front of her.

"He's quite a gentleman, even offered to help me find you," Monica said in a normal voice, trying to amend her previous comment. But Monica's words caused Carol to connect the dots regarding Pietro's unusual and recent behavior.

"Yes... since I arrived, I've noticed he's been quite a gentleman," Carol responded, maintaining her intimidating gaze on Pietro, causing him to shift uncomfortably in his place. "The good thing is that he didn't need to help you. I arrived just in time."

"It would have been nice, I wouldn't have minded spending time with him," Monica said again in a flirtatious tone, but only with the last few words.

"Neither would I have minded. I would have been more than happy to," Pietro flirted back, still maintaining a sweet smile on his face.

"It's good to know. Perhaps another time it can happen..." Monica murmured, mesmerized. Both she and Pietro had forgotten about the presence of the others, including Carol.

Meanwhile, the rest had different reactions. Peter was excited about the interaction of his new ship. They looked so cute together, and he loved it. Kate took the opportunity to reflect, "Is that how Yelena and I will look? That would explain why Natasha punches me," she thought.

What Kate was unaware of was the beaming smile with which Yelena was looking at her. Yelena couldn't help but watch her and think, "Kate Bishop looks really adorable when she makes that gesture."

Peter was the only one who noticed the scene between Kate and Yelena—or rather, he saw how Yelena admired Kate as if she were the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. But Peter's attention shifted back to Monica and Pietro when he heard the latter speak again.

"Sure, maybe next time," Pietro muttered foolishly to Monica, who only widened her smile.

Carol made a gesture that indicated she had had enough of the flirtation between her daughter and Pietro. She felt the need to remind them both (especially Pietro) that she was there and of what she was capable of. Without a second thought, she unleashed some of her powers onto one of the walls in the training room.

"Damn it!"

"Wow!"

"Yebena mat'!" ("Holy shit!")

Kate, Peter, and Yelena exclaimed simultaneously. They were so lost in their thoughts that they were startled (especially Kate and Peter) by Carol's demonstration. Pietro and Monica didn't react much differently; they were both startled by the explosion of the wall. Carol, on the other hand, acted as if nothing had happened.

"Calm down, chill out. It was just a coincidence, that's all... obviously, she hasn't realized you like her daughter," Pietro tried to compose himself as he looked at the ashes that had seconds ago been a super-resistant wall.

"What the hell was that, Mom?!" Monica complained. She knew the reason behind her mother's reaction, but she still wanted to confront her and see what she would say.

"I was just giving the new team a little demonstration of my powers, that's all," Carol muttered with obvious insincerity, wanting Pietro to catch the hint even more.

"You blew up a wall," Monica complained to her mother once again.

"Exactly, just a little demonstration," Carol defended herself honestly. After all, it wasn't a lie. Carol had the power to fly halfway across the planet with her abilities, a wall was nothing compared to that.

Pietro felt terrified. Now he remembered why he had been taking precautions to ensure that Carol wouldn't find out about his feelings for Monica beforehand. He cursed his carelessness in not securing Carol's approval first.

Monica, on the other hand, moved in exasperation. In the midst of flirting with Pietro, she had forgotten that her mother was present and how overprotective she could be. She would have to talk to her later and then discuss it with her mother Maria; she needed reinforcements if she wanted to date Pietro without Carol threatening him.

Meanwhile, Peter couldn't understand how Pietro could be so careless as to flirt with Monica in front of Carol. First, Kate flirting with Yelena in front of Natasha, and now Pietro doing the same thing with Monica. Between the two of them, they were going to stress him to death. Of course, he would tease them later, but in the moment, it was stressful to see that they could disappear at any moment.

Meanwhile, Kate was discreetly laughing at the situation. As long as it wasn't her, it was really amusing to witness these bouts of foolishness. Now she understood why they teased her.

Yelena also laughed, but for different reasons. She genuinely found Carol's action amusing, although she hadn't realized the true reason behind it. To Yelena, Carol had simply done a little demonstration and then joked about it.

Carol was enjoying seeing the look of panic on Pietro's face, she had achieved her goal. However, Monica didn't find it funny at all, so she had to do something to prevent her mother from continuing to scare Pietro.

"Just wait until I tell Mom what you did," Monica said.

As soon as Monica said that, the mocking smile on Carol's face vanished, replaced by a look of concern.

"We don't have to go to such extremes..." Carol whispered, almost pleading with her daughter.

"It's too late for that," Monica continued to mock her mother, causing laughter to fill the training room. Even Pietro couldn't help but laugh, earning him a sharp glare from Carol.

"And what are you laughing at, Maximoff?" Carol's words extinguished Pietro's laughter, realizing he had earned himself a second strike.

"I'm not laughing at anything, Captain Danvers," Pietro muttered, somewhat fearful that the next blow would be aimed at his head.

"That's what I thought," Carol responded arrogantly, fueling further mockery towards Pietro.

Monica sighed and shook her head. Something similar had happened a year ago when she was dating Jimmy Woo. Her mother had frightened him during a surprise visit to S.W.O.R.D.

Peter was the first to stop laughing at Pietro and decided to help him. He had noticed the way Carol was looking at him, the same way Natasha looked at Kate. He had to do something to divert Carol's attention away from Pietro, giving him some relief so that he wouldn't faint from panic or something of the sort.

"Sorry to interrupt," Peter murmured, exchanging glances between Carol and Monica. "And I don't mean to rush you, Captain, but didn't you and your daughter have a meeting to attend? I mean, there's a reason why she came to New York and was looking for you..."

"Peter is right, Mom," Monica added, realizing what Peter was trying to achieve. She decided to help him in order to steer her mother away from Pietro. "You know we have the meeting with Uncle Nick, and it's really important. Remember, that's why I came?"

"I'm sure Nick won't mind if we arrive a little late," Carol replied to her daughter. "But for now, I need to have a talk with Maximoff," she added, looking at Pietro sternly.

"Oh, shit. Now I understand Kate..." Pietro thought to himself, trying to remain calm.

Kate laughed again, seeing Pietro's discomfort.

Yelena remained unaware of what was happening, assuming that Kate's laughter was due to nervousness caused by her attraction to Pietro. Did Yelena's thought make sense? No, but the mere idea sickened her.

Peter didn't know what else to do or say to save Pietro, but luckily Monica wouldn't stand idly by.

"If we're late, Uncle Nick will tell Mom, and you know how she hates tardiness," Monica said, and Carol instantly diverted her gaze to the floor, sighing heavily.

"Fine, let's go," Carol muttered under her breath. Monica tried to hide a victorious smile, that trick always worked. "But you're not off the hook yet, Maximoff. We still need to talk."

Pietro nodded slightly.

"If we don't leave now for the meeting with Uncle Nick, I'll personally tell Mom everything you just did," Monica warned her mother again. Carol looked at her somewhat indignantly, and just before she could retort, Monica interrupted. "And you know I will. I'm sure she'll find it amusing to know how you destroyed a wall in the compound." Carol's face turned into a panicked grimace.

"See ya, guys!" she exclaimed before quickly running out of the training room.

As soon as she did that, laughter echoed throughout the room.

"Well, that'll keep her at bay for a while," Monica commented, still amused by her mother's reaction. Pietro looked at her, appreciating how beautiful she looked with that smile on her face. He wouldn't mind seeing that smile for the rest of his life.

"I'm glad to see you, Monica," Pietro murmured softly. "I hope to see you again soon."

"It'll be very soon, you'll see," Monica replied in the same tone. "I think I have a new reason to visit the compound more often," she thought to herself.

"I hope so," Pietro said without stopping smiling at her.

They both looked enchanted, and words were unnecessary in that moment. Their gazes were enough to convey their mutual attraction and the certainty that they would see each other again. It was a declaration.

"Sorry to interrupt, but Captain Carol could come back at any moment," Peter spoke to warn them. As much as he hated to spoil the moment, it was necessary. Monica and Pietro sighed, reluctantly breaking their gaze. They were so comfortable.

"I guess I should go," Monica murmured half-heartedly, starting to walk towards the exit. "Goodbye, newbies," she said, bidding farewell to the new group, who returned the gesture. "See you soon, Pietro," she added with a flirtatious wink at Pietro, who blushed slightly at the gesture.

"See you soon, Monica," Pietro replied sweetly. Monica gave him one last smile before disappearing through the door. "Oh, for speed!" Pietro exclaimed, leaning against the nearest wall. He had experienced so much in just a few minutes. He certainly didn't expect to have such an encounter with Monica, it was much better than he had anticipated.

"I didn't expect that from Carol," Yelena said, mocking the way Carol had fled with just the mention of telling her wife. Yelena was completely unaware of Pietro's state after his brief and successful conversation with Monica. "She mocks Natasha for being so whipped by Wanda, and yet she's the same with her wife," she added with laughter. "It's quite funny and ironic. I honestly didn't expect that from her."

"Nobody did, but it was entertaining," Peter added, also chuckling at the memory.

"Believe me, I understand, Pete," Pietro responded dreamily. "How can you not be that way with the Rambeau women?"

"It's easy to be that way when you find that person who drives you crazy," Kate added with a smile, glancing discreetly at Yelena.

Obviously, Yelena didn't understand that

Kate was talking about her, so her expression hardened upon hearing that.

"And have you found that person, Kate?" Yelena asked dryly. Peter and Pietro exchanged knowing glances, noticing the jealousy in Yelena's tone. Kate did too, so she smiled even more.

"Maybe..."

Yelena feigned indifference, but her eyes betrayed her true emotions.

"Good for you." Yelena said. The harshness in Yelena's tone caused Kate's smile to fade, knowing it wasn't the right time to confess her feelings.

"I guess, thanks," Kate murmured, averting her gaze.

Yelena said nothing, just looked at her for a couple more seconds before also shifting her gaze. She didn't understand why she felt this discomfort inside her, but Yelena didn't like that feeling at all.

"This went from being funny to awkward," Pietro thought as he observed the girls. The tension was palpable in the air, it was almost visible.

Meanwhile, Peter decided it was a good time to change the subject.

"Pietro, so the mysterious person you like is Captain Carol's daughter, huh?" Peter said teasingly.

Pietro instantly smiled at the mention of Monica, especially remembering how wonderfully well things had gone with her.

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Too obvious," Kate replied. "Reminds me of someone, but I'm not going to say who I am," she added casually. Peter and Pietro laughed, while Yelena rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Yeah, you two are the same," Peter muttered, chuckling.

"Now I understand why she wanted to hit me," Pietro joked.

Yelena felt like she was missing something, she couldn't recall any moment when Kate had done anything they were talking about. She was trying to remember, but nothing came to mind. She didn't snap out of her thoughts until she heard Kate's voice again.

"Maybe this might sound masochistic, but the hits are totally worth it. They're proof that we're doing a good job, that we're getting closer to the goal," Kate said positively. "I don't know, buy they're like battle scars."

"Before Monica, I would have said you're crazy, but now I understand you perfectly," Pietro sighed dreamily.

"Personally, I think it's better not to get hit, but to each their own, right?" Peter murmured, being the most logical as always.

"Wait a second..." Yelena finally muttered. Something had clicked inside her, something she had completely overlooked. "Sonic, do you like Monica?"

The rest of them stared at Yelena. They couldn't understand how someone as intelligent as her could be so slow on certain things.

"I thought it was pretty obvious," Pietro replied simply.

As soon as Pietro responded, Yelena burst into laughter.

"Oh, for vodka's sake!" Yelena exclaimed amidst laughter. "Carol is going to kill you!"

"I know, but at least I'll have died trying," Pietro said proudly, smiling at the memory of Monica.

"That's the spirit, bro!" Kate raised her hand to give Pietro a high-five.

Yelena smiled calmly as she watched that. "Kate Bishop is cheering him on... so that means she doesn't like Sonic. Cool!" she thought.

"That was very Gryffindor of you," Peter joked.

"I am a proud Gryffindor, with great honor!" Pietro dramatically placed a hand over his chest.

"And I'm a proud Huffledor!" Kate exclaimed in the same manner.

Yelena once again felt a bit lost in the conversation, but she wouldn't remain in doubt.

"What's all this 'Gryffindor' and 'Huffledor' talk about?" Yelena inquired, genuinely curious.

"They are Hogwarts houses from the Harry Potter universe," Kate replied instantly with a smile on her face. "Well, Gryffindor is one house. Huffledor is a hybrid house, a combination of two other houses: Hufflepuff and Gryffindor."

"That sounds really interesting, Kate Bishop," Yelena murmured, smiling back at her. It wasn't that she hadn't liked the topic, but what she had enjoyed the most was the way Kate had explained it. "And how many houses are there? You know, the regular ones and those hybrids you're talking about," she asked, mostly wanting to hear Kate's explanation again.

"There are four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin," Kate said, trying to imitate Professor McGonagall's voice, which made the boys laugh. Yelena laughed too, although she didn't know who Kate was imitating; she simply enjoyed seeing a funny and playful side of Kate. "Each house has three main qualities that define them. Gryffindor is known for being brave, courageous, and daring. Hufflepuff's qualities are loyalty, kindness, and hard work. Ravenclaw is characterized by a thirst for knowledge, wisdom, cleverness, and intellect. Lastly, Slytherin houses the ambitious, intelligent, and cunning, often tending to be strong leaders."

Yelena watched and listened attentively to every word that came out of Kate's lips. She had a goofy smile on her face as she saw Kate speak quickly and passionately, using her hands to add more excitement to her words. Witnessing this side of Kate had become one of Yelena's favorite things.

"Based on your qualities, you can determine which house you belong to. Although there are occasions when you have qualities that align with two houses, and that's where hybrid houses come into play. Your first house is the one with the most qualities, and the second is the one with nearly as many as the first. In my case, I am SO Hufflepuff, but also Gryffindor," Kate said with great pride, striking a noble knight pose. Yelena's goofy smile grew even wider (if that was possible). Peter and Pietro simply watched the lovely scene the girls were creating, with Pietro almost reaching for a camera to capture it all.

"Not everyone has a hybrid house. Some people truly fit into just one house, and that's okay too. But personally, I think it's cooler to have a hybrid house. It's more fun," Kate shrugged slightly. "And well, all of this is part of the wonderful universe of Harry Potter. We should definitely have a Harry Potter movie marathon sometime. What do you think, Yel?"

Yelena's eyes sparkled with excitement. "I would love that, Kate! It sounds like a fantastic idea. Count me in for the Harry Potter marathon," she replied enthusiastically. The prospect of spending time with Kate and immersing themselves in the magical world of Harry Potter brought a genuine sense of joy to her. Yelena and Kate continued to gaze into each other's eyes, exchanging smiles and communicating silently with their eyes. "But only if you promise to explain anything that I won't understand, Kate Bishop," Yelena said in a flirtatious yet sweet voice. Unbeknownst to her (once again), she was flirting with Kate.

"I'm more than happy to explain anything you want, Yel," Kate replied in the same flirtatious yet sweet tone.

After that, the two of them locked eyes, smiling at each other, conveying everything that went unspoken. Yelena had no idea that she was falling in love with Kate, but her gaze revealed how rapidly she was falling for the young archer. Kate could sense it, and it only made her happiness shine brighter in her eyes.

"Since when can you make someone fall in love just by talking about nerdy stuff?" Pietro murmured rhetorically to Peter.

"No idea, but I think I'll steal that tip from Kate. I hope it works for me too," Peter whispered in response.

"You'll succeed, Pete. You just have to believe in yourself," Pietro encouraged him. Peter smiled faintly in gratitude. "Now, do you think we should bring them back to the real world?"

"I don't know, they look so cute together that I'd hate to ruin the moment... but this is Agent Romanoff's training room, and she could show up at any moment," Peter replied, thinking about his friend Kate's well-being.

"I don't think my stupid sister's girlfriend be a problem for at least a couple more minutes," Pietro muttered through gritted teeth.

"Better safe than sorry," Peter shrugged, completely unaware of the implication Pietro had just made. "Girls, are you here with us?" Both Kate and Yelena ignored him. "Girls?" Still no response. "Agent Romanoff, nice to see you!" As soon as he said that, Kate immediately jumped back a meter to put some distance between her and Yelena.

"We were just talking, that's all!" she shouted, turning towards the door, only to find Natasha wasn't there. Peter and Pietro couldn't hold it in any longer and burst into laughter. Kate looked at them, wanting to hit both of them for their deception. Yelena watched the scene confused, not understanding the reason behind Kate's reaction.

"Fuck you, Parker!" Kate flipped Peter off, who made a face of indignation.

"Hey, I'm just trying to prevent you from getting killed!" Peter retorted, but Kate showed him her middle finger again. "Anyway, can we get back to talking about Pietro and his crush on Captain Carol's daughter?"

"Nothing would make me happier," Pietro murmured after he stopped laughing, now sporting a simple and sweet smile on his face.

"Oh, Sonic! It's great that you like Monica!" exclaimed Yelena excitedly. "I thought you liked Kate Bishop, thanks to the vodka you don't," she added in the same manner, but more calmly.

"That's funny... I actually thought Pietro liked Lena," Kate thought upon hearing Yelena. She then smiled widely as she processed the words and how they were said.

Peter and Pietro exchanged knowing glances, realizing the true meaning behind Yelena's words. Maybe she was starting to realize that she had feelings for Kate.

"And what if it had been Kate?" Peter asked, feigning a casual tone. Yelena stopped smiling upon hearing that, the mere idea seemed unpleasant to her. "Would that have bothered you, Yel?"

"I wouldn't have liked the idea at all," Yelena replied seriously. "It would have been very... weird, I don't know."

"Weird? Why?" Peter asked, trying to see how many emotions or feelings Yelena could distinguish or notice.

"I don't know, I just know it would have been weird," Yelena murmured, trying to find a deeper reason. "Maybe it would have been weird because of the age gap, I don't know," she tried to find something deeper but ended up back at the same point. "I just know it's really cool that you like Monica, now we just need to find out who Kate likes," she added, staring intently at Kate. "Although I have to admit, I thought Kate also liked Pietro at some point, but I guess that's been ruled out too."

Pietro burst into laughter, finding it amusing how both girls had come to believe the same thing. Peter also laughed, but not as much as Pietro was.

"Me like Pietro?!" Kate asked, astonished and disgusted. "No offense, dude, but you're just not my type." Those words further relaxed Yelena. "You're a guy and guys are not my type".

"How am I not your type?" Pietro asked, offended and with drama. "First of all, I'm everyone's type," he added, striking a diva pose. Kate rolled her eyes. "And secondly, I thought you liked blondes."

"Yeah, I like blondes," Kate said calmly. Yelena didn't comment, but for some reason she didn't know, she started smiling even more joyfully. "Besides, you were a fake blonde, and now you're back to being brunette. So even if I did like guys, you wouldn't have made the cut as a poorly attempted bleach blonde," Kate teased. Yelena burst into laughter.

"Oh, Kate Bishop, you're so funny!" Yelena said amidst laughter.

"Anyway, can we get back to discussing why Yelena is SO interested in knowing who Bishop likes?" Pietro asked, with his ego slightly bruised.

"It's just curiosity, that's all," Yelena said without thinking much.

"Oh, of course, how could I forget..." Pietro said sarcastically. "Canceled, I see we're still at square one." But Kate wasn't going to stop there, now she was even more interested in knowing what Yelena might or might not say.

"Do you really want to know, Yel?" Kate asked seriously, but without losing the sweetness and softness in her voice. Yelena nodded before responding.

"Of course, I want to know, Kate."

By now, Kate was starting to realize that Yelena only referred to her as "Kate" when she was jealous. With her next comment, she would confirm this theory, provided Yelena didn't realize she was talking about her.

"I'm in love with a girl who is TOO cool, she's strong, intelligent, beautiful," she sighed dreamily, but still had a smile on her face. "That girl I'm in love with is simply perfect... although she's a bit slow at picking up hints."

Peter and Pietro exchanged glances between Kate and Yelena to see her reaction.

Yelena obviously didn't pick up on Kate's hint. Her body tensed up again, and her gaze clouded over. Finally, she shrugged nonchalantly before replying.

"Good luck with her, Kate."

Chapter 26: The approval

Summary:

Kate has another serious conversation with Natasha and Wanda, but this time it turns out much better than she expected.

Notes:

Before we begin the chapter, I would like to inform you that Chapter 27 will be a special set almost seven years after the current timeline of the story. Chapter 28 will resume the story where it left off, and Chapter 29 will be another special, set eighteen years after the current timeline.

However, fear not, as Chapter 30 will bring us back to the present timeline, and there will be no further specials for the time being.

Chapter Text

Kate remained completely silent, processing what Yelena had just told her. It was becoming increasingly clear to her that it would take a LOT more time for Yelena to realize her feelings.

"Did I mention she's slow at picking up hints?" Kate murmured, trying to confirm once again that she still had a long wait ahead.

"Yes, you mentioned it." Yelena replied curtly.

"I just wanted to confirm it..." Kate muttered back, looking away and releasing a heavy sigh.

"You mentioned how slow, lovely, intelligent, and perfect that girl you're so crazy about is," Yelena grumbled.

Pietro and Peter had to make an effort not to laugh; they found it amusing how jealous Yelena was of herself. Meanwhile, Kate smiled "discreetly" for the same reason. "It's so cute to see her like this," she thought.

"Well then... don't you think we should continue training?" Peter suggested, noticing Yelena's still visibly upset expression.

"I'm in. It'll be more fun now that you're here," Yelena said, the softening of her face noticeable as she felt Kate's piercing blue eyes on her. "Wow... Kate Bishop has really beautiful eyes," she thought.

"I'm in too," Pietro replied, his gaze lost on the wall that Carol had blown to a thousand pieces. "Now I need to run away from someone who flies, I need to be faster," he added, causing the rest to laugh, especially at the slight hint of terror in his voice.

Due to the laughter, no one heard the front door open once again. Wanda and Natasha had come to the training room to find Yelena, although they certainly didn't expect to find so many people with her. Natasha immediately switched into protective sister mode upon noticing Kate's presence.

"Now that you mention it, do you know how you're going to ask her out?" Peter asked.

"Who's asking who out on a date?" Natasha asked sharply.

Everyone turned to look at her when they heard her voice. Kate felt her body tense up, she could sense the threat in Natasha's tone.

"I haven't done anything and she already want to hit me," Kate complained in her mind.

"Calm down, love," Wanda whispered to her girlfriend. Natasha instantly calmed down a bit but remained alert.

"I'll ask Monica out," Pietro replied to Natasha's question.

"I didn't know Monica was here," Wanda muttered, puzzled. Monica was a close friend of hers, and she had no idea that Monica was in New York.

"I didn't know Monica was at the base either," Natasha said incredulously, staring directly at Kate. Natasha believed that Pietro was trying to cover for Kate.

"It's not fair! I didn't do anything!" Kate complained mentally once again.

"Captain Monica was with us for a few minutes, she was looking for her mom," Peter intervened to save his friend's skin. "She mentioned something about an important emergency meeting with Director Fury." Natasha remained somewhat skeptical, still thinking they were trying to cover for Kate. "That's how we met her and also how we realized she was the one Pietro liked."

Natasha carefully analyzed the expressions of everyone present. Kate looked fearful, which bothered her quite a bit. Peter also appeared nervous, but there were no indications that he was lying. Pietro had a silly smile on his face since he mentioned Monica's name, and there was no sign of him lying about anything he said. Finally, Yelena seemed completely unaware of what was happening, which was usual for her.

"If it makes you feel at ease, I know they're not lying," Wanda discreetly whispered to her girlfriend. Natasha sighed in relief before giving her a grateful smile.

"Carol is going to kill you when she finds out you like her daughter, Shurin," Natasha teased Pietro.

"Yeah, I agree with Nat," Wanda concurred, somewhat concerned for her brother.

"Carol already knows," Kate finally spoke up after a long silence. "She came to pick up Monica, and let's just say Pietro was way too obvious. She noticed right away."

"How obvious was he?" Wanda inquired, now more worried than before. "It couldn't have been that bad..." Pietro cast a sorrowful gaze towards the ground.

"It was wat TOO obvious," Peter replied. "Obvious on a Kate-level, that says it all." Both Pietro and Kate looked indignant at his remark.

"So, it was pretty bad," Natasha said mockingly. "I'm actually surprised you're still alive."

"Good point, how come Carol didn't threaten you?" Wanda asked her brother.

"Obviously, it was because of my charm," Pietro said egotistically. Yelena's laughter echoed throughout the room, finally understanding everything that had transpired between Pietro and Monica.

"Thinking back on everything that went down, I think the wall Carol destroyed says otherwise," Yelena said once she stopped laughing. Pietro and Kate laughed at the comment, especially seeing Pietro's less than pleased expression.

"What the hell did she do to my wall?" Natasha muttered, somewhat angry at the sight of her wall. She had a lot to complain to Carol about the next time she saw her.

"Carol said it was a demonstration, but I think she was more trying to scare Pietro," Yelena replied, laughing a little.

"Still, I'm amazed she only did that," Wanda muttered, also looking at the destroyed wall.

"Monica threatened Danvers by saying she would tell her other mom everything she had done if Carol didn't go to the meeting with Fury right away. That's the only way she could prevent her and Pietro from having a conversation," Kate said, somewhat envious that Pietro was saved from the beginning, while she had to wait until the previous night to be saved, and she still feared having another conversation like that with Natasha.

"That explains everything. Carol is completely whipped by Maria," Natasha said with a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Just like you are with me, love," Wanda whispered proudly. Natasha smiled broadly in response.

"What can I say? It's the least I can be when I have the formidable Scarlet Witch as my girlfriend," Natasha finished speaking and took Wanda's hand, planting a gentle kiss on it. Wanda watched the scene enchanted, a loving smile forming on her face, mirroring the one Natasha had when their gaze connected.

The rest of the present group reacted differently upon witnessing the scene. Pietro rolled his eyes in annoyance. Peter had his shipper mode fully activated and enjoyed witnessing such a beautiful scene. Kate and Yelena had a similar reaction; for both of them, the scene had been too cute, and they found the idea of having something like that so lovely. Kate couldn't help but imagine herself being that cheesy with Yelena in the future; she longed for those moments. Yelena certainly didn't envision it, but she liked the idea of having something like that with someone. She still wasn't fully aware, but her subconscious was starting to notice that it wanted that someone to be Kate Bishop; the evidence was in the discreet glances she stole at Kate while smiling with anticipation.

The time for Kate and Yelena to be together was getting closer and closer.

"Can we go back with me? Please and thank you," Pietro asked, feeling somewhat disgusted (and envious).

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Natasha responded without much interest. "What color do you want the roses for your funeral?"

"Do you think you're very funny, Romanoff?" Pietro retorted instantly. "But blue, please," he requested more calmly, aware that he would need his future sister-in-law's help.

Pietro's last comment managed to make the rest of the group laugh, mostly because of the resigned expression on his face.

"I know I shouldn't laugh, but Nat's right," Wanda mentioned once she stopped laughing.

"Don't make fun, I need help," Pietro said with a visibly pouting face.

They laughed at Pietro again, but Kate was the first to sympathize with him.

"We're practically in the same boat. Maybe we should join forces and help each other, at least that way we wouldn't die alone," Kate proposed. Pietro looked at her hopefully, seeing Kate as a great ally now. Natasha, on the other hand, was completely disgusted by the idea and didn't hesitate to shoot Kate a murderous look.

But Natasha wasn't the only one who viewed Kate unfavorably. Yelena was also not pleased with the comment Kate had just made. The mere idea that Kate was in such a state because of her "perfect girl" that she talked about so much was simply annoying to Yelena, causing a terrible burning sensation to run through her body, particularly in her chest.

"Not your best comment, Kate," Wanda murmured, noticing the reaction of both sisters. It had been too obvious to her that Yelena felt jealous of herself, and the only one who didn't realize it was Yelena herself.

"Sure, let's team up," Pietro accepted Kate's proposal, completely overlooking his sister's comment.

"Awesome, bro! You help me with my girl, and I'll help you with yours," Kate extended her hand to Pietro for a fist bump, sealing the deal.

"We have a deal, KB," Pietro replied as their fists connected.

Natasha looked at both of them with her typical "Black Widow" gaze. She didn't like at all what they were plotting, and she would definitely have to be more alert to any moves. Yelena wasn't happy either; she felt a strong urge to hit Pietro for encouraging Kate.

Wanda was undecided about which side to take. On one hand, she knew she had to control her girlfriend. On the other hand, she found the situation quite amusing and wanted to laugh. There was also the fact that she had to clarify many things with her brother. Monica was her friend, and she wouldn't let Pietro harm her.

Meanwhile, Peter shook his head as he massaged his temples. He couldn't believe how foolish both Kate and Pietro could be. "Gryffindors," he thought.

"I'm fifteen, and I'm well aware that I'm not an expert in matters of love, but I know I wouldn't be so dumb as to expose myself the way you two are doing," scolded Peter. "I mean, I wouldn't be foolish enough to flirt with the girl I like in front of her super-powered mother," he said, staring directly at Pietro, who averted his gaze to the ground. "Or her overprotective older sister..." he added quietly, discreetly looking at Kate, who pretended not to catch the hint.

"Good point," Pietro agreed, nodding.

"I think Pete is right," Kate agreed, nodding her head. "We'll discuss the details later, Pietro," she said, accepting his silent nod to avoid further discussion, especially with Natasha still giving them that deadly gaze.

"I think someone should be reminded of a certain conversation they had last night during the party," Natasha uttered coldly. Kate felt a shiver run down her spine.

"Natalia," Wanda warned.

"I'm just saying," Natasha added in a more neutral tone, yet still managing to make an impact on Kate. That was enough for Natasha to know that Kate had understood the message.

"Changing the subject," Wanda murmured, partly to save Kate. "What is it that you want with Monica?" she asked her brother, who grinned foolishly at the mention of Monica.

"What do I want with her" Pietro asked, confused but still smiling.

"You asked for help, Maximoff. In order to help you, we first need to know your intentions with Monica, exactly what you want," Natasha responded.

"I really like her," Pietro muttered instantly, letting out a sigh of love.

"I'm no expert, but I think they'll need more than that," Yelena mentioned, observing the blank expressions on Wanda and Natasha's faces.

"Lena is right, we need more than that," Wanda said, pointing threateningly at her brother. "Monica is older and more mature than you. She won't want something fleeting."

"I don't want something fleeting either," Pietro replied, somewhat indignant and hurt. "I know she's older and more mature than me, but I also know that I'm ready to be with a woman like her."

"What exactly do you want with her?" Natasha inquired again.

"Everything, I want everything with her!" Pietro exclaimed, a bit desperate, astonishing everyone with his declaration. "I really like her, and I want the chance to try everything with her..."

"Alright, we'll help you," Natasha was the first to respond, giving him a faint comforting smile.

"Wow..." Pietro murmured, amazed. He didn't expect Natasha to be the first to agree, especially because he always teased her. "Thank you, zolovka!" he added, smiling widely.

"When the time comes, I think I'll ask Carol for help. After this, I don't think she'll refuse to help me," Kate reflected to herself.

"Since when do you make decisions for me, Natalia? As far as I remember, I never agreed to help him," Wanda questioned her girlfriend seriously, causing a brief flicker of fear in Natasha's expression.

"I-thought we were both in agreement... I'm sorry, love," Natasha apologized, but Wanda's gaze remained unchanged. The rest of those present bit their lips to hold back laughter, especially Kate, who was delighted to witness this scene. "A special dinner tonight to make it up?" Natasha proposed. Wanda's gaze softened, giving Natasha more reassurance. "What do you say, moya lyubov'?" she asked with her typical flirtatious smile. Wanda couldn't help but reveal a delighted smile.

"Alright, but it better not happen again," warned Wanda.

"Never again, my love," Natasha whispered before gently kissing Wanda's cheek. Pietro rolled his eyes in annoyance, they had taken long enough.

"Anyway, we'll help you," Wanda told her brother, who smiled gratefully. "But I remind you that Monica is my friend, and I wouldn't want either of you to get hurt, understood?" Pietro vigorously nodded.

"I'll make sure that doesn't happen, sis," Pietro responded, and Wanda smiled more calmly.

"Now, the first thing you should do is ask her out on a date," Natasha said. "Do you think you can do that?"

"I don't think it'll be difficult for Captain Monica to accept. It was pretty obvious that she likes Pietro too," Peter commented, as always, cheering on his ships.

"What? Seriously?" Wanda asked, astonished. She didn't see that coming.

"Yes, it was very evident that she's not indifferent to him," Kate replied. "I'm 100% sure Monica flirted back with him."

"I thought she was just being friendly," Yelena said, somewhat confused.

"If Lena says that, then Monica does like my brother. I'll have to have a serious conversation with her," Wanda told herself.

"No offense, Yel, but trust me, you wouldn't recognize flirting even if someone was flirting with you," Kate said, making a final attempt to see if Yelena would catch on. But Yelena made a face of indignation.

"Does she really want to die? Agent Romanoff is right there," Peter thought, seeing how Natasha gave Kate another deadly look.

"That's not true, Kate Bishop," Yelena defended herself. "I would instantly notice if someone was flirting with me. I mean, how could I not realize that?" Several people refrained from laughing.

"Alright, if you say so, then it must be true," Kate agreed. "By the way, that color looks fantastic on you," she added with a flirtatious voice and smile.

"Aww," Yelena murmured, more than delighted. "Thank you, Kate Bishop."

Kate didn't respond, only giving her a quizzical look and a sly smile, silently conveying, "Is that so, darling?"

Natasha stared at Kate in such a threatening manner that it wouldn't surprise anyone if she suddenly pounced on her to give her a beating.

"Going back to the topic of the date," Wanda said, changing the subject and addressing her brother, "Do you even know how long Monica will be in the city? You can't ask her out without knowing that first, especially with Carol also in New York."

Pietro sighed; his sister was right. "No, we didn't have much time to discuss that," he replied.

"Then talk to her before asking her out," Natasha commented seriously, but at least she had stopped giving Kate a death stare. "Try to talk to her today, ask her how long she'll be staying, and see if it's feasible to invite her out."

"Just make sure Carol doesn't see you talking to her daughter," Wanda warned Pietro, and he nodded dejectedly.

"We can help you with that," Peter said enthusiastically.

"We can distract Carol for you," Yelena added.

"Yes, I don't think the Captain would refuse to help us with a training session," Kate chimed in, also very excited. "After all, we're young and still need more guidance from the oldies. She'll definitely say yes."

"Wow! That would be great. Thanks, I really appreciate it" Pietro thanks them with a smile.

"No problem, Sonic," Yelena responds, shrugging. "Whenever you're ready."

"That's what friends are for!" Peter exclaims, who is more than happy to help make one of his ships a reality.

"Today for you, tomorrow for me, buddy," Kate adds playfully, which causes Natasha to look at her threateningly again and Yelena to roll her eyes in annoyance.

Wanda shook her head in exasperation; she couldn't believe how foolish Kate was being. She wouldn't always be there to defend her, Kate also had to do her part.

"I should start buying purple tulips..." Peter thought as he saw Natasha mentally kill Kate for the thousandth time.

"Oh, yes. Kate will want help in wooing that perfect girl she always talks about," Yelena sarcastically and harshly mutters, capturing everyone's attention.

Peter and Pietro discreetly give thumbs up to Kate, who is still stunned by Yelena's comment. Natasha seems on the verge of a breakdown, looking between terrified and intrigued at her sister. "What the hell? I didn't think this would happen so quickly..." she thought. Wanda is also surprised by Yelena's reaction, but she is also very excited for the same reason. In her mind, Wanda already imagines helping Yelena get ready for her first date with Kate.

"Yes, she's so perfect," Kate murmurs foolishly as she gazes enamored at Yelena, who looks at her with disdain. Natasha clears her throat, causing Kate to snap out of her reverie. "And boy, will I need help too..." she complains under her breath, but the others present still manage to hear her.

"Why? Does she also have a mom like Monica's?" Yelena innocently asks. Peter and Pietro laugh upon hearing her question, especially Pietro, who is very sarcastic. Wanda also wants to laugh, so she covers her mouth with her hand to hide it. Natasha doesn't make any move; she's just attentive to all the interaction between her sister and Kate.

"Something like that..." Kate mutters, trying to evade Natasha's murderous gaze. "The girl I like... she has an older sister who is very protective, with killer instincts."

The entire room fell silent after Kate's confession. There was a tense atmosphere as they awaited Yelena's response, perhaps hoping that she had finally caught the hint.

"I don't know whether to get excited about the confession or start planning the funeral," Peter said to himself. Although he was also thrilled at the idea of Yelena realizing it, maybe this was the big day.

"And is that girl really worth risking getting beaten up by her sister for approaching her?" Yelena asked seriously. The tension and suspense hung in the air, and in the end, Yelena still hadn't caught on. Natasha sighed in relief.

"Oh, she's definitely worth it!" Kate replied enthusiastically. She didn't catch on at that moment, but she wouldn't be discouraged either. "She's so smart, funny, brave, excellent at everything she does, beautiful, and a bit slow on picking up hints... but she's still perfect!"

"Okay, time to have another conversation with Bishop." Natasha had had enough; she would have to clarify some things with Kate.

"Well then, good luck with her, Kate." Yelena muttered coldly.

Kate replied, smiling broadly, "Thanks, Yel." For many, it may not have seemed like any progress had been made, but for Kate, it was quite the opposite. Yelena was jealous of that "perfect girl," which could only mean one thing—Yelena also had feelings for Kate.

"Yelena, Parker," Natasha addressed them, and they turned to look at her. "Why don't you go with Pietro to find Carol and Monica? Get the plan in motion."

Kate looked at Natasha in panic. That could only mean one thing. She calmed down a bit when she remembered that Wanda was there; nothing bad could happen to her as long as Wanda stayed.

"I guess it's time to plan the funeral," Peter thought, resigned.

"And what about me?" Kate dared to ask, hoping there was still a way to escape without Wanda's intervention.

"You'll stay with me and Wanda. We both need to have a serious talk with you," Natasha responded sternly. Kate turned to Wanda, seeking help, but she, too, looked at her with seriousness.

"Nat's right. We need to talk, Kate."

Kate felt like this was the end. Wanda was her only hope, and now she didn't even have that.

"See you, Kate," Peter bid her farewell. "Hope to see you again someday," he whispered as he passed by her.

"It was a pleasure, Bishop," Pietro also said. Under different circumstances, he would have teased her, but he was going to find Monica, who was with Captain Danvers. Pietro would be lying if he said he wasn't a little nervous.

"Goodbye, Kate." Yelena said, taking her things and leaving the training room. She gave Kate nothing more than an annoyed look before disappearing with the others.

Kate watched her leave with a lump in her throat. She was going to die, and she hadn't confessed her feelings to Yelena. At least she hoped that Yelena would realize it at her funeral; otherwise, her death would have been completely in vain.

"Scared, Bishop?" Natasha asked mockingly, seeing the look of panic on Kate's face.

"My Potterhead side tells me to respond with 'You wish,' but the truth is, I'm scared," Kate murmured without thinking, rambling a bit.

"Relax, Kate," Wanda reassured her. "We won't do anything to you. We just want to talk." Kate looked at her a little incredulously but believed her. After all, it was Wanda, and there was no reason not to trust her.

"Sure, unless you say or do something that makes me want to punch you," Natasha remarked.

Kate saw that comment coming; it would have been strange if Natasha didn't say something like that.

"Nat, calm down," Wanda requested sweetly but sternly at the same time.

"Fine," Natasha relented.

"What do you want to talk about?" Kate dared to ask.

"Don't play that card with me," Natasha replied. "You know exactly what we want to talk to you about."

Kate sighed before speaking again.

"I suppose you're going to ask me to stay away from Lena, aren't you?"

Natasha wanted to answer yes, but she wasn't foolish enough to do that.

"No! We wouldn't ask you that," Wanda reassured her. Kate looked skeptical, especially when Wanda briefly glanced at Natasha. "Right, babe? We wouldn't ask her that," Wanda inquired, staring directly at her girlfriend. Natasha used all her self-control not to contradict Wanda.

"No, of course not..." Natasha muttered under her breath. Wanda smiled satisfied. Kate wanted to laugh at her, but she didn't want to push her luck. "But we do need to talk about your behavior," Natasha continued. Kate nodded, resigned to having that conversation, but at least she felt calmer. "I thought we had an agreement, Bishop. What the hell happened just now?"

"I remember what you said... but in my defense, you could have easily lied to me to keep me from getting too close to Lena. I had to confirm it for myself."

"You saw that I wasn't lying," Natasha replied harshly. Wanda held her hand to prevent her from getting more worked up. "Yelena is new to EVERYTHING. She's been learning to live again for almost a year. There are so many things she has no idea how they work, and she's still trying to understand, like feelings, attraction, and all that."

"Lena is experiencing the world for the second time, but this time from a completely different perspective. You know a lot about her background story, you know how much she deserves a new chance to be happy," Kate nodded in understanding. She knew a little about everything Yelena had been through, but that was enough for her to wholeheartedly agree with Wanda. "We want her second encounter with the world to be the best it can be. That's why we're taking care of her so much. We don't want anything or anyone to dare to harm her when she's giving life a second chance." Kate nodded several times. She would also make sure that no one would harm Yelena, not even herself. "Lena is still going through this stage of self-discovery where she's trying to figure out who she really is. She's still discovering what she likes, what she doesn't, what's okay and what's not. She might be older than you, but my Lena is in a very different stage right now. She'll realize everything on her own and set the pace as she feels ready. We're only going to ask you not to pressure her and let her decide her own pace."

"In other words, don't try anything until the time comes," Natasha stated firmly. "Let her go through her stages and don't try to rush her."

"I would never do that. I'd rather shoot one of my arrows into my eyes or heart than do something like that," Kate replied, both confident and determined. "I will respect her and her timeline. Lena means too much to me, and the last thing I want is to hurt her. I'll protect her even from myself if necessary."

Wanda and Natasha exchanged glances before the latter looked back at Kate seriously.

"But I also want you to know that when the time comes, I'll give it my all," Kate replied, staring directly at Natasha as if to make it clear that she wouldn't be easily intimidated.

"And what if you get tired of waiting?" Natasha inquired seriously, maintaining her posture. "My sister likes you, even if she doesn't realize it yet. It wouldn't be nice for Lena to see you dating a hundred and one women just because you got tired of waiting. I know you only have a friendship right now, but you're talking about a serious commitment with an indefinite timeline. You have to consider more than one aspect before committing to something like that."

"Believe me, I won't do that. I'm in love with Yelena, and since I met her, there's no one else and there can't be anyone else."

"We don't know how long it will take for Lena. How long do you really plan to wait for her?" Wanda asked her seriously as well.

"No matter how long it takes, I don't care. I'll wait as long as necessary. Even if in the end she decides she doesn't like me or doesn't want to be with me... I wouldn't regret waiting for her," the couple exchanged glances before analyzing her with their eyes. "I know I don't have much to back up what I'm saying, but I'm serious when I say I don't mind waiting for as long as it takes. The day I met her... when I looked into her eyes, I knew she was the woman of my life. Since that day, I've been faithful to her," Kate took a deep breath before continuing. "I've never felt this way about anyone before... Yelena is very special. I would definitely wait for her for the entire damn multiverse if I have to," there was a pause that felt like hours for Kate. Nervousness ran through her body, she needed to hear them say something. "You can threaten me all you want, hit me, or even send me to another dimension, none of that will change how I feel."

The couple exchanged one last look. Kate didn't know when it happened, but Wanda intruded into her mind to verify that everything she was saying was true. She wouldn't normally do something like that, but it was about protecting her Lena; she would do whatever was necessary to achieve it.

Wanda smiled and nodded at Nat. Natasha let out a deep sigh in response. Kate watched their interaction attentively, not understanding what was happening.

"What do you say, Nat?" Wanda said, still smiling.

"I'm okay with it," Natasha replied after a couple of seconds. A hint of a smile wanted to appear on her face.

"What are you okay with?" Kate asked, trying to sound as normal as possible, although she was terrified inside. Natasha let out another deep sigh before speaking.

"Listen, Bishop, I still don't like you," Natasha said seriously. "But I know my sister likes you, and if what you're saying is really true, someday you'll end up together."

Kate couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was she really understanding what Natasha was telling her?

"Wait a second... are you giving me your blessing to date your sister?" Kate inquired, extremely excited but trying to contain herself. Wanda was equally excited, almost jumping with joy.

"When the time comes," Natasha replied seriously, but with a hint of a smile wanting to appear at the corner of her lips. "Yes, I suppose you have it."

Kate's mouth formed a perfect "O," she couldn't believe what she had just heard.

"Really?!"

"Don't make me repeat it."

Kate laughed, still not believing it. Wanda smiled too, excited that her Lena would be in good hands. Natasha still had her doubts, but for now, everything was fine.

"But be careful, Bishop." Natasha warned. "I still don't fully trust you, I'll be watching you." Kate stopped laughing upon hearing her words. "Is that clear?"

"Crystal clear!" Natasha's expression didn't change, so Kate quickly hurried to speak. "Don't worry, I'll be the best sister-in-law you could have." Natasha raised an eyebrow. "You won't regret it."

"You better, Bishop. Otherwise, you know what will happen to you."

"And remember that Nat won't be your biggest problem," Wanda also warned her.

"Don't worry, you have my word that I won't let you down," Kate replied, still smiling. "My actions will speak for me, you'll see."

"We hope so, Kate," Wanda murmured, giving her a final warning look before starting to walk towards the exit.

"For your own life, it better be," Natasha gave her last warning before following her girlfriend.

Kate remained in the training room, where she finally began to jump and dance to celebrate the great breakthrough she had made that day.

Meanwhile, the couple walked hand in hand through the hallways of the complex.

"Natty, I think it's time for you to have 'birds and the bees' talk with Lena,'" Wanda said to her girlfriend, who let out a deep sigh by her side.

"Yes, I was thinking the same thing."

Chapter 27: Pride Special

Notes:

I uploaded this chapter on Wattpad as a Christmas special, which is why the theme was Christmas-related. Since we're in June and I didn't want to wait until Christmas to upload the chapter, I decided to share it here as a special for Pride Month.

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy this special.

I know it's a little late, but better late than never... Happy Pride Month, everyone!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

December 25, 2023.

Yelena had a huge smile on her face, unable to stop smiling as she gazed at the person she loved most in the world. She never thought she could love someone this much, but that all changed just a couple of months ago.

"It seems unreal, doesn't it?" Kate said, leaning against the doorframe, smiling as she watched her two favorite people. Yelena turned to look at her, still smiling, and nodded. "If someone had told me seven years ago that I would have a daughter with the woman of my dreams, with whom I barely exchanged a few words, I definitely wouldn't have believed them," she added, approaching to embrace her wife and daughter.

"Yeah, I wouldn't have believed it either," Yelena replied, planting a soft kiss on Kate's cheek, which made Kate's smile even wider. Kate would never cease to adore these small acts of love from her wife.

"Are my two loves ready to go?"

"Yes, Mommy," Yelena answered, mimicking a baby voice and waving her little hand. Kate's smile grew even wider.

"Let's go then. I can't wait to show off my beautiful family."

~

The years had passed for the Avengers, bringing many new things with them. The only thing that hadn't changed was that they still remained united as the great family they had formed after the unfortunate events of their "civil war". Most of the Avengers were already married and had children, but that only brought the team closer together.

A great example of their unity was that they celebrated important holidays together. In fact, that very night they would have a grand Christmas dinner. All the Avengers and their families would be present, and there would even be other special guests. This particular Christmas was very special because it would be the first Christmas for the seven newest members of the Avengers family. That's why they decided on a themed dress code for the party: ugly Christmas sweaters. Each family would wear the same sweater design, thereby distinguishing themselves from the other present families.

The celebration would take place in the party hall at the Avengers compound. It was large enough to accommodate everyone and create safe spaces for the little ones. Having a bunch of children under eight years old with superpowers could be challenging, which is why Tony took the trouble to design secure areas so that everyone could interact peacefully and without worries.

The first ones to arrive were the members of the Rogers family. Bucky held the hand of a seven-year-old James and a five-year-old Carter, their older children. Steve was in charge of pushing the triple stroller carrying their two-month-old triplets: little Buck, Sarah, and Georgie. All the Rogers wore sweaters in the typical patriotic colors, but each sweater had "The Triplets' First Christmas" written on them. The babies didn't wear sweaters, but they had onesies with the same design. The whole family looked absolutely adorable.

It seemed that arriving several minutes early was a rule followed by the older ones. Nick Fury arrived just two minutes after the Rogers family, wearing a black Christmas sweater that said "Best Grandpa." The special guests arrived a couple of minutes after the Rogers family. First came Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr, both invited to be present for their two youngest granddaughters' first Christmas. A few minutes later, Melina Vostokoff and Alexei Shostakov arrived, also invited for the same reason as the Xavier-Lehnsherr family. Bruce wasn't a grandfather, but he arrived on time as well, wearing a green sweater that said "Hulk Smash."

Minutes later, Tony Stark made his entrance with his wife, and five-year-old Morgan perched on his shoulders. And of course, Peter was beside them with his girlfriend, MJ. Maybe Peter wasn't Tony's biological child, but Tony loved him as if he were and always treated him as part of the family. Morgan enjoyed having an older brother, and Peter enjoyed having a younger sister—they made a great sibling duo. The family wore metallic red sweaters with "Stark Family" written in golden letters. Morgan was ecstatic to see that everyone in the family had the same sweater, which was the only reason Tony hadn't thrown on a jacket to cover his sweater.

Not long after, the Romanoff family also arrived. Natasha wore a baby carrier with Alexandra "Alex," her youngest (born) daughter. She held the hands of her two older daughters, six-year-old Anya and five-year-old Hawk. Wanda walked by her side, proudly showing her five-month pregnancy belly and holding the hands of her three-year-old twin daughters, Thomasine "Tommy" and Wilma "Billy." The entire family wore scarlet red sweaters with black letters that said "Romanoff" along with their family member numbers. Natasha's sweater said "Romanoff 1," Wanda's said "Romanoff 2," and "Romanoff 8" on her belly. Anya wore her sweater with the number "3," Hawk with the number "4," Tommy had the number "5," and her twin sister had the number "6." Finally, little Alex wore the number "7" on her sweater.

Seconds later, one of the newest families of the Avengers arrived, the Bishop family. Yelena carried seven-month-old Natalya "Talya" in her arms, while Kate held Yelena around the waist. Kate was never known for her punctuality, but that day she couldn't resist the pride of arriving on time to proudly show off her little family, her greatest achievement. The couple wore purple sweaters with white letters that said, "Talya's First Christmas." Little Talya wore a onesie that was identical to her moms' sweaters.

The next family to arrive was the Bartons. Clint and Laura entered hand in hand, followed by twenty-year-old Cooper, eighteen-year-old Lila, and eight-year-old Nate. They all wore purple sweaters with black letters. Clint proudly wore a sweater that said, "Talya's Grandpa," and Laura wore one that said, "Talya's Grandma." The not-so-little Barton siblings also wore sweaters following the same pattern, with Cooper and Nate's saying "Talya's Uncle" and Lila's saying "Talya's Aunt." Perhaps Kate wasn't a blood Barton, but she was one in heart, just like little Talya.

A couple of minutes later, the Pym-Van Dyne-Lang clan entered. Scott and Hope held hands with their six-year-old son, Harry. Walking alongside them was the newly married couple, Cassie and her wife, Robin Stacey. Scott, Hope, and Harry wore gray sweaters with white letters that said, "Happy Quantichristmas." Cassie and Robin wore gray sweaters with blue letters that said, "Our First Christmas as Wives."

The Rambeau family was the next to arrive. Pietro carried his three-year-old son, Marius, while walking hand in hand with Monica. Following them was Carol, who happily held her youngest granddaughter, Vers. Next to Carol were Kamala and her boyfriend, Kamran. (Yes, she had finally chosen him). The sweaters they wore were in shades of blue and said, "Vers's First Christmas."

Shortly after, America arrived accompanied by her unique family. She was accompanied by her girlfriend, Kamar Wong. Walking beside them were Stephen and Christine, who had given their relationship another chance a couple of months ago. Wong was also included in the scene, as Kamar was his daughter, and he saw America in the same way, so he was definitely part of the family as well. The design of their sweaters was in shades of red, and with blue letters, it said "Sorcerer Family."

Just in time, the Carter-Hill family arrived. Sharon, Maria, and their five-year-old daughter, Maggy, walked hand in hand, proudly wearing their black sweaters with blue letters that said "Agents Family."

A few minutes later, Thor, Jane, and the infamous third wheel, Doctor Darcy Lewis, arrived. Thor and Jane had recently rekindled their relationship, but it seemed as if they had never been apart. Of course, they were taking things slowly to not rush anything and ensure that everything went well this time. They were an overly cheesy couple, and they even showed up to the party wearing matching sweaters. Thor wore a sweater with Jane's face in the center, and vice versa. Darcy pretended to vomit whenever she could. Her sweater accurately represented how she felt about the situation; it had the figure of the Grinch on it.

Shortly thereafter, Shuri arrived accompanied by Lorna and her five-month-old baby, little Dawn. This dynamic had surprised many, especially because they were just friends without any other intentions beyond that. When Lorna decided to become a single mother, she had the full support of her family, but she never imagined that she would also receive a lot of support from Shuri. There were no ulterior motives, just one friend helping another, nothing more. Of course, initially, most people thought that something more had developed between them, but that idea had been dismissed by both of them on more than one occasion. Shuri has never been interested in getting married or having a family, which was precisely why her last relationship ended. But she had always dreamed of being the cool, hot and rich aunt, something she undoubtedly already was. And she truly was a great aunt, especially to little Dawn. Needless to say, the sweater they wore said, "Dawn's First Christmas."

Several minutes later, one of the most unusual couples of the Avengers arrived: Sam Wilson and Baron Helmut Zemo. They walked in hand in hand, with Helmut carrying their one-year-old son, Zemo, in his arms. The family wore a blue and gray sweater that said "Wilson Family." Simple, yet lovely.

Speaking of peculiar couples, the last ones to arrive were none other than Loki and Sylvie. They were the couple that drew the most attention from everyone present. It was so narcissistic, so them. They were engaged in a discussion that probably didn't make much sense to others, but to them, it was the most important thing in the world. However, they argued in hushed tones so as not to wake Freya, their two-month-old daughter. The Laufeyson family wore a green sweater with golden letters that said "Freya's First Christmas."

~

As families arrived, they took their place in the living room of the salon. The little ones didn't waste time and divided themselves into groups to start playing.

Anya, James, Harry, and Nate ran off to somewhere in the outdoor gardens. Of course, before they left, Wanda repeatedly asked her eldest daughter not to get into trouble and to avoid any Christmas pranks. Natasha watched with a smile, especially at the innocent expression on her daughter's face as she promised her mom Wanda that she would behave. Natasha knew that Ann was probably crossing her fingers while assuring Wanda that she would behave. Once the warnings were over, Anya was the first of her group of friends to sprint out of sight of the adults. Nate followed, excited about the mischief Anya had in mind, and then a timid Harry, who already feared whatever Anya was planning. Before James left, Natasha asked her godson to make sure her daughter didn't get into too much trouble. Little James responded, "Всегда, крестная (Always, godmother)," and Natasha smiled and nodded in response. After that, James calmly walked in the direction where his friends had gone.

The next group to run off, once they were all ready, was the quartet composed of Hawk, Morgan, Carter, and Maggy. Fortunately, this group was much quieter than the previous one. However, there were still occasions when they managed to get into trouble, although it wasn't as common.

The twins and their cousin Marius were not yet old enough to run around and play like the rest, so it was better to let them play in one of the designated children's areas. Pietro and Wanda always smiled nostalgically when they saw the twins and Marius playing; it was like reliving their childhood in Sokovia with their late sister Anya. Wherever she was, they could see her being happy for the beautiful families they both had.

Next on the list were Alex and Zemo, playing in one of the baby pens next to the living room where all the adults were.

The rest of the babies stayed with their respective mothers, fathers, or one of their aunts or uncles. Yelena continued to hold onto her baby, as she had practically done since little Talya was born, not even sharing much time with Kate. The Rogers triplets continued to sleep peacefully in their triple stroller, with Steve gently rocking them to keep them asleep. Little Vers went from her grandmother Carol's arms to her grandfather Erik's and then to her grandfather Charles's. As soon as Wanda saw her sister arrive, she asked to hold her niece, something that little Dawn enjoyed as she also liked being carried by her Aunt Wanda, probably because she was pregnant. Finally, Freya didn't stay asleep for long as her Uncle Thor asked to hold her. Both Loki and Sylvie emphatically said, "NO," which startled her and made her cry loudly. Loki quickly took his baby in his arms and rocked her until she fell asleep again, and from then on, he didn't put her back in the stroller.

The larger group of Avengers talked for about an hour about many things, mostly catching up, teasing each other, sharing anecdotes, and discussing everything that had happened in the year.

The original six couldn't help but feel a great sense of happiness and pride for the family they had become, as well as for the families they had formed. Eleven years ago, they would have never imagined any of this.

One thing that couldn't be missing was joking about the Romanoffs forming their own army of Avengers. Tony even told Wanda that she looked like Wanda, the werewolf from 'Hotel Transylvania' since every time they saw her, she was pregnant. And yes, with young children around, everyone made references to cartoons or children's movies. Not long ago, most of the Avengers had a heated debate: Which My Little Pony was the best?

Speaking of babies and pregnancies, the newlywed couple formed by Cassie and Robin made an important announcement. Almost a year after getting married, they had started treatment to have a baby. Hope was the first to jump in and congratulate them. They received congratulations from everyone present, especially from Scott, who cried with joy at the thought of soon becoming a grandfather.

Melina and Alexei took care of bringing some special bottles of the finest Russian vodka, which served for everyone to toast (at least) with a shot. The only ones who didn't drink vodka were Cooper, Lila, America, Kamar, Kamala, and Kamran; Tony served them a glass of wine so they wouldn't be left out. On the other hand, Wanda celebrated just with apple juice.

The night continued to unfold, seemingly normal, without any issues. The adults were enjoying themselves so much that they completely overlooked the tranquility in the living room—a grave mistake.

"Harry, what's going on?" Scott asked, noticing him calmly standing to the side of the living room. He had arrived just a couple of seconds ago.

"Is everything okay, peanut?" Hope asked him as well.

All present turned to look at young Harry, who nodded in response to his parents' questions.

"Harry, where is Nate?" Laura asked him. While the group was very close-knit, Nate and Harry tended to be even closer, just like Anya and James.

"He's trying to convince James," Harry replied calmly. Although his answer unsettled more than one person.

"To convince James of what?" Steve asked him.

"To convince James to not convince Ann to stop doing what she it's doing," Harry responded in the same calm manner. The Bartons, the Rogers, the Pym-Van Dynes, and the Romanoffs exchanged glances; Harry's answer didn't bode well.

At the same time, Kate murmured, "For someone named James, he sure seems more like a Remus." This elicited laughter from the group of (still) Young Avengers and from Pietro, who prided himself on being in tune with the young ones.

"What it's Anya doing?" Wanda asked, concerned about the madness her daughter was planning now.

Harry shrugged before speaking. "I can't say that, Auntie Wanda. I'm just doing my part of the plan." Harry was certainly relieved to have been assigned that role in the plan; otherwise, he would have been terrified.

"And what is your part of the plan?" Natasha asked him too.

"To distract all of you."

Everyone exchanged horrified glances before hearing a loud noise coming from outside, which was getting closer to where they were. When they turned to the door, the majority's faces turned to terror.

Not long after, a bunch of deer came running in, with the entire herd being led by the deer that Anya was riding while laughing and shouting, "Let's go, Rudolph!" Behind her, James and Nate were riding on the same deer, which James was directing. James kept yelling at Anya to stop before she fell.

Quickly, all the deer ran through any available space in the living room. Once they spotted the door, they exited. Fortunately, there was nothing more than a couple of broken decorations, and no one was injured.

"Anya Yelena Romanoff!" Wanda shouted once there were no more deer, only the two that the children were still riding.

"Hi, Mummy!" Anya replied, smiling innocently as if she hadn't caused any mischief. Wanda shook her head in disbelief for a couple of seconds; she couldn't believe such audacity. Some of them bit their lips to hold back laughter; the whole scene seemed quite entertaining to them.

Natasha approached her daughter to help her get off the deer, then did the same with her godsons.

"Are you okay?" Natasha asked them, to which they both nodded. Natasha gave them a faint smile and a slight nod before making the deer go and join the rest of their herd.

"Bye, bye, Rudolph!" Anya shouted as she bid farewell to her new friend. Yelena couldn't resist and burst into laughter, although she quickly stopped when she felt Wanda's gaze on her.

"Anya, I thought we had an agreement." Wanda said, crossing her arms.

"I just wanted Rudolph and his friends to come to our party," Anya replied, pouting. Wanda shook her head again.

"Natasha, say something to your daughter," Wanda requested.

"How did you know there was a herd of deer nearby?"

"Try again, Natasha."

"Okay, okay," Natasha said before asking another question. "How did you manage to convince the deer?"

"Natalia!"

"In fact, that's a good question," Bucky spoke up but fell silent when he felt Wanda's gaze.

"We'll talk about this later, young lady," Wanda told her daughter, who smiled innocently and nodded in response.

"Go play with the others before dinner," Natasha calmly told the children. Nate and Harry nodded before running off to find the other group. Anya smiled at her mom before leaving. Natasha also smiled at her little one; it was impossible for her to get angry with her or any of her daughters.

The only one who hadn't left yet was James, who approached his godmother with a somewhat downcast expression.

"I'm sorry, крестная (godmother)," James murmured. "I couldn't prevent Ann from getting into trouble."

Natasha bent down to James's level to speak to him better.

"You did exactly what I wanted, you took care of her," Natasha replied in a soothing voice.

"But I couldn't prevent her from getting into trouble," James murmured again. Natasha smiled slightly.

"That's not what's important, Jimbo," Natasha stroked her godson's hair. "What's important is that you're always there for her no matter what, like a good older brother." James smiled. "That's what you always do, right?" James nodded enthusiastically. "Then you're doing a great job, be proud of that." James hugged her.

"Thank you, крестная (godmother)," James whispered in the midst of the embrace. More than one of those present was moved by the scene.

"You have nothing to thank me for, Jimbo," Natasha replied before pulling away from the hug. "Thank you for taking care of my little one."

"That's what big siblings do," James replied, smiling.

Natasha smiled proudly at her godson.

"Exactly, that's what we do."

Without further ado, little James gave her a slight nod before heading towards his parents. Both Steve and Bucky also looked at him with pride.

"Go play," Steve said, smiling at him. Bucky also nodded, indicating that he should go with the others. James smiled at them before running off to find his friends.

Apparently, everything was calm, and fortunately, the living room of the lounge hadn't suffered any damage from the deer's adventure. Although they would probably have to eat at the outdoor tables, they would figure it out when dinnertime came.

Everyone had resumed their conversations and even started joking about the deer ride.

Suddenly, snow began to fall inside the room. But it wasn't a light snowfall; it was an excessive amount that soon covered everything in white.

"Anya!" Wanda shouted, assuming that it was another of her daughter's pranks.

"It wasn't me this time, mummy," Anya defended herself, returning to the living room.

Just as Wanda was about to ask who it could have been, a couple of screams were heard.

"It worked!"

"We did it!"

"It's snowing!"

"My arrow got burnt!"

Morgan, Maggy, Carter, and Hawk shouted in that order.

"Oh, for my suit," Tony cursed under his breath. Pepper shook her head. "Morgan, did you ask Friday to make it snow in the living room?"

"No, Daddy," Morgan responded somewhat offended. "Hawk shot an anti-technology arrow at Friday's server, and I hacked the temperature system to make it snow." Silence filled the room for a couple of seconds. "By the way, Daddy," Morgan spoke again, "the algorithm was easy to block. Next time, design a more challenging one."

"That's my daughter!" Tony shouted, almost on the verge of tears, and he rushed to embrace Morgan.

"Tony!"

"My daughter is a genius, Pepp," Tony said proudly. "I would never be upset with her for being a Stark." Pepper shook her head again.

"Well, who's hungry?" Happy interjected. He had recently arrived with dinner and thought it was a good time for everyone to go and eat.

~

Despite a few broken chairs from the deer ride and the entire living room being covered in artificial snow, the Christmas dinner was held outdoors.

The dinner proceeded as normal. They ate, laughed, exchanged gifts, and finally, everyone gathered around a bonfire to enjoy hot cocoa while sharing anecdotes.

The most important thing was that they were all together, like the big and unconventional family they were. Of course, they couldn't anticipate what the future held for them, but they didn't need to. They cherished the present moment, knowing that their bond and love would carry them through whatever challenges lay ahead.

Notes:

There are certain things that could have been confusing or open to interpretation. For example, James and Anya are not siblings, yet they see each other as such. I can't say much to avoid spoilers, but if you've been following the story on TikTok, you probably know what I'm referring to.

Another thing I would like to clarify, and I haven't explained it properly anywhere yet, I only mentioned it vaguely a couple of chapters ago on TikTok. The point is that the same-sex couples in this story have their own children thanks to a technology that is quite similar to the Kryptonian or Daxamite technology mentioned in the Arrowverse. I will explain this in more detail later on.
Of course, this doesn't apply to Natasha and Yelena's case, but I will explain that in Chapter 28.

While this special is full of spoilers, there are still many things I haven't mentioned or even hinted at. Out of all the Avengers' families, only the following families are already complete: Barton, Rogers, Wong, Strange, Pym-Van Dyne, Dane, Laufeyson, and Shuri. The rest of the families still have missing members.

This special is just a small glimpse of everything that will happen in the story, although in the special chapter 30, you will be able to see a bit more of what that new phase of the story will be like.

I hope you enjoyed the special.

 

With love,

Chaxan.

Chapter 28: The Widows and Bees

Summary:

Yelena and Peter distract Carol so that Pietro can ask Monica out on a date. But that's not all, Natasha and Yelena also finally have the talk of Widows and Bees.

Notes:

This chapter picks up the story where it left off in Chapter 26. But I want to remind you that Chapter 29 will also be a special. Starting from Chapter 30, the story will continue from where it left off in this chapter.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

While Kate was having an interesting conversation with Wanda and Natasha, Yelena, Pietro, and Peter were on the lookout for Captain Danvers and her daughter, Captain Monica Rambeau.

Pietro was feeling a bit nervous about the encounter. Part of it was the usual nerves of "I'm going to see the girl I like." But on the other hand, there were also nerves of "I'm going to see the girl I like and her super-powered protective mother."

Fortunately for Pietro, luck seemed to be on his side. The trio of friends was walking down one of the corridors that led to a conference room in the compound, the same room where the Captains had their meeting with Nick Fury. Peter noticed Monica saying goodbye to her mom and taking a different path. He immediately signaled Pietro to follow her.

"We'll distract Carol so she doesn't notice," Yelena whispered to Pietro. "Now go get your girl, Sonic." Pietro smiled and nodded slightly before heading off to find Monica. "Let's go, Pete," Yelena nodded her head for Peter to keep walking.

"Yeah, let's go!"

The fact that Peter raised his voice to say that caught Carol's attention. Carol greeted them with a military salute and a smile on her face. Both Yelena and Peter returned the salute.

"And where did you leave Bishop?" Carol asked them, specifically looking at Yelena, who let out a scoff at the mention of Kate. "Feels like I missed something, again..." Carol muttered, confused.

"It's nothing, just Kate talking about the girl she likes, and Yelena didn't appreciate it," Peter said playfully. Carol burst into laughter, understanding that Yelena was jealous of herself. Yelena rolled her eyes.

"I don't see what's so funny."

"And that's exactly what's funny," Carol teased. Yelena looked at her without understanding, which made Carol laugh again. Peter laughed along with her.

"I don't know why, but I feel like you're keeping a secret from me or something," Yelena complained.

"Oh no," Peter replied, abruptly stopping his laughter. "Believe me, it's not a secret," he teased her. Carol laughed again.

"What I don't understand is why you got bothered when you heard Bishop talking about the girl she likes," Carol muttered hesitantly.

Yelena fell silent for a few seconds. Honestly, she didn't even know why she had reacted that way.

"It's not that it bothered me..." Yelena murmured, her gaze fixed on the floor, still trying to understand her emotions. "I just know that I didn't like hearing her talk about someone like that... maybe because I don't want them to hurt her."

"Yeah... I'm sure that's why," Peter said sarcastically.

"Someday, you'll realize it, Lena," Carol told her calmly, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Yelena smiled faintly.

"Thanks... I guess," Yelena replied, almost mumbling the last part.

"Anyway, you didn't tell me where you left Bishop," Carol said.

"She stayed in the training room talking to Natasha and Wanda," Yelena responded casually.

"Well, we'll miss her," Carol muttered. Peter nodded in agreement, and Yelena looked at them, confused.

Just as Yelena was about to ask them what they meant, Natasha and Wanda appeared from the same hallway they had come from.

"It didn't take you long to get rid of the body," Carol teased as she saw them arrive.

"She's fine, there was no need to get rid of anything," Wanda responded calmly. Natasha glanced away, avoiding contradicting her girlfriend. Carol laughed when she noticed that. "Anyway, Kate stayed in the training room, in case anyone was interested," Wanda subtly hinted at Yelena.

"She stayed alone?" Peter asked, making sure Yelena heard and would go find her. Wanda nodded slightly, glancing sideways at Yelena's disinterested expression.

"Great. That way, nothing will distract her from thinking about her perfect girl," Yelena snapped.

Carol, Peter, and Wanda couldn't help but laugh. Natasha didn't laugh, but a small hint of amusement could be seen on her face. Yelena watched them, irritated and intrigued at the same time, not understanding what was so funny.

"How long are you staying in New York?" Natasha asks Carol to change the subject.

"Maria will finish her SWORD business tomorrow, so I suppose I'll leave tomorrow to meet her at our home," Carol replied, smiling at the thought of being with her wife again.

"In a week, it's Yel's birthday party, so don't you dare miss it," Wanda reminded Carol.

"Yes, no skipping my party," Yelena warned, momentarily forgetting her annoyance about what happened with Kate.

"You heard her, Danvers; no skipping," Natasha also warned.

It would be Yelena's first birthday party. Moreover, it would be the first birthday where she wouldn't be under mind control. Natasha and Wanda were organizing her dream party; she would be turning twenty-three.

"We'll be there," Carol replied, warmly smiling at them. "Maria will be glad to meet you, Lena," she said, turning her gaze to Wanda, "and she'll be happy to see you too; it's been a while."

"I'll be happy to see her too. I have some updates to share about my life," she joked, referring to her relationship with Natasha.

Both Maria and Monica couldn't attend Wanda and Pietro's birthday dinner that year. It was the second birthday they would spend without Anya, and the first one where they agreed to have a small celebration, as it was what their triplet would have wanted.

Carol wasn't on Earth when the Sokovia battle happened, but when she returned, she learned about everything that had transpired. Both Carol and Maria expressed their condolences and offered to help in any way they could. That's how Wanda became close to the Rambeau family. Pietro didn't connect as much with the Rambeaus; he only allowed the Barton family and Sam to get really close. Bucky was also a great friend, but Wanda met him a year after Anya's death.

That's why Wanda was surprised when she learned that her brother liked Monica. Pietro wasn't particularly close to the Rambeaus, and he still couldn't understand how he ended up falling for Monica. It was something he would have to discuss in-depth with his twin.

Anyway, even though birthdays weren't something Wanda fully enjoyed yet, it didn't stop her from getting excited about helping Natasha organize Yelena's party. After everything Yelena had been through in the Red Room, a birthday celebration was the least she deserved.

"It's going to be a party with iconic movie themes, isn't that cool?" Yelena added excitedly.

Both Natasha and Wanda smiled at her, like proud mothers of their daughter's achievements and happiness. Yelena was definitely more than a younger sister to both of them; she was more like their first daughter.

"I already have my costume, I can't wait to wear it!" Peter also said, very excited. It would be one of the first parties he would attend. The most fun part for him was that it was a themed party where all the guests would be Avengers. His fanboy side couldn't be more thrilled.

"I think I have my costume in mind too," Carol murmured, imagining her perfect outfit.

"Something tells me your costume has to do with a certain '80s fighter pilot movie," Natasha teased.

"And I don't have to ask to know that your costume has to do with a certain '60s spy movie with Russians," Carol defended herself in the same manner.

Wanda rolled her eyes playfully. Natasha and Carol were always like that. Yelena simply laughed at both of them, although she still didn't know what Carol would be dressed as.

"My costume is based on the Harry Potter movies," Peter whispered, still excited about the idea of the party.

None of the present ones had noticed that Kate was approaching right where they were, not until she spoke did she make her presence known.

"Our costumes, you mean," Kate said with excitement in her voice too. Yelena's birthday celebration was something that thrilled her too much. She had been spending weeks finishing planning the gift she would give to her special girl.

"So, it wasn't a lie after all. You're still alive," Carol mocked when she saw her.

"Almost didn't..." Kate murmured in panic, remembering how terrified she was when she was left alone with Natasha and Wanda. Carol laughed at her reaction.

"It's good to see you again, KB," Peter said, giving her a warm pat on the shoulder. Kate smiled in response before turning to smile at Yelena.

"Hey, Yel," Kate greeted.

"Kate." Yelena replied, somewhat coldly. Unfortunately for Kate, Yelena was reminded of what had happened in the training room. "I think I'll go get some vodka. See you later," she added, saying goodbye to everyone.

"Do you want me to come with you, Yel?" Kate asked. She wanted to spend time with Yelena to help her get over her anger.

"No, go find your 'perfect girl' instead," Yelena sarcastically replied, making air quotes with her fingers. Kate made a face that screamed, "Oh no, I'm in trouble." Carol, Peter, and Wanda laughed at her reaction, and even Natasha smiled at the scene. "See ya," Yelena said, turning to go find her precious vodka.

"Wait, I'll come with you," Natasha said, making Yelena stop. "We need to talk about something important."

"Does it have to be now?" Yelena asked. Natasha nodded in response, causing Yelena to groan. "Can't it be after I have my vodka?"

"We can drink while we have the conversation, it'll make it more bearable," Natasha responded, still somewhat unable to believe that she would have to have that talk with her little sister.

"Whatever, as long as I have my vodka," Yelena replied, shrugging.

"See you later, babe," Natasha said, saying goodbye to Wanda before giving her a light goodbye kiss.

"Good luck, love," Wanda also said goodbye to her girlfriend, who let out a heavy sigh. "Good luck to you too, sweetie," she said to Yelena, who saw her with confusion, not understanding why she said that.

"Um... thanks?"

"Let's go, first to get the vodka," Natasha said, nodding her head to indicate the hallway they would go through.

"до свидания (Goodbye)," Yelena bid a general farewell to the rest of those present before starting to walk down the hallway.

A few seconds later, the two sisters had disappeared down the hallway.

"Something tells me Lena is about to have the 'Widows and Bees' talk," Carol said hesitantly. Peter and Kate looked at her curiously.

"Yeah, it's about time they had that talk," Wanda responded, glancing sideways at Kate, hinting that the talk had advanced much more than they had expected due to the events they had just noticed.

"Thank goodness, otherwise, in a couple of years, the compound will be filled with little widows running around everywhere," Carol joked. Wanda laughed, being the only one who understood the joke. This only increased the curiosity of both Peter and Kate.

"What is the 'Widows and Bees' talk?" Kate asked, unable to contain her curiosity any longer.

"Sooner or later, you and I will have that conversation too, Kate," Wanda replied with a playful smile. Kate was left even more confused.


Yelena had bottles of vodka in each of the living rooms of the compound, so she suggested they could go to the nearest living room. Natasha told her that the conversation they were going to have would be more private, so a living room wasn't the best place for that talk. Yelena mentioned that she had vodka in the mini-fridge in her room, so the two sisters headed there.

Upon entering the room, Yelena walked somewhat frantically to her mini-fridge to retrieve a bottle of vodka. She quickly poured a shot and downed it in one gulp. She needed that ever since Kate started talking about the "perfect and mysterious girl" she was in love with.

Natasha didn't say anything, but with that little action from her sister, she confirmed that they needed to have the "Widows and Bees" talk. If Yelena was already showing jealousy... who knows what else could happen. It's better to be safe than sorry.

For the second round, Yelena finally poured a drink for her sister. Natasha also downed her shot in one gulp. She needed that drink for the conversation she was about to have.

"Bring the bottle, we're going to need it," Natasha said.

Without further ado, Natasha took a seat on the only sofa in Yelena's room. Yelena followed suit and sat on the ottoman that was almost in front of the sofa where Natasha had taken her seat.

"And what did you want to talk about, sestra?" Yelena asked, taking another sip of vodka.

"Do you remember when Carol joked about giving you the 'Widows and Bees' talk?" Natasha asked. Yelena nodded, confused by Natasha's question. "Well, that's what we're going to talk about."

Yelena's eyes widened as she understood the kind of conversation they were about to have. She tried to get up, but Natasha prevented her.

"Why do we have to talk about that? It's not like I'll need it!"

"You don't know that, Yelena."

"I don't care about having sex!"

"You're still figuring out what you want, what you like, and what you don't. It doesn't hurt to be prepared in case you ever engage in sexual relationships."

"If that ever happens, I think I know enough to take care of myself."

Yelena tried to stand up again, but Natasha stopped her once more.

"Remember that our bodies work differently, so YES, it's necessary for us to have this conversation."

"I refuse to have my older sister give me this talk. No, it's not happening," Yelena (once again) tried to leave, but Natasha prevented her from doing so.

"If it's not me, it'll be Melina," Natasha stated. Yelena froze, no longer attempting to escape. "Melina gave it to me when we were still in Ohio, believe me, I'm your best option."

Yelena sighed in resignation.

"I guess I don't have a choice," Yelena muttered before pouring herself another shot and downing it.

Natasha sighed. These types of conversations were certainly not easy for anyone.

"Well, as you know, we Black Widows are injected with a serum that makes us much more resilient, gives us endurance, strength, rapid regeneration, slow aging, and other things, right?" Yelena nodded. "Well, this serum also has certain side effects that occur under certain circumstances".

"I know, do I have to remind you that I'm the science expert here?"

Natasha rolled her eyes before speaking again.

"If you have sexual relations with a man, these side effects don't affect anything", Yelena made a disgusted face at the insinuation of her having sex with a man. Natasha wanted to laugh but held back. At least she confirmed that she didn't have to worry about her sister dating men, that was an advantage. "As you know, these side effects only affect us when we have relations with a woman". Natasha paused to see if Yelena had the same reaction as before, but this time there was nothing. "Yes, she's definitely my sister," Natasha thought to herself with a faint smile on her face. "Female ejaculation, in general, can be divided into fluid release or fluid ejaculation, the latter being similar to male semen", Yelena made a disgusted gesture again, she didn't like having this conversation at all. "Let's see, scientist Yelena, what does female ejaculation contain?"

"It contains prostatic acid phosphatase and fructose". Yelena answered, her gaze fixed on her vodka bottle.

"Alright, and what are they for?"

"Both components are also found in male semen. Prostatic acid phosphatase is an enzyme that helps sperm mobility, while fructose acts as an energy source for sperm.

"Exactly. In a normal woman, that doesn't affect anything, but in our case, it acts differently thanks to the serum. How does it affect us, Yelena?"

"It turns us into lizards."

Natasha couldn't help but chuckle at her sister's scientific reference.

"Yes, something like that", Natasha said, amused. "One of the side effects of the serum is that it gives us the ability to impregnate another woman, that's correct. Although we can't get pregnant naturally, this effect of the serum gives us the opportunity to have..."

"Daughters".

"Why daughters and not sons?" Natasha asked just to tease her sister, knowing well that Yelena knew the answer. Yelena looked at her with a look of annoyance, which amused her sister.

"Because women only have XX chromosomes and lack the genetic information from the Y chromosome that men have, that's why we can only have daughters with other women," Yelena replied.

"You've earned yourself another bottle of vodka," Natasha congratulated her. Yelena rolled her eyes.

"Let's just finish this."

Natasha sighed, knowing that the most difficult part of the conversation was yet to come.

"What other side effect does the serum have on us and how does it relate to what we're talking about?" Natasha asked.

Yelena took another sip of vodka before answering.

"Unlike regular clitorises, a Widow's can extend twice as long and in a single direction," Yelena muttered.

"What does that mean?" Natasha inquired.

Yelena sighed before responding.

"An average clitoris measures about 10 cm, with nearly three-quarters of it hidden inside the vagina, divided into two 'legs' that extend about 10 cm along the vaginal walls. But for Widows, it's different. The lengths extend externally and are not divided into two, giving it a more penis-like appearance," Yelena almost muttered the last word.

"But this only happens when we're under the influence of a certain factor," Natasha mentioned. "Under what factor does this occur?"

"During arousal and being surrounded by female pheromones," Yelena mentioned.

"Exactly, that's why it's important for you to take precautions if you're going to be intimate with a woman," Natasha said. She took another sip of vodka before continuing. "While penetration is not necessary for your fluids to come into contact with the inside of your partner's vagina, penetration does facilitate it, making it easier for your partner to become pregnant."

"I really don't think I'll need any of this," Yelena complained again.

"Perhaps, but it's better for you to have all the information so you know how to take care of yourself and your partner," Natasha responded. Yelena fell silent, contemplating the statement, but didn't say anything further. "In your case, birth control pills, patches, and injections work the same way as they do for any other woman. Those same methods prevent us from impregnating another woman," Natasha explained. Yelena nodded in understanding, no longer opposing the conversation.

"What method do you use?" Yelena asked Natasha.

"I use the contraceptive injection. It's the most effective method for us and usually only fail if we take certain medications or consume St. John's Wort, which makes it even more effective for us," Natasha replied. Yelena nodded again, finding it quite logical.

"And what methods work for the other person?" Yelena asked, genuinely curious. Natasha remained silent for a couple of seconds before answering. That last question conveyed more than Yelena could have realized.

"For them, any other contraceptive method works, so they can choose whichever they prefer. If they use a method, it's just an additional precaution if you're also using a method. These types of conversations are very important to have with a sexual partner," Natasha explained. Yelena nodded once more, realizing that nodding was all she had done for the past few minutes of the conversation. "Do you have any doubts or questions?" Natasha asked. Yelena shook her head. "Are you sure?" Natasha pressed. Yelena remained silent. "You can ask anything, it's okay."

If in the future you have any questions or doubts, can I come to you, sestra?" Yelena asked timidly. Natasha smiled warmly at her.

"Of course, you can ask me anything at any time, Am I clear?"

Yelena nodded in response.

Thank you, sestra.

"Hey, that's what older sisters are for", both of them smiled. "Well, now give me more vodka, we deserve it after that conversation.

"Hell yes!" Yelena said before pouring a drink for herself and another for her sister.

Notes:

During the chapter, completely accurate information was mentioned, which is why I feel the need to provide my references:

 

-https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/es/326486#informacion-general

 

-https://www.uaeh.edu.mx/scige/boletin/icbi/n3/e6.html

 

-https://helloclue.com/es/articulos/fluidos-vaginales-y-cervicales/tipos-de-secrecion-vaginal-y-como-diferenciarlas- durante-su-periodo-menstrual

 

-https://www.plannedparenthood.org/es/temas-de-salud/anticonceptivos/inyeccion-anticonceptiva/que-tan-efectiva-es-la- inyeccion- anticonceptiva#:~:text=Buscar-,%C2%BFQu%C3%A9%20tan%20efectiva%20es%20la%20inyecci%C3%B3n%20anticonceptiva%3F,que%20la %20usan%20quedan%20embarazadas.

 

-https://unamglobal.unam.mx/datos-sobre-el-clitoris-que-deberias-conocer/

 

-https://www.genome.gov/es/genetics-glossary/Cromosoma-sexual

 

The joke by Yelena where she mentions they become lizards is a reference to the 40 species of lizards that reproduce through parthenogenesis, which is a mechanism of clonal reproduction where females produce offspring that are genetically identical to them. There are also snake species that exhibit the same type of reproduction, but the phenomenon is more commonly associated with lizards.

If you read any of my other stories, this same side effect of the serum applies to the rest of my stories, except for "Dear heart, why her" which is a GP story.

 

Without further ado, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
With love,

Chaxan

Chapter 29: Special Chapter

Notes:

When I uploaded this chapter on Wattpad, it was for Valentine's Day. After five months, the time has finally come to upload it here as well.

I would like to remind you that starting from Chapter 30, the story continues after Chapter 28.

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy this special.

With love,
Chaxan

P.S. Personally, this has been my favorite special.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Saturday, February 24, 2035.

On that cool February afternoon, silence and peace reigned throughout the Bishop family home. With four daughters in the house, it was uncommon to have such tranquility, which alerted the family's leaders. Both Yelena and Kate decided to split up to find their daughters more quickly.

Yelena took less than five minutes to find her eldest daughter. Her daughter was definitely improving; it took Yelena longer each time to locate her. Considering that Yelena is a highly trained spy, it said a lot about the eleven (almost twelve)-year-old.

"Oh no. I won't let you bring that bow and arrows to the party, Talya Bishop."

Talya was packing arrows and her bow into a suitcase, which she surely planned to bring to the gathering at the Avengers compound.

"But it's a Valentine's Day party!" Talya complained. "There can't be a Valentine's Day party without Cupid!"

"Last year, when I let you bring your bow and arrows, you shot your cousin Hawk and Maggy," Yelena reminded her daughter.

"And two months later, they started dating! Thanks to whom? Me!" Talya defended herself proudly. A hint of a smile appeared on Yelena's face, but she tried to make it go unnoticed.

When Talya was born, Yelena fully understood Natasha and Wanda. It was beautiful to have a little version of the love of your life. Talya was practically a Kate's copy, maybe not so much in looks, but definitely in character and personality. That was evident in situations like this, where she showcased her 100% Bishop spirit.

"Sweetie, you can't go through life shooting arrows at people," Yelena tried to reason with her daughter. Talya pouted, momentarily making Yelena reconsider her point. Nobody said being a mother would be an easy task. "Besides, there's no one left for you to shoot at. I think Cupid did all the work last year." Talya averted her gaze, letting Yelena know that she already had some targets in mind. "Talya... who were you going to shoot at?"

"Uncle Nate and Uncle Harry," Talya answered, knowing that by now she couldn't lie to her Мама.

Yelena was left speechless, that response was certainly unexpected.

"Nate and Harry?" Yelena asked, still amazed. Talya nodded her head. "Wow... I never would have guessed."

"Really? It's so obvious to me," Talya replied, shrugging her shoulders. "When they look at each other, it's so obvious that they like each other. They have that loving look... just like you and mom," she added with a slight smile.

Yelena returned the smile to her daughter. Talya was very good at noticing those kinds of things, definitely not something she had inherited from Yelena.

"In that case, let them both decide how and when they'll talk about their feelings. We all have our own timing, let them discover theirs," Yelena told her while stroking her little one's head.

"I just wanted to prove to Stacey that I'm right," Talya muttered under her breath.

"Prove what to Stacey?" Yelena asked out of curiosity. It was no secret that her firstborn didn't get along well with Cassie and Robin's eldest daughter, so the mention of Stacey seemed unusual.

"She said that her uncle would never date mine, that the Langs had better taste than that," Talya mumbled. "I told her she was wrong and that I would prove it to her. That's why I wanted to shoot Uncle Nate and Uncle Harry... I just wanted to give them a little push to show Stacey that I was right and that in the Hawks family, we are worthy of anyone, even the Langs."

Yelena had mixed feelings at that moment. On one hand, she found the scene amusing and even somewhat endearing. But on the other hand... she realized that her oldest daughter was starting to grow up. The dynamic between Talya and Stacey was so... something. It wouldn't surprise her if in a couple of years, they would start a relationship. It was still slow for her to catch on to many things, but that was more of a mother's intuition.

"Of course you are, sweetie," Yelena kissed her daughter's head. "Now let's help your momma find your sestras, unless you happen to know where they are?"

"No idea," Talya honestly replied. Even if she did know the answer, she wouldn't say. She would never betray the sister code... at least not that particular code.

Both of them searched practically the entire house before deciding to go out and check the backyard. In the garden, they found Kate with the rest of their daughters. Bella, who was nine (almost ten), and Katy, who was eight (almost nine), were arranging some dahlias in a small rustic basket. Meanwhile, Kate was putting away the small gardening scissors, as she had already finished cutting the dahlias and no longer needed them.

On the other hand, the youngest of the Bishops was sitting on the garden bench, reading a book. Leska might be just two months away from turning five, but she had learned to read over a year ago. She was a very intelligent child, practically a genius.

"What are the rest of my loves up to?" Yelena asked as she approached her family. Kate turned to look at her with a smile of someone deeply in love. Despite being married for fourteen years, having four daughters, two dogs, and a cat, Kate still couldn't get used to being with the love of her life.

"I was helping Bella and Katy cut the dahlias they will give to their friends at the party," Kate replied without going into much detail. Yelena knew there was more to it, but she didn't ask any further questions.

The truth is, when Kate arrived in the garden, she only saw Katy trying to cut the dahlias with the largest and dangerous gardening scissors they had. Meanwhile, Bella was attempting to start the car to go buy the flowers and avoid the hassle of cutting them. Kate, upon witnessing both scenes, first rushed to take the scissors away from Katy and then sprinted to the car to prevent Bella from starting it. All the while, little Leska sat calmly reading her book, undoubtedly the most serene of the Bishop daughters.

Yelena watched with a smile as her daughters finished arranging the dahlias. Giving flowers to their loved ones was something very characteristic of Bella and Katy. On Valentine's Day, they had given her and Kate a magnolia. Talya had gifted them chocolates, and Leska had recited a poem. Each of her daughters had their own unique love language, something that both mothers found incredibly beautiful.

"Why are those two dahlias separated from the rest?" Yelena asked her daughters, noticing that two of the flowers were placed apart from the others.

"This dahlia is SO purple, and Loony really likes purple," Bella replied as if it were the most obvious thing. I mean, who doesn't know their best friend's favorite color?

"And this one is more white than purple, and Toni doesn't really like purple. She says it's not a cool color," Katy said, sounding a bit indignant at the words of one of her best friends. She loved purple and couldn't understand how someone could say it wasn't a beautiful color.

"You should give Stacey a dahlia that has a lot of purple," Talya said to her sisters with a somewhat mischievous voice.

"Stacey isn't a big fan of the purple," Bella replied once again stating the obvious. She truly knew the preferences of her best friends, especially Luna Rambeau, or as everyone called her, "Loony." Yes, it was quite Potterhead of her.

"I know," Talya responded with an evil smile.

Yelena rolled her eyes, knowing that challenging years were ahead.

"Stop trying to bother Stacey, Natalya Bishop." Yelena told her eldest daughter. Talya crossed her arms in indignation.

"Fine," Talya muttered defeatedly and took the basket with the dahlias. All this while Bella and Katy teased her.

"Bella, Katy, don't tease your sister," Kate asked her daughters. Both sisters shared a knowing smile before nodding in agreement to their mother's request. They would continue teasing Talya, but only when they were out of their mothers' sight.

"And Talya, no running off to get the suitcase where you stored the bow and arrows," Yelena added before her daughters entered the house. Kate looked at her wife with intrigue, and Yelena gave her a look that said, "I'll tell you in a moment."

"Drat," Talya muttered under her breath, causing her sisters to mock her once again.

"Leska, sweetie, why don't you go with your sestras" Yelena said gently to her youngest daughter, who continued reading peacefully.

Leska reluctantly raised her gaze from the book. She was very comfortable reading right where she was.

"Somebody needs to make sure they don't set the house on fire, Lee," Kate said softly to her daughter.

Leska closed her book and stood up.

"You're right, I'll take care of it," Leska said before walking calmly to where her sisters had gone.

Both mothers watched as their youngest daughter left the garden. Leska was their daughter who was least like the rest, especially unlike Talya. While the first three daughters of the Bishop marriage shared a more playful, reckless personality and had the energy of a golden retriever, the youngest was the complete opposite. Leska was more serious, calm, and spoke only when was necessary. Not to mention how intelligent and mature she was for her young age. Yelena and Kate were more than proud of the beautiful family they had built.

"I insist, I don't know how you did it, babe," Kate whispered as she approached her wife, wrapping her arms around her waist and pulling her closer. Yelena placed her arms around her wife's back. "Lee is 100% Belova, she doesn't even seem like she was born from me," she joked. The smile on Yelena's face grew wider.

"I could say the same about you and Talya, you're identical," Yelena murmured. Kate chuckled softly, her wife was right.

"Speaking of which, did Talya want to play Cupid again?" Kate asked, remembering that the subject had been left pending. Yelena nodded in response. "Who did she want to shoot this time?"

"Your brother and Harry," Yelena's answer took Kate by surprise. "Yeah, that was my reaction too."

"Wow... Nate and Harry?" Yelena nodded again. "I would have never imagined... I even thought for a while that Nate would end up dating James."

"Nah, James and Nate are more like a bromance," Yelena admitted, even she could see that.

"Anyway, almost any man in the world would be a better option than the idiot Nate used to date," Kate said, annoyed as she remembered her brother's ex-boyfriend.

Yelena moved closer to her wife, holding her tighter and starting to caress from her back to her hair.

"It's not worth getting upset over that jerk, detka," Yelena whispered softly. Kate closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. "The good thing is that Nate is no longer with him, so we don't have to worry about that asshole anymore, okay?" Kate nodded with her eyes closed. Yelena smiled at seeing her wife completely calm, she loved the effect she had on her. "Now... detka, had I mentioned how much I enjoy seeing you in your protective mood?" Yelena whispered, leaning against her wife's chest. Kate's body tensed at those words, causing Yelena to smile smugly.

"Don't tempt me, мастерица," Kate whispered back.

Just as Yelena was about to lean in for a kiss, a noise coming from inside the house made them abruptly separate.

"We'll save that for tonight, moya lyubov'," Yelena whispered with a sigh. Kate nodded before taking her wife's hand and starting to walk towards the inside of the house.

"Girls, are you okay?!" Kate shouted as they approached the house. Instantly, they received affirmative responses from their daughters, even Leska's cat meowed in response.

"Yes... they definitely take after you," Yelena said with a smile, just as they entered the house.

Kate also smiled, she truly loved her family.

~

The Avengers continued to grow, but so did their bond, as well as the love and affection they had for each other as a family. As the years went by, they only grew together, like the great family they were.

Whenever they could, they celebrated special occasions, even if they weren't on the exact date. A prime example of this was their celebration for Valentine's Day.

With many of the older members of the next generation already in college, they had to postpone the Valentine's Day party to Saturday, February 24th. They could have celebrated on one of the two closest Saturdays to February 14th, but as a family, they decided to have it right after Harry's eighteenth birthday, the fifteenth birthday of the Romanoff twins, and four days before Yelena's forty-first birthday.

The celebration would take place in the large garden of the Avengers compound. While it wouldn't be attended by the same number of people as the Christmas parties, New Year's celebrations, or another special events, since many were busy with personal work or simply enjoying their alone time, all the families that were closest within the Avengers' big family would be present.

The weather was pleasant, making it the perfect place for the whole family to gather. Tony had the entire garden decorated with heart-shaped details, roses, and various shades of red. The decorations were a testament to the creativity of the best party planner, Tony Stark.

Arriving early to a party was not Tony Stark's style, but this time his family was the first to arrive. Tony came hand in hand with Pepper and in the company of Arno, their youngest daughter who was almost eleven years old. The eldest Stark daughter wouldn't be arriving with her family, which was why Tony decided they should arrive early to the party. It was all because Morgan had gone on a date with Carter before the party, so Tony wanted to keep an eye on the time at which his daughter would arrive with her boyfriend, "Capsicle Jr."

Tony had made quite a fuss because in less than twenty-four hours, Morgan had gone on two dates with Carter. Pepper and Arno understood the situation perfectly well. After all, the young couple didn't get to see each other much because Morgan was at MIT, while Carter was still in his junior year. Although they were the same age, Morgan had skipped three years and started her college education at MIT last fall. That's why every time Morgan was in New York, she and Carter tried to make the most of their time together.

But Morgan wasn't the only one who had skipped years and entered university early. James and Harry had skipped a year, while Anya Yelena had skipped two. That's why they all started college together last year. Anya, Morgan, and Harry had enrolled at MIT, while James had joined the Navy Academy. Nate was also in college; he had entered the University of Amherst in Massachusetts almost two years ago, so he saw the trio attending MIT quite often.

Since the five of them were in college, they spent most of their time away from their families. That's why when they returned from university, their families and friends welcomed them, just like they did the night before.


Anya, Morgan, and Harry had finished all their classes. The group was just leaving one of the classes they shared together, Principles of Physics: Mechanical Engineering.

As soon as they exited the classroom and approached the parking lot, they saw Nate already waiting for them in his truck.

"Oh, no. We'll go in my baby," Morgan said as she took out her keys and unlocked her Audi. A true Stark heir.

Nate rolled his eyes before grabbing his backpack and getting out of his truck.

"I call shotgun!" Anya shouted to her friends, but the truth was that neither of the two would oppose her.

Nate and Harry exchanged glances and smiles, revealing how much they longed to see each other.

"I guess that leaves us as seatmates," Nate said, maintaining a smile on his face.

"Y-yeah, I suppose so," Harry muttered, feeling a bit nervous as a slight blush started to cover his cheeks.

While they had that moment, both Anya and Morgan had already gotten into the Audi.

"Are you two going to keep flirting or are you planning to get in the car?" Morgan said, interrupting the boys' moment.

Now the redness in Harry's cheeks was more visible, and there was a wider smile on Nate's face as he noticed Harry's blush.

"I think we should get in," Nate managed to say, nodding his head towards the waiting black Audi. Harry didn't say anything, he just nodded before heading towards the car.

A couple of seconds later, they were inside the car.

"No funny business, respect the virginity of my car's backseat," Morgan jokingly warned her friends.

By this point, Harry was blushing intensely, grateful that he hadn't been drinking water at that moment, or he would have choked.

On the other hand, Nate burst into laughter at Morgan's comment.

"With how many times Carter and you have been to the drive-in theater, I doubt there's a single virgin seat left in this car," Nate teased.

Morgan sarcastically chuckled.

"Yeah, especially because Carter Brooklyn Rogers would do something so unseemly as having sex in a car," Morgan grumbled discontentedly.

"Touché," Nate replied, amused.

What neither Morgan nor Nate noticed was the sadness on Anya's face after hearing the last comments. Anya quickly tried to act as if she hadn't heard anything, focusing instead on choosing the best playlist for the more than three hours of road ahead.

"What time is James' flight?" Harry asked, changing the subject. He hadn't said anything, but he had already noticed how those types of comments affected Anya. Harry was the only one among Anya's friends who had noticed, and that was another reason why he didn't bring it up. He would let Anya decide whether or not she wanted to talk about it. In the meantime, he would do his best to support his friend.

"Just as we were leaving, he finished talking to me and said his flight would depart in two hours," Nate answered.

"Great, that means we'll arrive just in time for him," Morgan added after glancing quickly at her watch.

They had left twenty minutes ago, so there was still an hour and forty minutes before James' flight. The flight from Annapolis, Maryland to New York had a duration of one hour and fifty-five minutes. Meanwhile, the trip from MIT to the New York airport had an average duration of three hours and forty minutes. There was a five-minute difference, but that was probably how long it would take James to make his way from the plane to the airport entrance.


The trip to New York was peaceful. The group sang, talked, and had a great time, so the hours passed unnoticed.

Upon arriving at the airport entrance, they quickly spotted James, who was just arriving at the area where passengers waited to be picked up.

As soon as Morgan parked the car, Anya jumped out and ran to embrace her soul brother.

"I missed you so much, brat (brother)," Anya said to James in the middle of the hug.

"And I missed you too, sestra," James replied.

Their reunion was interrupted by Morgan and her honking.

"Yeah, yeah, we all missed each other. Now get in the car or take a taxi," Morgan said somewhat impatiently. The journey from the New York airport to the compound was still a long one, especially with the typical city traffic.

"It's great to see you too, zolovka," James said jokingly to Morgan.

Anya didn't say anything, she just opted to get back into the passenger seat.

"Hey, Jim," Nate greeted with a flirtatious wink from the car window. James chuckled softly before greeting him with a fist bump. He then extended his arm to greet Harry in the same way. Finally, he waved at Morgan, who responded with a military salute using only her index and middle finger.

"Hurry up and get in, or I'll leave you here, James," Morgan said once she finished greeting. James rolled his eyes.

"What a kind girlfriend my brother has," James said sarcastically.

"The best," Morgan replied egotistically, to which James shook his head with a smile. He couldn't complain, his brother was dating a great girl.

"Get in already, brat," Anya whispered, her gaze lost outside the vehicle.

James didn't say anything else, he just placed his belongings in the trunk before getting in next to Harry.

From New York Airport to the Avengers' compound, it was a journey of just over an hour. By this point, everyone in the car was tired of being in the same position for so long. They were eager to arrive at their destination as soon as possible.

Upon arriving at the compound, they saw that the Stark, Rogers, Pym-Van Dyne, Barton, and Romanoff families were already there; including their honorary member, Maggy Carter-Hill.

Although they all lived close to each other, they always gathered at the entrance of the compound, and from there each family went to their respective homes. That had been their ritual since the previous autumn.

As soon as they got out of the vehicle, each of them headed in a different direction. Anya ran to congratulate her sisters Billy and Tommy, who had turned fifteen the day before. After congratulating them, she began to hug the rest of her sisters and one of her sister's girlfriend, and then did the same with her moms.

"It's good to have you back home, sweetie," Wanda said to her eldest daughter during the hug, planting a kiss on her head.

"I missed you too, Mom."

"And what about me, malen'kiya?" Natasha asked her daughter with a smile. Anya smiled back and nodded before embracing her.

"Of course I missed you, мама," Anya replied a few seconds later, breaking the hug. "And where is Lizzie?" she asked her mothers, noticing that no one was carrying her younger sister in their arms.

"She stayed with Kate and your godmother. The weather is a bit cold for her," Wanda explained to her daughter.

"And you agreed to leave her?!" Anya asked them with a hint of drama in her voice. "In her short days of life, you've never left her alone. You always carry her," she directed the last statement directly at her mom, Natasha.

More than one Romanoff rolled their eyes at their older sister's comment. Wanda and Natasha simply smiled faintly. Although they already had eight daughters and all of them had taken well to the arrival of little Lizzie, it didn't mean that Anya didn't feel a little jealous of her younger sister. Perhaps it was because she wasn't home and felt replaced by the arrival of her new sister, who had even been born with almost the same powers as her. Both mothers had noticed this, so each of them would have a conversation with Anya about it later. They couldn't let their daughter feel that way.

"I don't always carry her," Natasha tried to defend herself. Wanda raised an eyebrow at her.

"Natasha, it's a miracle if you let me carry her for more than five minutes if it's not to feed her," Wanda replied to her wife.

"You don't let us carry her for long either. I don't think any of us have held her for more than a minute," Hawk added, gesturing to herself and her sisters.

"Have you carried her?" Max asked indignantly.

"We haven't!" Kiernan added with a pout.

"You held her for a couple of seconds when she was born, remember?" Natasha said to her youngest daughters present. Kiernan and Max were ten and nine years old, obviously they wouldn't be allowed to carry their newborn sister on their own, or at least not without assistance.

"But you were holding her!" Max complained.

"I was helping you hold her, pretty different," Natasha replied, but that response didn't please her little ones. "How about when Lizzie turns one month old, I help you hold her for a couple of minutes?" she tried to negotiate.

Kiernan and Max thought about the proposal their mom had made.

"You still can't hold her on your own. If I were you, I would accept the deal your мама is offering," Wanda advised her daughters.

The two sisters exchanged glances, agreeing to a compromise between them.

"We accept," Max said on behalf of both of them. Natasha smiled at them. "But it will be for more than five minutes."

"Deal," Natasha accepted the condition with a proud smile.

"Can we also hold her for more than five minutes?" Hawk asked on behalf of the rest of her sisters.

"Yes, we also want to hold our little sestra," Billy seconded her sister. "Right, Tom?" she asked her twin, but Tommy didn't respond. "Tom?" she insisted when she saw her sister still not answering. "Thomasine!" that caught Tommy's attention.

"Uh... yeah, sure," Tommy muttered, trying to sound normal and hide the knot that had formed in her throat. This was after having watched a certain scene from a distance.

"Don't count me in on that. I'm fine the way we are," Alex replied. She wasn't a big fan of carrying or taking care of babies, so the deal her sisters were trying to make wasn't something that really suited her. She preferred watching someone else hold the baby.

"I'm not here for much time, and when I am, I also want to hold her for more than five minutes," Anya Yelena joined the rest of her sisters. She might feel displaced and a little jealous of her younger sister, but that didn't mean she didn't love her and want to spend time with her.

"So?" Hawk persisted with Natasha when she remained silent.

"Fine, everyone can hold her for longer," Natasha muttered, finally giving in. It was very difficult to say no to one of her daughters, but when they teamed up, it was impossible for her to deny them anything.

Wanda smiled before planting a gentle kiss on her wife's cheek. She understood perfectly why Natasha was the way she was. For years, Natasha thought she could never have a family, but now she does, and there's nothing she loves more than that. Her daughters are her strength and her weakness. After seven daughters ranging from almost eighteen to ten years old, both of them knew that time passed by quickly and they had to make the most of it. That's why they rarely ever parted from Lizzie, especially Natasha. They wanted to cherish every moment as much as possible, knowing that she would be their last baby and they would now have to wait to become grandmothers. Of course, they hoped that would happen much later, at least in about fifteen years. But what they didn't know was that in nine years, Tommy would give them a big surprise, along with another one of the families present that night.

"Am I included in the deal too, тетя (aunt) Nat?" Maggy asked. Natasha turned to her with a serious look, causing Maggy to regret asking.

"Don't you have enough of taking Hawk away from me? Now you want to take away my little Lizzie too?" Natasha said, 'jokingly'. Hawk rolled her eyes at her mom's remark, while Maggy adopted a 'uh-oh, freeze' mood. Meanwhile, the rest of the Romanoff sisters teased Maggy, especially Anya. On the other hand, Wanda moved closer to her wife. She needed Natasha to feel her presence and calm down. It worked, as a sideways smile appeared on Natasha's face, completely relaxing Maggy. "Of course, you're also included in the deal, Maggy. I wouldn't say no to my favorite future daughter-in-law," she added with a faint smile, no longer a sideways one.

Both Hawk and Maggy smiled back at her. Hawk was happy that her mother liked and got along so well with her girlfriend. Maggy smiled for the same reason, grateful that Natasha never gave her a hard time for dating her daughter. Wanda kissed her wife's cheek, proud of what she had just done.

"Favorite? Like Maggy even has any competition right now," Anya teased, causing laughter among her sisters.

"Thank the creators," Natasha muttered, truly grateful. Once again, the Romanoff sisters laughed. Wanda rolled her eyes playfully, knowing that her wife had endured a lot in just a couple of minutes.

Natasha could easily accept Hawk and Maggy's relationship, but that didn't mean she wasn't still overprotective of her family. She didn't put up a fight about Hawk and Maggy because she had known Maggy since she was in Maria's womb. She knew Maggy was an incredible girl, with a personality and character that combined the best qualities of both Maria and Sharon. Natasha had watched her daughter grow up alongside Maggy, seeing them go from friends to falling in love with each other. The love between the two girls was undeniable. Not to mention, Maggy treated her daughter like a queen. What more could Natasha ask for her daughter? Sure, it was a little strange that one of her daughters was dating the daughter of two of her exes... but well, the jokes were endless. Perhaps the happy ending that Natasha didn't find with Maria or Sharon would be found through her daughters. Either way, Natasha was happy that one of her daugthers was dating someone as wonderful as Maggy Carter-Hill.

But well, Natasha accepting one of her daughters' relationships without any issues only applied to Maggy so far. Over two years ago, the same didn't happen when Anya started dating Harry Pym-Van Dyne. The couple lasted only a couple of months before returning to being the good friends they had always been. But when Natasha noticed her firstborn developing a romantic interest in Harry, it was probably one of the worst moments of her life. She then realized that Harry also had feelings for her daughter, something she didn't appreciate either.

When Anya and Harry announced their relationship, that was the moment when Natasha decided to have a serious conversation with Harry. The boy expected nothing less, having grown up hearing stories about the various 'talks' Natasha had given Kate when she started courting Yelena; so obviously, he saw it coming. Luckily for Harry, Natasha only spoke to him, after all, she had known him all her life. Of course, Natasha wasn't the only one to have that kind of conversation with him. Both James and Hawk also gave him the 'if you break my sister's heart, I'll break your face' talk.

That was something that also gave Natasha peace of mind, knowing that James and Hawk would protect Anya. It's not that Anya couldn't protect herself, after all, she had most of Wanda's powers plus the pyrokinesis she inherited from her late aunt Anya Maximoff, but still, Anya had something about her that made you want to protect her.

That undoubtedly was one of the factors that didn't favor Natasha's acceptance of her firstborn's relationship with the heir to the Pym empire, but it was also evident that neither of them seemed truly in love. They liked each other, that was undeniable. But they didn't have that deep connection of a couple; they were just a pair of best friends who liked each other and tried to be something more.

Harry was a good guy, but he wasn't the right one for her little girl. Even so, Harry was very lucky to have survived Natasha Romanoff, especially after she and her wife found him with Anya in his room doing something no mother or father wants to see their children doing. Harry was fortunate to have his suit at hand to shrink and avoid being killed by Natasha in that moment.

Obviously, after this incident, Natasha, Wanda, Scott, and Hope had a couple of conversations with the couple. What they were doing wasn't wrong, but rules definitely needed to be set to ensure they wouldn't find themselves in a similar situation again.

In short, Natasha didn't take Anya's relationship with Harry very well, but she tolerated it. After the couple broke up, Anya decided that relationships weren't her thing and that she preferred the adventures of one or a couple of nights. Many teased Natasha and told her that it was her karma, even Wanda teased her wife about it.

Watching her daughters grow up was a torment for Natasha, but she understood that it was something normal and that it had to happen sooner or later. Fortunately for her, so far only Anya and Hawk had started their romantic lives. But she knew it was only a matter of time before Tommy and Billy followed suit. After all, they had just turned fifteen, the same age Anya and Hawk were when they started their respective relationships.

This last fact raised more alarms for both Natasha and Wanda, as it would be the first time they would deal with a particular situation. When Anya started dating Harry, they had the 'birds and the bees' talk, along with an extensive conversation about contraceptive methods to prevent pregnancy. When it was Hawk's turn, the conversation was different since she was dating Maggy, and there was no risk of either of them getting pregnant. Anya received multiple talks to ensure she had information on how to take care of herself to prevent pregnancy, while both of them received the talk on how to protect themselves from STDs and STIs. What they didn't receive was the 'widows and the bees' talk. Anya, Hawk, and Lizzie were born without the effects of the serum that would make them capable of get another woman pregnant, so that kind of conversation was completely irrelevant. But they definitely needed to have that talk with their other five daughters, starting with Tommy and Billy. This was undoubtedly more complicated because they not only had to teach them how to prevent pregnancy but also how to protect themselves from causing pregnancy. In other words, the possibilities of teenage pregnancy multiplied, so they had to be more careful with their daughters and provide them with as much advice, help, and information as possible.

In the end, the Romanoff family was quite a case. But even more impressive was the fact that the family that started with just one person had now grown to practically eleven and counting. With eight daughters, the family would continue to expand in the coming years... something that would undoubtedly be fun to witness.


The Rogers family was eagerly awaiting the arrival of one of their members. Steve and Bucky were counting down the days to see their eldest son. The rest of the Rogers family was also excited to see their older brother, especially the triplets, who saw James as their hero.

As soon as James got out of the car, he felt the impact of three small bodies colliding with his.

"I missed you so much, Jimmy," Sarah said amidst the hug.

"I missed you more," Georgie chimed in.

"No, I missed him more!" Buck exclaimed while hugging his older brother tightly.

James just laughed and hugged his younger siblings even tighter.

"I missed you all too, soldiers," James said, hugging them tightly.

When the triplets finally let go, James made his way to greet his parents. Before reaching Steve and Bucky, James passed by his brother Carter, who was still hugging Morgan.

"Good to see you, bro," James said, giving Carter a pat on the shoulder as he passed by. He didn't get a response from his brother but got one from Morgan.

"Get lost, James."

James didn't say anything, he just smiled and shook his head. Morgan might be a true Stark, but he genuinely liked the couple she and his brother made. Morgan would do anything for Carter, and vice versa. They were definitely a beautiful couple.

"I'm glad you could make it, son," Steve said before hugging his eldest.

"Same here, Dad," James replied, already in the midst of the embrace.

Once their hug ended, James proceeded to greet his other father.

"Папа (Papa)."

"Мой мальчик (My boy)."

They said to each other with smiles before embracing.

The Jameses shared more than just a name; they were very similar in character and also in appearance. Moreover, Bucky's past with Hydra and the origin of James Jr. was something that further bonded them as father and son. They shared a past that only they could truly understand. Although James was just a baby when he was rescued from Hydra by Natasha and Yelena, it's not easy to live knowing the origin of your existence, as well as the plans and life that were intended for you. It's a mark that stays with you for a lifetime.

Since last fall, families with children in college had started a new tradition. Whenever their kids returned, each family would gather at their home to have dinner and celebrate being together as a family, as well as to make up for lost time.

This tradition was obviously followed by the Rogers as well.

"Do you think he'll stay for dinner?" James asked his parents with a teasing tone, pointing at Carter, who was still holding onto Morgan. Steve chuckled softly, while Bucky muttered under his breath, "Starks and their fondness for Rogers."

"He didn't say anything," Steve replied to his son, although the answer was more than obvious.

"We have a tradition. His brother also came back home, and we always have dinner together. He can't break the tradition," Bucky mumbled, not very pleased.

Steve smiled, lowering his gaze. If anyone understood Wanda, it was Steve. Bucky and Natasha were very similar when it came to being protective of their families. Moreover, in Bucky's case, he didn't quite like the idea of his little Carter dating Stark's eldest daughter. Still, he supported his son in his decisions, especially because he saw how happy he was with Morgan.

"Don't worry, Daddy. If Car leaves, we'll still stay for dinner," Georgie told Bucky.

"Yeah, we'll never leave," Sarah seconded her triplet.

"Or at least not anytime soon," Buck added with a playful smile.

Bucky smiled at his younger children before embracing them by the shoulders.

"So, who's ready to go for dinner?" Steve asked his family. The triplets instantly shouted, "MEEEE!" and James joined in with a "Meee!"

"Perfect, now we just have to wait for everyone to finish greeting each other so we can leave," Bucky mentioned. Not so much because Carter was still clinging to Morgan, but because the rest of the families were still exchanging greetings.

"It's going to be a long night," James murmured to himself more than to the rest of his family.


Not far from where the Rogers were, the Pym-Van Dyne family was also present.

Scott embraced his son as soon as he was close enough to do so. While hugging him, he expressed how much he missed his youngest child. Meanwhile, Hope watched the scene with a huge smile on her face. One of the things that had enamored Hope was seeing the excellent and loving father that Scott was. Although she thought she couldn't love her husband more, destiny proved her wrong. While Scott was a very affectionate, loving father who would do anything for his children, he was twice that with his granddaughters. Hope definitely couldn't have found a better partner to share her life with.

After a couple of minutes, Scott finally let go of his son to allow his wife to embrace him too.

"I missed you so much, peanut," Hope said to her son.

"I missed you too, Mom," Harry replied to his mother.

Shortly after, they separated from the hug.

"How was the trip?" Scott asked.

Upon hearing his father's question, Harry immediately turned to look for Nate. When he saw him, he silently watched him for a few seconds. Nate felt like someone was looking at him and when he realized it was Harry, he smiled at him from a distance. Harry automatically smiled back.

Hope observed the whole scene and smiled when she noticed the exchange of glances and smiles between her son and the youngest Barton. She had already noticed that Harry had a crush on Nate, but that night she discovered that her son's feelings were reciprocated. Her motherly instinct wanted to capture the moment, but she restrained herself from doing so.

Meanwhile, Scott had noticed that his son wasn't paying attention to them, but he hadn't realized why.

"Harry?" Scott called out to his son to bring him back from his own world. "Son? Harry?!"

The last comment made Harry snap back to his parents.

"Uh... sorry, what were you saying?" Harry responded after clearing his throat and trying to hide the slight blush on his face. Although it was nighttime, the latter wasn't a problem.

"About the trip, how was it?" Scott reminded his son.

"Oh... yeah, the trip," Harry murmured, recalling what his father had said before his mind drifted to where Nate was. "It was fine, the usual."

"I bet it was," Hope said, still smiling. She didn't bring up what she had just discovered; she would wait for Harry to tell them everything in his own time.

"Yeah, everything was normal..." Harry replied, trying to sound as normal as possible and ignoring the progress he had made with Nate on that trip. It might not have been much, but Harry was beginning to believe that he had a chance with Nate, and that was a significant step for him. "So, where are we having dinner tonight?" he asked, changing the subject.

"At your sister's house," Hope replied.

"Please tell me that neither she nor Robin took care of the dinner," Harry muttered worriedly, causing his parents to laugh upon hearing him.

Anyone who says that in a perfect couple, there must always be one who can't cook and one who can, clearly didn't know Cassie and Robin. They were one of the best couples that most people knew, truly having a beautiful relationship that no one could deny. But what was also undeniable was that both of them were a disaster in the kitchen. Whenever one of them tried to cook, it simply went wrong. And when both of them attempted to cook together... well, it turned out even worse.

"Don't worry, they said they would order pizzas," Scott reassured him. Harry sighed in relief.

"Thanks Odin," Harry muttered gratefully. "Odin knows I love them both, but I can't tolerate another dinner made by them. I'd rather drink essence from a creature in the quantum realm than eat one of their recipes again."

"They don't cook that badly..." Hope tried to defend the Langs. Scott raised an eyebrow, even he agreed with their son.

"The last time, they burned the lasagna we were going to have for dinner," Harry commented.

"Anyone can make a mistake," Hope insisted.

"Yes, but they didn't even make it. They bought the lasagna and burned it while trying to reheat it," Harry reminded his mother.

"And we ended up having cereal, not that I'm complaining," Scott added.

"Well, the important thing is that this time we'll have pizzas, and no one will try to reheat them," Hope said, giving up. She couldn't defend the indefensible any longer.

"Besides, Stacey said she would personally make sure her moms didn't attempt to reheat the pizzas," Scott added, amused by the indignant look on Cassie and Robin's faces when they heard their oldest daughter's declaration. "With Stacey in charge, I'd say our dinner is more than safe."

"And if not, we can always travel to the quantum realm for dinner," Harry joked, referring to the first time the family gathered to celebrate his return from college. Scott and Hope didn't find it funny, as it hadn't been a very pleasant experience for them. "Still too soon for that kind of joke?" His parents nodded slowly. "Okay... let's just go."

"Yes, better."

"That's exactly what I was going to say."


A few meters away from the Pym-Van Dyne family, Clint and Laura were receiving their youngest son with open arms. Nate hugged his parents at the same time, and they held him tightly.

"We missed you so much, Nate," Laura whispered in the midst of the embrace.

"Yeah, we've been missing our little boy," Clint added.

"I missed you too, ancestors," Nate joked, but he stopped when he felt a light tap on his arm. "Ouch! Just kidding," he added, still amused, as he pulled away from the hug. His parents watched him with smiles.

"How was the trip?" Clint was the first to ask.

"Everything went smoothly?" Laura added.

"Yeah, it was fun," Nate replied with a smile. "So, what's the plan for tonight?"

"We're having dinner at the Bishop's," Laura answered with a smile. "You know, to celebrate the twins' birthday and Lena's upcoming birthday."

"Lena said she'll make your favorite cake," Clint added, chuckling. Nate's eyes lit up with joy.

"That's why she's my favorite SIL"

Clint and Laura chuckled quietly.

"You can only say that tonight, your brother and Stella won't arrive until tomorrow," Clint told him.

"Same goes for Lila," Laura added.

"Great, that means there'll be more cake for me," Nate joked.

"Hah! Good luck with that," Laura said with a hint of doubt. Nate looked at her puzzled. "Remember that Talya and Katy also love that cake, so... you might have to fight for it again."

"That's if they haven't eaten it all by the time we get there," Clint added in the same vein.

"Damn it," Nate muttered under his breath.

"Don't curse in front of your parents, young man," Clint scolded him.

"I think someone has been spending too much time with Uncle Steve," Nate teased, which made his mother laugh. Clint turned to her indignantly.

"Unbelievable, my own wife," Clint muttered dramatically. Laura rolled her eyes playfully before hugging her husband. Clint wrapped his arm around her waist.

Nate watched them with a smile. He had always admired the love his parents had for each other, the way they were so happy just being together. That was the kind of relationship he aspired to have someday.

But the feeling of a gaze pulled Nate out of his thoughts. When he turned to see what it was, his smile only widened as he noticed Harry looking at him from a distance. In an instant, the world ceased to exist around him, and in that moment, there was only Harry and him. A warm sensation passed through Nate's stomach and heart. He had never felt anything like this before... It was only a couple of seconds, but it was enough for him to have a strong revelation.

"It's him..." Nate thought as he stared into those blue eyes he had been adoring for a while.

"Nathaniel!" Clint called out for the fifth time, finally managing to capture his son's attention.

"Uh... what were you saying?" Nate murmured, confused. He didn't realize how lost he had been in that time when the rest of the world had disappeared for him.

"I was talking to you for a while. What were you thinking about?" Clint asked, quite puzzled.

"An ant," Laura replied, complicit. Nate blushed slightly, not expecting his mother to notice that detail. On the other hand, Clint looked at her without understanding what she meant.

"An ant?" Clint inquired, very confused.

"I'll explain later, honey," Laura replied, amused. Clint had experienced similar situations with Kate, Cooper, Lila, and still didn't notice these kinds of things. Some things never change, it seems.

"So, who else will be at the dinner?" Nate said, changing the subject. He didn't feel ready yet to talk to his parents about his crush on Harry Pym-Van Dyne. Maybe that would be a conversation for the next time he came back from collage, but not now.

"Just us, the Romanoffs, and, well, the Bishops," Laura replied with a maternal smile. She completely understood her son's behavior and respected his decision not to say anything yet.

"Oh, great!" Nate complained. "Now I'll have to fight Anya for the cake too!"

"Damn, right!" Anya responded from a distance.

Nate pouted. It was his favorite cake, and now he would have to fight his cousin and two of his nieces for it. Life didn't seem very fair at that moment. Luckily for him, Yelena had prepared enough cake for her four favorite cake devouring monsters. Yes, she was definitely the favorite aunt for more than one of them.


Minutes later, Anya, James, Harry, and Nate had greeted their family and the other guests. However, they deliberately ignored Carter, who was still tightly embracing Morgan. This action clearly didn't sit well with Tony.

The young couple remained locked in each other's arms as they discussed their plans for the evening. Morgan suggested that they both skip their respective family dinners and go on an impromptu date. Carter hesitated for a moment, as he was someone who liked to follow customs and traditions, but eventually, he agreed to his girlfriend's proposal.

As they continued with their private conversation, Tony watched the scene as if he were about to ask Friday to launch a missile at Carter.

The Rogers and the rest of the Stark family fully understood the behavior of the young couple. They had been apart for a long time and naturally missed each other's company. Although, in reality, they had seen each other just ten days ago when Carter surprised Morgan at MIT to spend Valentine's Day together. And before that, they had seen each other on February 3rd when all the college students returned to New York for the birth of the latest addition to the Romanoff family. They may have seen each other a couple of times that month, but for them, it still felt like a significant amount of time apart. Everyone understood this, as it was the nature of young love.

Tony rolled his eyes for the fifth time that evening, clearly showing his displeasure with the scene being played out by his daughter and "Capsicle Jr." Fortunately for Tony, Carter wasn't kissing Morgan in front of their parents or hers; otherwise, nothing could contain Tony Stark's dramatic reaction.

Tony dramatized, saying, "Instead of coming to greet his parents and sister, he decides to spend half an hour clinging to him."

More than one person rolled their eyes upon hearing him.

"They're in love, it's understandable that they behave like that," Steve tried to reason.

"Thiy'ri in livi," Tony muttered, trying to imitate Steve. Steve just shook his head, amused.

Tony Stark would never change.

On the Romanoff side, two of the members watched the scene between the couple with sadness.

"Well, it's friday night, that means party time," Anya said, clapping her hands to get the attention of her friends. She needed a distraction from thinking about Morgan and Carter's love scene. "Who's in?"

"I am." Tommy was the first to respond, for the same reason that her older sister had suggested going to a party. She wanted to distract her heart.

"You're not going to any party with Anya, Thomasine," Wanda told her daughter, who quickly crossed her arms, annoyed.

"And you're not going either, Anya Yelena," Natasha told her daughter.

"Party? Where?" Hawk asked her sister just before she was about to protest.

Anya may be the older sister, but it was Hawk who really fulfilled the role of the protective older sister, a true daughter of Natasha and Wanda. So Hawk knew that if she showed interest in the party, Natasha would let them go. Maybe Wanda wouldn't let Tommy go, but at least Anya and Hawk would be allowed.

"Do you remember the guy I met at Christmas?" Anya responded with a smile that hinted at what had happened with that guy.

"Which one?" Hawk replied teasingly. Anya smiled knowingly.

"Ethan."

"The one driving a blue Charger?" Maggy joined the conversation, trying to remember the guy her friend had been with during the Christmas break.

"Wasn't his name Jake?" Harry asked, confused, also joining the conversation.

"No, Jake was the football player," Nate added, "Not bad, cousin," he complimented. Clint rolled his eyes upon hearing his younger son's comment.

"None of those is Ethan," Anya muttered a little indignantly.

"No, Ethan is the jerk who's the mayor's son," James saidd seriously. He didn't like that guy at all. Ethan was a bit of a jerk, a womanizer who felt untouchable. He was somewhat of a stereotype of a politician's son.

"That's Ethan!" Anya exclaimed, grateful that at least one of her friends remembered all the guys she had been with perfectly. "He told me there's a party tonight at his cabin up north. Maybe it's a good plan for later."

"You're NOT going to that party, Anya Yelena." Natasha saidd once she was able to compose herself after hearing the whole conversation. Her firstborn was definitely her karma.

"Why not? It's friday night!" Anya complained.

"Because we already have family plans. We're having a big family dinner for your sisters' and your godmother's birthday," Natasha replied.

"I can go to the party after dinner. There's time for everything," Anya tried to convince her mom.

"You can discuss that after dinner, which we should be going to now," Wanda said. Natasha sighed and nodded, agreeing with her wife. "Ann?" The eldest Romanoff also nodded with a faint smile. She knew that was just a way of saying she would indeed go to the party.

Wanda always managed to convince Natasha to let their daughters go to parties. Of course, sometimes Anya didn't even inform them and only returned the next day, but that's another story.

"We won't be going to the party. We have a pending date," Morgan said with a smile once she separated from Carter. No one had noticed that the scene had already ended.

"Yeah, what she said," Carter added, wrapping his arm around Morgan's waist.

Tommy rolled her eyes with visible displeasure, while Anya simply looked away so that no one would notice the pain in her eyes. Wanda noticed the reactions of her two daughters, and many things started to make sense. A knot formed in her chest as she saw her daughters suffer from heartache, especially realizing that her little Tommy wasn't so little anymore. This last realization also worried her, and she knew she had to tell Natasha that they needed to have a talk with the twins as soon as possible.

"With whose permission?" Tony complained to Morgan, who hadn't even greeted them before saying she wouldn't have dinner with them.

"With mine, bye!" Morgan waved goodbye before getting back into her car.

More than one person covered their mouths to hold back laughter, although it was difficult, especially seeing Tony's indignant expression. Even Pepper found the situation amusing.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Tony," Carter apologized on behalf of his girlfriend. "I'll be back later." He looked at his parents, who gave him a faint smile.

"Have fun," Bucky told his son.

"Take care," Steve added. Carter nodded with a smile before getting into his girlfriend's Audi.

"Yeah, have a good time! No need to say hi to your best friend!" Hawk said sarcastically but with amusement.

"Hi and bye, Hawkie!" Morgan replied, blowing a kiss with her hand. Hawk smiled and responded by sticking her middle finger up.

While the best friends had their interaction, Carter got into the car. Morgan accelerated once she finished fastening her seatbelt, but not before waving a general goodbye.

"See ya, family!" Morgan called out as she passed by where everyone was gathered. Pepper bid her farewell with a smile.

"Have fun, kids!" Pepper said, causing Tony to look at her indignantly. She was supposed to be on his side, not Morgan's.

"Bye, Moggy!" Arno said, bidding farewell to his sister.

"See you tomorrow, squirt!" Morgan shouted to her sister before disappearing.

"Tomorrow?!" Tony exclaimed in alarm, but he didn't receive a response from his daughter. What he did get, though, were taunts from his friends.

"Relax, she's just joking," Pepper tried to calm her husband.

"Relax?! She's my daughter!" Tony exclaimed again. "If she wants, she won't come back all weekend!"

"Oh no..." Pepper murmured, rubbing her temples. Tony was right; in some ways, Morgan could be even worse than her own father.

"She'll be with Carter, and they won't come back later than eleven," Steve tried to reassure both of them. It worked for Pepper, but not for the dramatic Tony.

"This is your fault, Rogers!"

"How can it be my fault?" Steve asked, confused.

"Yeah! How can it be his fault?" Scott chimed in, siding with Steve.

"Scott, no," Hope whispered to her husband.

"Oh, fine," Scott complained. No matter how much recognition he had as an Avenger, he would always be a fan of Captain Steve Rogers.

"Leave my husband alone, Stark." Bucky said, also intervening on Steve's behalf.

"It's also your fault, Rasputin." Tony retorted, annoyed.

"How can it be our fault?" Steve asked again, perplexed.

"You decided to have Capsicle Jr, because of you, my daughter is abandoning us!"

Once again, more than one person rolled their eyes at Tony's words.

"If you want to blame someone, blame yourself and your genes, Stark." Bucky said, completely serious.

The moment would have become tense if it weren't for the loud laughter that escaped Pepper. Everyone turned their attention to her, especially her husband.

"Oh, Tony," Pepper said amidst laughter. "Three generations of Starks support his comment, you can't deny it."

Once again, the rest joined in laughter. Tony rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Anyway, I'm leaving," Tony announced to everyone before turning around, but not without glancing at his youngest daughter. "Ice cream buffet and a princess movie marathon?"

"Yes!" Arno instantly replied with a smile on her face. Tony smiled back at her.

Perhaps Tony had already "lost" his eldest daughter, but he still had his little girl, not to mention his three grandchildren thanks to Peter.

"In that case, let's go," Tony replied. "We need to stop by Toni, Mayry, and Mitch before getting the ice cream."

"Yes, even more fun!" Arno exclaimed excitedly.

"And am I invited to these plans?" Pepper asked both her husband and her daughter. Tony turned to her with mock surprise.

"Oh, now you're on board?"

Now it was Pepper's turn to roll her eyes.

"Ugh, straight drama," Hawk complained under her breath.

"Anyway, time to go," Wanda said to her family and the Bartons, who were also joining them for dinner at the Bishop's house.

"Great, I'm starving," Nate mentioned, touching his stomach. Many agreed with him. "I wonder, what will we have for dinner?"

"Considering that we're celebrating the twins' birthday, тетя Lena's birthday, and your and Ann's return, I suppose it will be a buffet," Hawk replied.

"Oh, so there will be chicken paprikash, yes!" Anya cheered. She knew her godmother would prepare her favorite dish.

"I guess someone won't want to go to the party anymore," Nate teased.

"What? The party is still happening, that hasn't changed," Anya instantly replied. "Dinner is just to gather energy for later," she added with a smile and a knowing wink. Nate laughed at his cousin's response.

"Yeah, that makes sense," Nate replied, amused.

"No one will go to that party!" Natasha exclaimed. Wanda shook her head, just like Hawk.

"You're not helping yourself, sis," Hawk whispered to her sister, still shaking her head.

"We better leave now," Laura said.

"Yes, time to go," Clint added before starting to walk.

"Whatever, that doesn't change the fact that my daughters won't go to that party." Natasha said seriously.

Spoiler alert: In the end, they DID go to the party.


While the Stark family was the first to arrive, they weren't the only ones who decided to come early.

Punctuality was one of the many values highly appreciated by the Rogers family, which is why they arrived just a couple of minutes after the Starks. Steve and Bucky arrived hand in hand, accompanied by their children James, Buck, Sarah, and Georgie.

As soon as the triplets arrived, they ran together with Arno towards the area designated for the not-so-little ones. Unfortunately for James, he had to stay with his parents and the Starks. Normally, that wouldn't have been a problem, but Tony was still being a drama queen and blaming both Steve and Bucky for Morgan not being there, so the atmosphere was somewhat uncomfortable.

Fortunately for James (and everyone else), the Romanoff family didn't take long to arrive. Natasha came with her newborn in her arms, with Wanda walking beside them, along with their army of daughters who also walked alongside them.

"And Hawk?" Steve asked the Romanoffs once they finished exchanging greetings.

Kiernan and Max took the opportunity to go join Arno and the Rogers triplets.

"She went out with Maggy," Natasha casually replied while gently rocking Lizzie, who had become restless after hearing the noise.

"They said they would come directly here, they'll probably arrive soon," Wanda added.

Before the Romanoffs could ask about Morgan or Carter, James nodded to Anya, signaling for them to leave and wait for the rest of their friends elsewhere.

"Are you coming?" Anya asked the twins.

Usually, the twins didn't hang out much with their older sisters and their friends, but now they were older than the others and might feel more comfortable with the "big kids". Besides, Anya and Tommy had grown closer since they both suffered from the same heartache.

"Yeah, let's go," Tommy quickly replied.

"I'll pass. I think I'll stay with Alex and keep her company until the rest arrive," Billy answered, feeling a bit shy and nervous.

"Are you sure?" Anya asked, confused by her sister's response. It was rare for the twins to be apart. But Billy nodded in response to her older sister.

"Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find us," James added with a polite smile. Billy blushed slightly.

"Y-yeah, I'll keep that in mind," Billy mumbled, feeling more nervous and avoiding eye contact so that no one would notice her slight blush. No one did, except for her twin because she already knew about Billy's crush on James Rogers. "T-thank you, James," she added in the same manner. Tommy rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, let's go," Tommy saidd before starting to walk towards the place where her sister and their friends usually gathered.

"Alex, let's go," Billy said to her younger sister. Alex didn't say anything, she just followed her sister who had already started walking.

Billy paused for a moment just to look back at where her sisters and James were heading. Witnessing James, Billy couldn't help but release a sigh.

"You need to be more discreet, sestra," Alex said to her sister, who turned to her in surprise. Billy certainly didn't expect that comment from her twelve-year-old sister.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Billy tried to play it off before continuing her walk.

"About you and your obvious feelings for James," Alex replied matter-of-factly. Billy knew there was no point in denying it anymore, apparently it was too obvious for her little sister.

"Do I show it that much?" Billy asked with fear, the last thing she wanted was for everyone to know about her feelings for James. Especially Hawk, Anya, her mom Natasha, or James himself; she wouldn't know what to do if they found out.

"At least it was very obvious to Talya and me," Alex answered, shrugging her shoulders. Billy came to a sudden stop upon hearing that, causing Alex to stop walking as well.

"Talya knows too?" Billy asked terrified, that wasn't good news. Now she feared that Talya would shoot arrows at her or, worse, that Talya would accidentally let something slip.

"Yes, she was the one who told me, and I confirmed it today," Alex replied, somewhat amused by her sister's reaction, imagining what Billy was surely thinking. "Don't worry, she won't shoot you or tell anyone. At least not for now," she added in the same manner.

Both sisters resumed their walk.

"How does Talya even notice those kinds of things?" Billy muttered, still somewhat amazed. Alex shrugged before answering.

"I don't know, but she's never wrong."

"I know, it's almost like she's not тетя Lena's daughter."

Alex burst into laughter, and so did Billy.

"I think Talya will be the only one to truly live up to the 'Hawkeye' name," Alex remarked once she stopped laughing. Her sister agreed.

Ironically, Talya will have an excellent "hawk-eye" for noticing everyone else's feelings, except her own.


The guests continued to arrive at the party. The next ones to arrive were Carol and Valkyrie, who were attending the Avengers' Valentine's Day party for the fifth time as a couple. It didn't surprise many when the couple announced that they were together, considering that both women had painfully lost their previous partners, something that undoubtedly brought them closer. Although getting together was not easy, especially for Carol. Monica was of great help in encouraging her mom to give love another chance, and that was something Carol would always be grateful to her daughter for. Valkyrie was an amazing partner and was like another grandmother to Carol's grandchildren, a very cool grandma. In short, the two had found love again and were happy they did. Now they couldn't imagine their lives without each other.

Almost immediately after the couple arrived, they were followed by the Khan family. Kamala entered alongside her husband Kamran, who was pushing the stroller with their nearly one-year-old daughter, Aisha. The couple greeted everyone before joining Carol and Valkyrie to wait for the rest of the former "Young Avengers" to arrive.

Fortunately for the Khans, Shuri made her entrance a few minutes later. She arrived with all the flow that a cool, hot, single, and rich aunt should have.

It almost seemed like the former YA had coordinated the time of their arrival because just minutes after Shuri arrived, the Lang family made their appearance. Robin had Cassie's waist wrapped with her right arm while holding Rory's hand with her left hand. Rory, their younger daughter of five years old, walked alongside them, while Stacey walked beside her mother, Cassie. As soon as they finished greeting everyone, Stacey ran off to join her friends. Rory had to stay with her mothers since her friends had not arrived yet, so she would have to wait until the Bishop or Parker family arrived.

The next family to arrive was the Dane family. Lorna arrived accompanied by Dawn, her only daughter. But as soon as Dawn saw Shuri, she ran up to hug her, as Shuri was like another mother to the little girl.

"Auntie Shuri!" Dawn exclaimed before embracing Shuri.

"Dawnie!" Shuri said, hugging her favorite niece.

"I missed you so much, umama (mom)," Dawn told Shuri, who held her tighter upon hearing the endearing term. It wasn't new for Dawn to call her that, but the feeling was always like the first time.

"I missed you more, encini (little one)," Shuri replied.

Several people watched the scene with smiles on their faces, especially Lorna. Although she and Shuri had never had anything more than a platonic friendship, her heart melted every time she witnessed these moments.

"I bet you that within two years, your sister and Shuri finally give each other a chance," Natasha whispered to her wife.

"Mm, I'm not sure," Wanda replied after a couple of seconds. "Polly keeps saying they're just platonic friends, with a capital 'P'."

Natasha chuckled before responding.

"That's what I used to say."

Wanda looked at her seriously, not very pleased with her wife's comment.

"What I mean is, maybe they're just afraid to admit they like each other," Natasha tried to amend what she had said.

"Maybe."

Ten years ago, it was impossible to think that Lorna and Shuri could have something more, but now... well, only time will tell.

Finally, it was time for the oldies to arrive at the party. Thor arrived hand in hand with his wife Jane, both of them beaming with happiness. They were incredibly excited and eager to reveal the reason for their immense joy.

It seemed to be the turn for the childless couples to arrive, as the next couple to arrive was América and Kamar Chávez-Wong. After attending for thirteen years as girlfriends, this was the first year that the young couple attended the Valentine's Day party as wives. Undoubtedly, a special occasion for them.

Following the newly married couple, Stephen Strange and his wife Christine Palmer (for the past eight years) arrived. Initially, the couple had planned to decline the invitation this year in favor of going on a cruise vacation, but in the end, they decided to attend because it would be América and Kamar's first year as wives. Stephen wouldn't miss that special moment with his only daughter, and certainly, neither would Christine.

Once the single couples finished arriving, it was the turn of the longest-standing married couples to arrive. The Wilson family made their entrance several minutes after the Stranges. Helmut and Sam arrived arm in arm, while their children, twelve-year-old Zemo and eight-year-old Lucas, walked ahead of them. As soon as they reached the others, each child ran off to join their respective friends.

Almost instantly, the Carter-Hill family also arrived at the party. They were usually one of the first families to arrive, but with a ten-year-old son and a nine-year-old daughter, time became a bit challenging to manage. The family arrived almost complete, with only Sharon and Maria's eldest daughter missing. Nonetheless, the family was very happy, especially because it was the fifth year that the family was complete. It's not that their family wasn't complete before, they just didn't know they were missing one more member. Luckily for all of them, Oliver joined their family at the age of four almost six years ago. Now, it was impossible for any of them to imagine what their family was like before Oliver Mahoe, now Oliver Carter-Hill, came into their lives.

Not long after the Carter-Hill family's arrival, another one of the cool and favorite aunts, Darcy Lewis, showed up. Usually, Darcy would have declined the invitation, but that year she accepted to go solely because of the announcement that Jane and Thor would make. She was the only one who knew what it was about, so she couldn't decline the invitation in order to accompany her friends during that important moment.

Several minutes later, the Pym-Van Dyne family arrived. The family would have arrived much earlier, but Harry took a long time choosing his outfit for the evening. Scott didn't understand why his son was taking so long, but he patiently waited for him to finish. Hope approached her son and advised him to wear whatever clothes he felt most comfortable in and that he liked, because if he felt comfortable and confident in himself, that would be the impression he would give to everyone, especially Nate. Finally, Harry was able to choose his outfit, and the family could head to the party.

Finally, the last family of the former Young Avengers arrived: the Parker family. MJ held the hand of their five-year-old daughter, Mayry. Peter carried their two-year-old son, Mitch, in his arms and had his eight-year-old daughter, Toni, by his side, with his free hand around her shoulders. After greeting everyone (especially their grandparents, Tony and Pepper), Toni went off to join the rest of her friends. Mayry, on the other hand, stayed with Rory to wait for Leska to arrive so they could also go play in the gardens.

The Rambeau family was next to arrive. Monica and Pietro walked hand in hand, looking very happy and smiling, with the rest of their family walking alongside them. The Rambeau family was one of the few families that no longer had such young children, as Marius was almost fifteen, Vers was almost twelve, and Luna had just turned ten a couple of weeks ago. While they weren't that old, they weren't that young either. Time was flying by, so Monica and Pietro tried to enjoy as much time as possible with their family. That's precisely why they arrived later than usual—they were having races, and (literally) time flew by.

Another family that almost didn't make it to the party was the Laufeyson-dottir family. Sylvie had been away from this universe on a couple of missions, but fortunately, she arrived just in time to accompany Loki and their daughter Freya to the Valentine's Day party. Of course, as soon as they arrived at the party, Freya left her parents to join her friends.

After a lively afternoon, the Bishop family finally arrived at the party. As always, Kate entered with a big smile, proud of her family. Kate walked with her arm around Yelena's waist, and Yelena reciprocated the gesture. With her free hand, Kate also had her arm around Leska, her youngest daughter. Meanwhile, Talya carried a small basket of dahlias that her sisters, Bella and Katy, would give to their friends. It's not that her sisters couldn't carry the basket, but both of them preferred Talya to carry it for them. Talya wouldn't complain either; she would do anything for her sisters. Natalya Wandaline truly lived up to her name.

With the arrival of the Bishops, now most of the guests were present, and they could start forming their usual groups. For example, as soon as Leska arrived, she, Rory, and Mayry ran off to play in the games that were in the garden. On the other hand, Talya accompanied her sisters to where their friends were, so they could hand out the flowers they had brought.

Bella handed a dahlia to Buck, Sarah, Georgie, Kiernan, Max, Arno, Stacey, Oliver, and Looney. The latter was thrilled because her dahlia had the most purple among all the flowers, a detail she truly adored.

Meanwhile, Katy gave her dahlias to Nicky, Lucas, and the one with the least purple to Toni, who also appreciated the gesture of receiving the flower with less purple than the others.

Once her sisters finished handing out their daisies, Talya could finally join her friends. Talya's closest group of friends consisted of Zemo, Vers, Freya, Dawn, and Alex, who was also Talya's best friend and cousin.

Approximately fifteen minutes after the arrival of the Bishop family, Hawk and Maggy finally made their appearance. They first greeted their respective families before greeting the rest and heading over to where Anya, James, Harry, and Tommy were.

Finally, the Bartons were the last to arrive. They would have arrived earlier, but before coming to the party, they had gone to the airport to pick up Lila. Originally, she was supposed to arrive in the morning, but last-minute changes forced her to take a much later flight than originally planned. Fortunately, Cooper and Stella (his wife) managed to arrive around noon. They had also planned to arrive earlier, but they had to make several stops because Laurie (their one-year-old daughter) got fussy during the long road trip. But hey, the important thing was that they were all together now, and that's exactly how they arrived.

Nate was helping his brother and sister-in-law prepare a bottle for Laurie when they arrived, but Nate got distracted when he saw Harry and ended up spilling the contents of the bottle on himself. He quickly took off his shirt to clean himself up and avoid getting his pants dirty as well. Once he finished drying himself, his mom told him to go put on another shirt, to which Nate quickly complied since the weather wasn't warm enough to be shirtless outdoors.

Nate felt embarrassed for spilling the bottle on himself, so he walked away with his gaze lowered. Because of that, Nate didn't notice Harry's intense gaze on him, a gaze that looked at him in a different way, especially after he spilled the bottle and took off his shirt.

When the bottle incident happened, Harry found the scene really endearing as Nate got distracted looking at him. But when Nate took off his shirt... the gaze went from cute to a different mood in an instant. And who could blame Harry? Nate was a football player, and his well-toned abdomen, torso, and arms left much to be desired.

The whole group watched as Harry kept his gaze on Nate until he disappeared from his field of vision. They had already noticed that both Harry and Nate had feelings for each other, so it was becoming a bit frustrating for them that neither of them was taking the next step.

James couldn't take it anymore; someone had to start doing something about it.

"When are you going to do something about it, Hazz?" James asked him.

"About what?" Harry replied confused, not understanding James' question.

"About your feelings for Nate," James answered, stating the obvious. Harry blushed; he didn't expect his feelings to be so obvious to everyone else. "And don't try to act clueless, it's crystal clear."

"Yeah, especially after practically undressing him with your eyes," Anya added teasingly.

"Am I really that obvious?" Harry muttered shyly.

His question received nods and looks that said, "Bitch, are you serious?"

"Neither of you is discreet at all, Pym," Hawk chimed in.

"Even I, who usually don't hang out with you, noticed," Tommy added.

Harry blushed even more; he really thought he was more discreet than that.

"So shy and blushing now, but what about a few seconds ago?" Maggy teased her friend.

Harry blushed even more, which caused laughter among the group. Anya took pity on him and decided to steer the conversation back to the main topic.

"But seriously, are you going to make the first move, or are you going to wait for Nate to do it?" Anya asked.

Harry sighed heavily; that was an excellent question.

"I don't know... I have no problem asking him out, but it's just... isn't it too soon?" Harry muttered nervously and somewhat insecurely.

"Too soon for what?" James asked, confused.

"You know, for him," Harry responded, but he saw that no one understood what he was talking about. "It wasn't long ago that Nate broke up with his ex... isn't it too soon for him?"

"Soon? They broke up six months ago!" Anya exclaimed, slightly exasperated.

"Spending so much time in the quantum realm has affected your perception of time," Hawk added in a similar manner to his sister.

"A few minutes ago, he spilled Laurie's bottle all over himself because he couldn't stop staring at you. What other proof do you need?" Tommy said in the same way.

The group was so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't hear the commotion when Morgan and Carter finally arrived at the party. Everyone was just waiting for them.

"So, when a guy breaks up with his boyfriend... what's the appropriate time to... make a move?" Harry asked, genuinely interested. He had planned to wait at least a year because he believed it was the right time, but it seems he may have been mistaken.

Tommy didn't say anything but paid attention to what the others would say, just in case she needed that advice in the future.

"I guess the timing depends on each person and each relationship," James was the first to respond, despite having the least personal experience in that area. "But generally... I think about a month."

"Really? I would say about three months," Hawk also replied.

"Or four," Maggy added.

"Half hour," Anya chimed in when she noticed she was the only one left. Her comment caught everyone's attention. "What? Why are you all looking at me?"

"Not everyone thinks like you, Ann," Hawk replied, addressing her sister.

"I know, that's why I said half hour and not five minutes," Anya responded with a playful wink. James shook his head with a smile, Maggy burst into laughter, and Hawk rolled her eyes with amusement. However, Harry looked at her indignantly.

"Did it take you only thirty minutes to get over our relationship?" Harry asked, still completely indignant.

"What? Of course not!" Anya laughed nervously. Harry raised an eyebrow at her. "You were my first love, obviously it wasn't THAT quick," Anya didn't lie; it took her a couple of weeks to get over her relationship with Harry, but she obviously wouldn't tell him that.

"Let's change the subject; I don't want to remember those times," James requested uncomfortably. Seeing his best friend, who was like a sister to him, with his other best friend, who was almost like a brother, was definitely not one of his favorite moments. In that regard, he resembled James Potter.

"Please," Hawk agreed, fully in line with James. While she wasn't as close to Harry as James, they were still friends, and those times weren't very pleasant for her either.

"I don't mind at all," Maggy said teasingly but stopped when she felt her girlfriend's serious gaze on her. Maggy cleared her throat before speaking again. "As I was saying... so, are you going to talk to Nate?" she said, directing her question straight to Harry.

Harry remained silent, thinking about his response. Obviously, Nate liked him; that was more than clear. However, he didn't know if Nate was ready to start something new with someone else.

"You don't have to do anything; you could just tell him how you feel and let him do the same," James advised him.

"Or you could let Nate take the lead completely," Hawk also suggested.

"That would be best if you're worried that Nate isn't ready yet," Maggy advised.

"I don't have much experience in this, but maybe it would be better if you wait for him to make the first move," Tommy mentioned. "Although it wouldn't hurt to drop some more direct hints that you like him, so he doesn't hesitate to approach you as more than just a friend."

"Whatever you decide, you have our full support," Anya said with an encouraging smile. Harry smiled back softly.

"Thanks, Ann," Harry replied. "And thanks to all of you too, I really needed to have this talk," he said, looking at the rest of the group, who smiled in response.

"Whenever you're ready, Hazz," James gave his friend a gentle pat on the shoulder.

Just as someone was about to speak, Morgan and Carter arrived with the group. The couple was holding hands, and when they stopped walking, Carter hugged Morgan from behind, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin lightly on top of her head.

Both Anya and Tommy quickly averted their gaze to the ground; seeing that scene was torture for their hearts.

"What did we miss?" Morgan asked her friends, realizing they were obviously discussing something important before she and Carter arrived.

"Harry and when he's going to take the next step with Nate," Maggy replied.

"Oh, and when is that going to happen?" Morgan asked, now looking directly at Harry.

"Is there a date already?" Carter also asked, highly interested in knowing when their friends would finally talk about their feelings.

"Not yet, but I hope it happens soon," Harry replied to both of them.

"I just hope it's before we graduate from college," Morgan said somewhat sarcastically.

"Better yet, tell us where you two were and why it took you so long," Hawk teased her best friend.

Carter looked away and tried to let go of Morgan, but she held on tighter to prevent him from pulling away. He knew Carter could be quite prudish when it came to those topics, the complete opposite of her.

"The question is, why did Maggy and you arrive early?" Morgan replied with a teasing smile. "Doesn't it last longer between women?"

Maggy almost choked on the lemonade she was drinking. She had forgotten the golden rule of the group: don't eat or drink when Morgan makes Stark-like comments.

Anya wasn't having a good time either. Between hearing about her younger sister's sex life and the guy she liked, she definitely wasn't having a good time. Tommy was in almost the same situation.

"And yes, it does last a long time," Hawk replied with a mischievous tone. "But today, we just went to the movies."

"Yeah, just the movies," Maggy clarified as well, mostly because two of her girlfriend's sisters were there.

"That hickey on your neck says otherwise, Hawkie," Morgan said playfully.

Hawk quickly took out her phone and used the front camera to see if there was a hickey. Maggy also looked at her girlfriend's neck to find any visible marks.

The whole group laughed at the couple's reaction. Obviously, Hawk didn't have anything, but they both fell right into Morgan's trap.

"Well, I said we went to the movies, not that we watched the movie," Hawk tried to excuse herself. "Anyway, now we know why you two arrived late and very happy."

"Guilty," Morgan replied with a flirtatious smile. Carter blushed at his girlfriend's response.

"Ugh, I didn't want to know," James said, covering his ears.

Hawk, Maggy, and Harry laughed, but Harry stopped when he saw the pained expression Anya tried to hide. He was about to change the subject, but Tommy spoke up first.

"It's better for me to go with Billy and Marius, I'm sure they're waiting for me."

Tommy had already noticed that her twin sister and her cousin were on the other side of where she was, but she didn't think she would have to use that excuse so soon to leave without revealing the real reason for why she was leaving.

Anya nodded slightly in response to her sister, understanding better than anyone why she was leaving. Anya also wanted to leave, but unfortunately, it wasn't as easy for her.

Usually, they would tell Tommy to invite Billy and Marius to join them instead of leaving. However, the conversation topics were starting to become not suitable for all audiences, and Marius was still fourteen years old, while Billy was much more innocent than Tommy. So it was better not to invite anyone else (for now) to that group.

Without saying anything else, Tommy left without looking back. If she had turned around, she probably would have seen Morgan letting go of Carter's arms.

"I'll be right back," Morgan said to everyone, especially her boyfriend.

Carter looked at her with confusion. A few minutes ago, Morgan had held onto him so that he wouldn't let go of the embrace, but now she was the one deciding to separate.

"What's wrong, love?" Carter asked her.

"I totally spaced on wishing Tommy a happy birthday," Morgan replied, discreetly searching in the pockets of her jacket. When she found what she was looking for, she spoke again. "I won't be long," she said before going after Tommy.

No one paid much attention to that act, as there was nothing that seemed too out of the ordinary. The twins were only one or two years apart from most of the group, so it wasn't strange for them to get along so well with everyone.

Besides, Morgan had said something very true. The previous night, she had left with Carter before properly greeting everyone, so she hadn't had the chance to wish the twins a happy birthday, especially Tommy, with whom she was relatively closer.

"Romanoff!" Morgan shouted from a few meters away from Tommy, who stood up and turned abruptly upon hearing Morgan's voice. "You expect me to walk all the way over there?"

Tommy didn't hesitate and started walking towards Morgan.

"What's up, Stark?"

Morgan smiled before answering.

"You thought I forgot your birthday?"

Now it was Tommy's turn to smile.

"Now there's only a year's difference between us."

Morgan rolled her eyes playfully.

"A year and two months," Morgan corrected her.

"Whatever you say, but it's still just a year."

They had been having the same argument since they were kids. Like any other normal child, Morgan boasted about being older than several members of the third generation. Tommy always told her that it was only a year and it wasn't a big deal, to which Morgan always specified "a year and two months." Tommy always found it amusing that Morgan was born in 2018 and she was born in 2020, yet they were still only a year apart. Morgan could only brag about being older than Tommy by two years for two months, but for the rest of the year, Tommy got her way. Maybe that dynamic they had was insignificant to anyone else, but it meant a lot to them.

Reminding Morgan of that has been something Tommy has done with more determination in the past year or two. Tommy has always believed that Morgan only sees her as just another one of Anya or Hawk's little sisters. Obviously, she doesn't want to be seen just like that, so reminding Morgan that they are only a year apart is her way of telling her that they can be much more than that.

Of course, that couldn't happen while Morgan was with Carter, something that didn't seem to be ending soon or perhaps never. Either way, Tommy was glad that Morgan was happy. It didn't matter that her heart felt like it was breaking in two when she saw them together, at least Morgan was happy, and that's what mattered most to Tommy.

"Close your eyes, Romanoff," Morgan told Tommy, who looked at her with doubt. "Come on, close them," she insisted. Tommy stayed the same. "Don't you trust me?"

"With my life," Tommy thought. Obviously, she wouldn't say that, so she sighed and closed her eyes.

"Stretch out your hands," Morgan asked her.

Instantly, Tommy stretched out her hands. Morgan smiled; Tommy always ended up doing whatever she was told or asked.

Without further ado, Morgan took something out of one of the pockets of her jacket and placed it on Tommy's hands.

"There you go, you can open them now," Morgan said excitedly. Tommy immediately opened her eyes and was surprised to see Morgan's gift. "Happy birthday, Romanoff."

"You didn't have to go through the trouble," Tommy muttered once she recovered from her surprise.

"It was no trouble at all," Morgan replied immediately, waving her hand dismissively. "I just remembered that during Christmas, you said you wanted something to complement your 'Speedy' suit. You've always liked masks, so I thought a mask would give your suit the missing touch."

A big smile spread across Tommy's face. It wasn't just about Morgan giving her a gift; it was the thoughtfulness behind it that meant the most. But even more importantly, it was the fact that Morgan remembered their conversation and her love for masks. Tommy couldn't be happier in that moment; Morgan had made her year with that gesture.

"I wanted to add some Stark technology to it, but I didn't want it to interfere when you shoot arrows," Morgan added when she noticed Tommy's silence. "Besides, the green color of the mask will make your eyes pop."

Yes, Tommy could clearly die in that moment and die happily.

"Thanks for the gift, I love it," Tommy expressed her gratitude, still smiling, and carefully tucked the mask into one of her jacket pockets.

"It's nothing," Morgan responded with a smile and a shrug.

Perhaps it was just a simple mask, but for Tommy, it meant much more. She would undoubtedly treasure it with all her heart.

"Come here, Romanoff," Morgan beckoned, opening her arms before enveloping Tommy in a hug. Tommy instantly closed her eyes and returned the embrace; she had definitely found her favorite place. "Happy birthday, Tom."

The duration of that hug was uncertain; it could have lasted just a couple of minutes or a lifetime. But time wasn't what mattered; it was the sentiment behind it, and both of them genuinely enjoyed that embrace.

Once the hug ended and they separated, they gazed at each other intently. Both wore smiles on their faces, although they were clearly different types of smiles. Of course, one didn't diminish the other.

"I think I should go back," Morgan said, pointing to the path they had come from.

"Yeah, I should leave too," Tommy replied, her hands in her jacket pockets, while at the same time gesturing with her eyes the path she would take to join her twin and her cousin.

Both said they would leave, but neither of them did. Instead of walking away, they continued to gaze at each other. They had shared a beautiful moment, and Tommy didn't want it to end. Deep down, Morgan wanted the same, but perhaps she didn't even realize it herself.

Fortunately, Tommy had chosen to take the longer path with a small curve, so no one would have seen their interaction unless they were watching from an upper floor of the compound. And it's not like they were doing anything wrong... but explaining why they were in that state could be awkward. Maybe they themselves wouldn't be able to give an explanation... or at least Morgan wouldn't.

"I'll see you later, Romanoff."

Both girls remained in exactly the same position, with no intention of moving.

"See ya."

A couple of seconds later, Morgan gave Tommy one last glance with a half-smile before turning around and retracing her steps.

Tommy didn't move until Morgan disappeared from her field of vision. Once she couldn't see her anymore, she let out a deep sigh.

"Morgan Stark, you are my downfall."

Without further ado, Tommy finally resumed her path.

At that moment, both of them took different paths. What neither of them knew was that their paths would collide in a couple of years.

~

The party continued its course as it should. The Avengers, when separate, were chaos, but when they all got together... well, the chaos was even worse.

Nothing went wrong; in fact, dinner went off without a hitch. Sure, there were a few incidents, but nothing out of the ordinary.

They all joked, socialized, and simply enjoyed the great company they had—a big and quirky family.

Once dinner was over, Thor and Jane exchanged glances. They communicated with their eyes, silently agreeing that it was time to make their big announcement.

Jane smiled and nodded, prompting Thor to immediately stand up from his seat.

"Family, your attention!" Thor called out, lightly tapping his glass with a utensil.

All eyes quickly turned to him.

Before speaking again, Thor extended his hand to Jane, signaling for her to stand up as well. Once Jane was on her feet, Thor wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

"Jane and I want to share something with all of you," Thor uttered, his smile still plastered on his face.

Most of them exchanged knowing looks, as if sarcastically saying, "I wonder what they're going to say."

"On the count of three," Jane told her husband, who nodded excitedly. "One..."

"Two..."

"And...!"

"THREE!"

"We're going to be parents!"

"We're having a baby!"

Thor and Jane shouted simultaneously.

Everyone stood up from their seats in excitement, celebrating with joy.

Hugs and congratulations quickly followed, as everyone was genuinely thrilled about the arrival of the new family member. The excitement was even greater because they knew how much both Jane and Thor had wanted this; they had been trying to have a baby for years, and now it was finally happening.

"Thank you all for your congratulations," Jane said to everyone with a radiant smile.

"Yes, we're very excited about the arrival of our baby," Thor added, his smile the happiest and widest they had ever seen. He was finally experiencing everything he had always wanted: starting a family with the love of his life.

"And do you know the gender?" Monica asked, filled with excitement.

"They don't want to know," Darcy replied before Jane or Thor could respond. As the future godmother of the baby, she had to be in the know.

"We want it to be a surprise," Jane added, still smiling.

"We don't care what it is, so we'll wait until the day of its birth," Thor chimed in, still overflowing with enthusiasm.

The couple's excitement only made everyone smile; they truly enjoyed the happiness of the expectant parents.

"And have you thought of any names?" Valkyrie asked.

The Foster-Odinsons exchanged knowing glances. They didn't know the gender yet, but they had already considered several options.

"If it's a boy, we'll name him after Jane's father," Thor was the first to respond.

"If it's a girl... well, we're still thinking of options," Jane added.

"The first choice would have been my mother's name, but the Lokis beat us to it," Thor added playfully.

"Better luck next time, brother," Loki replied with one of his typical smiles.

"The name Odin is still available, so if it's a girl, you could name her Odina," Sylvie chimed in, amused. Both Thor and Jane made a displeased face; the name didn't sound nice at all.

"Yeah... we'll keep thinking," Jane mumbled.

"Or you can ask for help from the Romanoffs. With eight daughters, who better to ask for advice than them?" Tony said teasingly. Laughter erupted, as Tony had a point.

The Romanoffs gave him a stern look for a couple of seconds before both of them averted their gaze. Natasha chose to return to watching her little Lizzie sleep, while Wanda offered her help to Jane and Thor.

"If you need anything, you can always ask Nat and me," Wanda said. "Right, Nat?"

"Of course, anything you need," Nat added immediately, with a slight smile.

The Foster-Odinson couple smiled in gratitude before responding.

"Thank you, Wands and Nat," Thor was the first to express his thanks.

"We'll keep that in mind," Jane seconded her husband.

Wanda nodded with a faint smile in response. Natasha did the same before redirecting her attention to the peacefully sleeping little one in her arms.

"You know what would be great?" Thor said specifically to the Romanoffs, who looked at him curiously. "Imagine if in a couple of years, my baby and little Lizzie become a couple," he added, excitedly.

Natasha instantly gave him a death glare. Wanda closed her eyes and shook her head. The last thing she needed was for Thor to put those ideas in Natasha's head. Jane took a seat and pulled her husband down to sit as well, preventing him from making any more comments like that.

Obviously, this scene was hilarious for most, especially for Yelena, who laughed uncontrollably. She always found it particularly amusing when someone teased her sister with those kinds of jokes.

"That will never happen, Odinson." Natasha said sternly, her expression unwavering.

Thor may be the God of Thunder and nearly invincible, but he still felt intimidated by his friend's expression.

"It was just a joke, no need to get worked up..." Thor muttered, apologizing. "Maybe that will never happen... but what will definitely happen is that they will be best friends, that's for sure."

"With the last one, I totally agree," Natasha replied, now more relaxed in her expression. "As for the first, it will never happen." Natasha added, more serious and completely sure of her words. But you know what they say, never say never...

"Can we change the topic, please?" Wanda asked, addressing no one in particular. Almost any other topic was better than continuing to put ideas in Natasha's head.

Odin took mercy on them, as Tony's outburst instantly diverted everyone's attention in a 180-degree turn.

"Morgan! What's that in your hand?!" Tony shouted, successfully grabbing the attention of more than one person.

"Fingers?" Morgan sarcastically replied.

"You know what I mean, Morgan H. Stark." Tony retorted.

Pepper decided it was the perfect moment to intervene. She knew that Morgan and Tony could go on with their banter all day without reaching the response Tony wanted to hear. Besides, she was also curious to know what it meant.

"Honey, your father is referring to the ring on your hand," Pepper whispered softly, keeping her calm.

"Oh... that," Morgan responded nonchalantly. "Carter gave it to me today. It's a promise ring."

Pepper sighed in relief. At least it wasn't an engagement ring. It's not that she particularly liked her daughter's relationship with Carter Rogers; it was just that they were too young to be engaged or married.

However, Tony was far from calmed by the response. He was on the verge of hyperventilating.

"You should go back to playing in the gardens," Maria told the younger children. With the change in direction the conversation had taken, it was better for the kids not to witness it.

"We'll talk to you later about dessert, okay?" Sharon seconded her wife.

The kids didn't think much and ran off towards the gardens and play areas. Although no one noticed that not all of them had run towards the gardens, as Talya discreetly entered the compound, most likely to search for something.

"They're sixteen!" Tony exclaimed as soon as he could. Morgan rolled her eyes. "They don't need a promise ring!"

"Calm down, Tony," Pepper murmured in a soft voice.

"Calm down?!" Tony exclaimed ironically. "Are you okay with this?" he asked indignantly.

"I don't see anything wrong with it," Pepper responded calmly.

Tony looked at her completely outraged.

"Pepper is right, it's not a big deal," Steve also chimed in, although it was probably the worst thing he could have done.

"Not a big deal? They're sixteen!" Tony replied, annoyed. "Maybe that was normal a hundred years ago, but not anymore!"

"It's just a promise ring, it's not like they're going to get engaged or married tomorrow." Bucky also decided to intervene. He wouldn't let Tony continue talking to Steve like that.

"Am I the only one concerned about this? You two act as if..." Tony didn't finish the sentence as he had a revelation. "You knew... didn't you? Capsicle Jr told you both what he planned to do," Tony added with more certainty, absolutely convinced that he was right. "Did you know?" Steve and Bucky exchanged glances. "Answer me! Did you know?!"

"Yes... we knew," Steve responded.

A sense of betrayal overcame Tony. He never thought he would feel this way again because of the Rogers.

Morgan rolled her eyes again, feeling utterly exasperated. She had had enough drama from her dad.

"Cut the drama, Dad," Morgan muttered. Tony looked at her indignantly. "It's just a promise ring, it's not a big deal."

"You’re sixteen!" Tony retorted.

"So what? Why can't we make promises when we're sixteen?" Morgan said irritably. "Carter gave me this ring as a symbol of his love for me and everything he promises me," Morgan added seriously. "Where's the harm in that?"

Tony fell silent, unable to find words to respond to his daughter's question.

"I love Morgan, the ring is just a small token of my love for her," Carter chimed in, embracing his girlfriend's shoulders.

At that moment, both Anya and Tommy exchanged glances before clumsily making their way to another place. Listening to or witnessing that scene was like a stab in the heart, and neither of them wanted to feel that way anymore.

The sisters did a good job of leaving without anyone noticing, but their godmother was the only one who realized they were gone.

Since Tony had started the argument, Yelena had been keeping an eye on her two goddaughters to make sure they were okay. Surprisingly, she was the first to notice Anya's crush with Carter and Tommy's feelings for Morgan, so she was the only person both sisters approached to discuss it.

That's why Yelena made sure her goddaughters were alright. She knew how much those situations affected both of them. It was precisely because of that that she didn't take long to notice that they had already left the scene.

"I'll be back in a moment, detka," Yelena whispered to her wife.

"Everything okay, love?" Kate asked immediately. Yelena smiled and leaned in to give her wife a gentle kiss on the cheek.

"Yes, I just need to take care of something," Yelena whispered softly. "I won't be long, detka."

Kate nodded, smiling at her.

Without further ado, Yelena turned around and made her way to where she believed her goddaughters had gone. Not long after, she found them both leaning against a tree near the small artificial lake in the compound.

"Hey..." Yelena whispered as she approached them.

"крестная мама (godmother)," Anya was the first to speak. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to check on my крестницы (goddaughters)," Yelena said softly. "How are you both doing?"

"Being in love sucks," Tommy muttered, her gaze lost in the lake.

"Yeah, it sucks," Anya added.

"Hey, that's not true," Yelena told them both. "Being in love is beautiful. It's undoubtedly one of the best feelings that exist."

"You say that because you've never had a broken heart," Anya muttered.

"Yeah, you've only been in love with my godmother Kate for over sixteen years," Tommy echoed her sister's tone.

"Okay... maybe I've never experienced a broken heart, but that doesn't change what I told you," Yelena murmured, earning incredulous looks from both sisters. "You know what they say... it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."

"I'd rather have never felt this," Tommy muttered again.

"Yeah, me too," Anya added.

"Maybe you're going through heartache right now, but even unrequited love has its good moments," Yelena said. Both sisters fell silent, contemplating the words their godmother had just spoken. "Or is it not beautiful when you think about that person? Or when they do something sweet for you?" Tommy caressed the mask in her pocket, instantly bringing a smile to her face. "Or when you joke around with inside jokes that only the two of you understand?" It was now Anya's turn to smile, remembering one of the many moments shared with Carter. Yelena smiled too, seeing both her goddaughters smiling. "See? Being in love isn't always painful; it also has its good side." Both Anya and Tommy sighed, unable to deny that their godmother was right. "Maybe you're struggling now because your feelings aren't reciprocated... but it will always be like that. You'll see that one day you'll be in love and it will be mutual. You'll find your special people, trust me."

"But what if I never stop being in love with Morgan?" Tommy trembled as she spoke.

"Or me with Carter?" Anya added.

Yelena sighed. Those were somewhat complicated questions.

"It will happen as it's meant to happen, крестницы (goddaughters)," Yelena replied softly. "Unfortunately, in these kinds of cases, all we can do is hope for the best. Although if you're not meant to be with them... chances are that the feelings will fade over time."

Both sisters exchanged glances again. With how well Carter and Morgan were doing, the idea of them breaking up was inconceivable to them at the moment. It hurt, but at least they were glad that both of them were together and happy. So, they had no choice but to enjoy the good moments and hope that infatuation would pass as soon as possible.

"So, all we can do is wait," Tommy said, letting out a heavy sigh.

"We can also have fun while we wait," Anya said, complicit. Tommy looked at her, not understanding.

"You know... enjoy the wrong ones until the right one comes along," she added with a flirtatious wink. Tommy made a disgusted face, while Yelena rolled her eyes with amusement at her goddaughter's remark.

"You're Natasha's straight version."

Anya laughed at her godmother's comment.

"I don't use labels... but yeah, I guess you're right," Anya replied, amused.

"Maybe I'm just another version of Мама, but in blonde," Tommy chimed in after a couple of seconds.

Although Yelena already suspected that Tommy would be like that too, after learning about her goddaughter's infatuation with Morgan, she thought that Tommy might end up being more like her sister, Hawk. It seemed her initial hunch was correct.

"Oh, the Romanoff gene strikes again," Yelena joked, making both her goddaughters laugh.

The laughter of the three Russians was interrupted when they heard two screams coming from where the others were.

"Was that Nate?" Tommy said.

"Yes, Nate and Harry," Anya added, puzzled by hearing their two friends scream.

At that moment, Yelena's eyes widened as she realized what was happening.

"Talya..." Yelena said before turning around and heading back to the rest of the group.

It didn't take the Romanoff sisters long to understand what was going on, and they couldn't help but burst into laughter when they realized that their cousin had shot arrows at both Harry and Nate.

When Yelena returned to where everyone was, she confirmed that her daughter had indeed shot Nate and Harry with arrows.

"Natalya Wandeline Bishop!"

But Talya hadn't heard her mother, so Yelena had to go and fetch her.

As she approached her daughter, she noticed that Kate was already talking to Talya.

"I can't believe you shot arrows at both of them! They were like two meters apart!" Kate exclaimed excitedly.

"It was easy, just a matter of using the right angle," Talya modestly replied.

"I'm so proud of you, Talya!" Kate added before embracing her eldest daughter tightly.

Yelena cleared her throat to make her presence known. Both Bishops quickly broke the embrace, sensing trouble.

"You're in trouble, Natalya Bishop." Yelena said calmly but sternly. Talya turned to her mom Kate, seeking help, but Kate avoided eye contact to avoid getting into trouble.

"Katherine Elizabeth Bishop, tonight you sleep on the couch."

Kate looked at her, stunned. "To sleep on the couch" not only meant that, but it also meant "We won't have sex." And, of course, Kate didn't want to be denied of that.

"B-but why?" Kate managed to ask.

"Two nights, Katherine."

"B-but, b-but..."

"Three."

"And..." Kate was interrupted by Talya.

"Seriously, Mom? Even I know you shouldn't keep talking."

"Listen to your daughter, Katherine. After all, you're so proud of her recent actions."

Kate let out a nervous laugh. She had hoped that Yelena hadn't heard that.

"Well, love... it was a really GREAT shot," Kate tried to advocate for herself. Yelena raised an eyebrow upon hearing her, while Talya facepalmed.

"One week, Katherine."

"What? No!" Kate exclaimed, terrified.

"You should have listened to me, Mom."

And yes, Kate realized that she should have indeed followed her eldest daughter's advice.

Notes:

Additional information:

*In the language of flowers, dahlias are typically given to signify friendship, while magnolias are often associated with motherhood.

*The language that Dawn and Shuri speak when they greet each other is Xhosa, the language spoken in Wakanda.

*The faces of the eight oldest characters of the third generation:

 

Any questions, suggestions, or comments are welcome and appreciated.

With love,
Chaxan

Chapter 30: Getting Closer

Summary:

Kate makes a cute and tender gesture towards Yelena.

Chapter Text

Both sisters took a sip of vodka while enjoying a somewhat comfortable silence. After their conversation, silence seemed fitting to accompany their drinks.

"So, what did you think of the welcome party?" Natasha asked Yelena after several minutes of silence.

"It was cool, I had a really good time," Yelena replied with a faint smile on her face as she recalled how much fun she had at the party thanks to Kate. Although she was still mad at her for the "mysterious girl" incident, it didn't take away from how much she enjoyed the previous night.

"I'm glad you had a good time, sestra," Natasha responded with a smile.

Just as she wanted to ask Yelena more about why she enjoyed the party so much, she received a call from Melina. Natasha showed the screen to Yelena before answering.

"Hi, my girls!" Alexei greeted cheerfully from the other side of the screen.

"вечер, мои маленькие (Hi, my little ones)," Melina greeted as well, standing beside Alexei.

"Привет, родители (Hey, folks)," Yelena greeted, waving her hand.

"Hey, how are you?" Natasha also greeted with a slight smile. "Besides being covered in pig manure," she added, making a disgusted face as she saw that Alexei was indeed covered in manure. Yelena wrinkled her nose in disgust as well.

"Your father thought it was a good idea to chase one of the pigs and ended up skidding through the whole pen," Melina told them, clearly not pleased with her husband. Both sisters laughed.

"That damn pig challenged me with his eyes!" Alexei tried to defend himself.

"Don't be silly, Alexei is a good boy," Melina defended their pigson, which caused indignation from human Alexei. The sisters laughed at their father once again. "Now go take a shower, you smell really bad," Melina ordered.

"But I also want to talk to the girls," Alexei pouted. Melina sighed.

"Five minutes, Alexei, just five minutes," Melina resigned. Alexei celebrated and tried to hug his wife, who quickly prevented him as he was still covered in manure. Both sisters laughed at the scene. "And how was the party? Did you have a lot of fun?" Melina asked her daughters, who had told her about the party in their last call.

"It wasn't bad at all, I had a really good time," Natasha replied with a slight smile, not wanting to raise suspicion with her parents. However, Melina looked at her intently and even through the screen, she could see the change in her daughter's gaze. But she didn't mention anything, she would wait for Natasha to tell them everything when she felt ready.

"And how did you enjoy your first party, Lenushka?" Alexei asked their youngest daughter.

"The party was really amazing, it was so much fun," Yelena replied with a smile, thinking about how well she had enjoyed herself with Kate throughout the party. For a moment, she had forgotten that she was mad at Kate. "I got to know all the Avengers better, as well as my teammates, and I even danced a couple of songs with Kate Bishop," Yelena recounted, enchanted, her smile growing wider. This did not go unnoticed by anyone. Melina quickly looked at Natasha, who told her with her eyes that she would talk to her about it later.

"So, you danced with the famous Kate Bishop," Alexei said neutrally. Although he had his doubts about this girl since Natasha had told them she didn't like her, it was undeniable the smile she brought to their youngest daughter's face. "I hope she was a worthy dance partner," he added to see what else Yelena would say.

"She's an excellent dancer, I never thought I could enjoy slow dancing so much until I danced with her," Yelena recounted with delight, smiling into the void as she relived those memories. "She's also very funny, I had a great time with her," she added, still smiling and unable to get Kate out of her mind. "She's really lovely... I really like her."

"It sounds like this Kate Bishop is quite a charming girl. Every time you talk about her, you do it with a smile," Alexei teased. Yelena blushed, not knowing why, but she did.

"Alexei, your five minutes are up." Melina said sternly.

"But I still want to talk to the girls," Alexei complained.

"You can do it later, on another occasion when you're presentable."

"Fine," Alexei reluctantly agreed. "See you later, girls. Take care." "Bye, Dad!" Yelena said, waving goodbye.

"See ya, human Alexei," Natasha teased. "And try not to fight with Alexei, the one who is cute."

"Hey!" Alexei protested, which made Natasha laugh.

"Alexei, I won't repeat it again."

With that, Alexei quickly made his way to the bathroom. He might not be very smart, but he knew better than to contradict an angry Melina.

Once Alexei was gone, Melina knew it was the right moment to find out more about the situation with Kate Bishop.

"So, Kate Bishop? Melina asked Yelena, who quickly blushed again. "It's worse than I thought," Melina told herself as she noticed her daughter's reaction.

"Yes... Kate Bishop," Yelena muttered, avoiding eye contact. "She's amazing..." Yelena's face went from happiness to sadness and then to anger. The word "girl" reminded her of the "mysterious girl" that Kate was in love with. "Of course, she's amazing as long as she's not talking about that girl she's in love with," Yelena said with a hint of bitterness.

The tone in which Yelena spoke, combined with Natasha's hidden laughter... Melina put two and two together.

"Oh, I see," Melina said seriously. She would have to have a serious talk with Natasha to learn more about this Kate Bishop. She was no longer just Yelena's teammate; she was something more.

Fortunately for Melina's plans, the door opened, announcing the arrival of Wanda.

"I knew you would be here," Wanda said, closing the door. "Hey, Melina, how are things in Russia?" She greeted her girlfriend's mother upon realizing that the sisters were in a video call.

"Wanda, dear," Melina greeted Wanda. Natasha smiled happily, loving how both Melina and Alexei cared for Wanda. "Everything is going well, my dear. And how are things in New York? I hope Natasha and Yelena aren't causing you too much trouble," both sisters rolled their eyes playfully. Wanda chuckled softly.

"They've been behaving well, I can't complain," Wanda joked.

"Not even Yelena and her companion Kate Bishop?" Melina asked, genuinely curious. Yelena's cheeks turned red again, causing her to avert her gaze to the floor.

"I think that has caused more trouble for Nat," Wanda teased. Natasha huffed, realizing that her girlfriend wasn't lying. "Speaking of Kate," Wanda said, looking directly at Yelena, who turned to face her upon feeling her gaze. "She asked me to find you and tell you that she's waiting for you in your living room. She and Peter are already there, ready for a movie or series marathon, whatever you choose."

"Better invite her mysterious girl," Yelena muttered under her breath.

"Do you really want that?" Wanda dared to ask. Yelena didn't say anything, but her gaze said it all. She didn't understand why the idea bothered her so much, although at that moment it was the least of her concerns. "I'll accompany you, and if you decide in the end that you don't want to stay, we can come back and have a marathon here, just the two of us. How does that sound?" Yelena nodded. Wanda smiled at her. "Perfect, shall we?"

"Yeah," Yelena replied, getting up from her seat. "Bye, Mamma!" she said, bidding farewell to her mother.

"Take care, sweetheart."

"See you later, Melina," Wanda also said goodbye.

"Until then, dear," Melina smiled gratefully at Wanda for taking such good care of her two daughters. Wanda returned the smile with a slight nod, as if to assure her that everything was fine.

Once Yelena and Wanda left the room, it was time for Melina and Natasha to have their conversation.

"Now, what's going on between your sestra and your friend's protégé?

"Isn't it obvious? Yelena likes her," Natasha paused. "I would even dare to say she's falling in love with Bishop..."

"Have you talked to Bishop again?"

"Yes, and Wanda says she's not lying, but I still don't fully trust Bishop."

"I trust Wanda's word and powers, but I wouldn't take a risk with Bishop either."

Natasha agreed with her.

"If our Lenushka keeps going like this, it will soon be time to have the talk with her," Melina told her eldest daughter.

"I already did it, we had the talk a few minutes before you call us," Natasha told her mother.

"Good, that way both of you have that conversation fresh in your minds."

Natasha looked at her mother, confused.

"Why should I have that conversation fresh in my mind?" Natasha asked, still confused. Although her inner voice told her that Melina already knew about her relationship with Wanda.

"I'm just saying, Natasha," Melina said subtly. "It never hurts for an adult woman to be reminded of that kind of care and protection."

Natasha didn't say anything in response, she just nodded. Melina was right, after all, she had just told Yelena the same thing a couple of minutes ago.

What everyone was unaware of at that moment was that a new life was beginning to form just a few hours ago.


~


Wanda accompanied Yelena to the living room where Kate and Peter were waiting.

Yelena was still upset with Kate, and to be honest, she didn't feel like being around her at that moment. However, she was curious about what Kate Bishop had planned.

Upon entering the living room, Yelena saw a buffet of various snacks and drinks. A faint smile appeared on her face as she noticed that all her favorite snacks and drinks were available.

Kate, noticing their arrival, approached Yelena with a shy and nervous smile.

Yelena remained still, patiently waiting for Kate to approach her. Kate's smile caused a strange sensation in Yelena's stomach, a feeling she had never experienced before.

"So... I'm sorry about what happened earlier. It wasn't my intention to upset or make you uncomfortable," Kate began to apologize. "Believe me, that was the last thing I wanted, which is why I organized this marathon as an apology."

"You didn't have to do that, Kate. It wasn't necessary," Yelena murmured softly.

And it was true. Kate had nothing to apologize for; she hadn't done anything wrong. But Kate knew that her words had caused a great deal of annoyance to Yelena, and she wanted to do something to make it up to her. Moreover, Kate wanted to make Yelena feel special, to subtly show her how much she meant to her. They may have known each other for a relatively short time, but to Kate, Yelena was becoming everything to her.

"I know... but I wanted to do it anyway," Kate shrugged slightly while still smiling shyly at Yelena.

Yelena didn't say anything; she remained silent, staring directly into Kate's eyes with a wide smile on her face. The strange sensation in her stomach grew stronger, but she tried to ignore it and get lost in the grayish-blue sea that was Kate's eyes.

Meanwhile, both Peter and Wanda enjoyed the tender scene. Peter held back the urge to applaud and jump with joy, while Wanda couldn't resist taking a photo of them with Yelena's camera she had borrowed from her room. The flash made the not-so-couple separate.

"Oops, sorry. I think I accidentally took a photo," Wanda said unconvincingly, although Yelena didn't notice.

"Why did you bring my camera?" Yelena asked her.

"Well, you didn't, and I'm sure you'll want to capture more moments with your friends for your album, right? Or am I mistaken?" Yelena shook her head. "Perfect, so I assume you'll be staying with Peter and Kate, is that correct?" The answer was obvious, so Wanda handed the camera to Yelena.

"Yes, I'll be staying with Peter and Kate Bishop," Yelena said, turning to look at Kate, who smiled widely upon hearing Yelena address her as "Kate Bishop." It meant that Yelena was no longer angry.

"Great, have fun!" Wanda bid farewell to the group of young ones before leaving with a proud mom smile.

Yelena adjusted her camera strap and approached the snack table to take a shot of vodka. Maybe that's what she needed to calm the strange sensation in her stomach.

"Wow! I can't believe all my favorite snacks and drinks are here," Yelena murmured as she looked closely at the table.

"Yeah... Wanda helped me with that. The only condition was that Peter doesn't drink any alcohol and that I don't try to keep up with you," Kate replied, getting closer to her.

Yelena burst into laughter before whispering, "such a mom," which made Kate and Peter chuckle.

"I didn't know photography was one of your pastimes," Pete said to Yelena, pointing to the camera.

"I got it as a Christmas gift from Natasha," Yelena replied, smiling at the memory. "I had mentioned a few weeks before how much I would love to have a way to capture all the happy moments of my life... Nat thought a camera would help me with that, and she was right. Since I got it, I've started an album of my favorite moments, and I hope to have a whole collection by the New Year."

"Nice camera. I have a similar one, except mine is a Canon," Peter mentioned, his gaze drifting off into the distance. "My Uncle Ben gave it to me a few days before he passed away... That's why I take good care of it," he said nostalgically. "But I think I should use it more, to honor my Uncle Ben's last gift," he added, regaining some of his usual voice.

"That's a great idea, Pete. I bet your uncle would say the same thing," Yelena encouraged him.

"And if you need help with anything, you know you can count on me," Kate said. When she had lost her dad, archery and subsequently the Bartons had been her refuge. Kate knew how much it meant to have someone supporting you in those moments, so she would help her best friend as much as she could.

"Same here, that's what friends are for," Yelena added with an encouraging, affectionate smile. Kate nodded, returning the smile.

Peter smiled faintly as a tear rolled down his cheek. He didn't know how much he needed those two girls in his life until he had them. He was grateful to have friends like them.

"Oh, come here," Peter said, moving closer to hug them.

The small group embraced for a few seconds before Yelena broke the hug.

"That's enough for today," Yelena murmured as she pulled away, eliciting light laughter from her friends.

Yelena was known for not showing physical affection, except for hugging her sister or Wanda, but no one else and not for long. So, allowing Peter (and Kate as well) to hug her showed how much these new friendships meant to her.

"Ready for the marathon?" Peter asked the girls.

"I was born ready!" Kate exclaimed, a bit euphoric.

Yelena couldn't help but smile broadly at seeing her like that. "Kate Bishop is so cute when she gets excited about something... her smile looks even happier," she thought.

"So, where do we start?" Peter asked, noticing that Yelena was still lost in her gaze at Kate.

"How about a Harry Potter marathon?" Kate suggested as she pulled out the collection from her backpack. She hadn't noticed that Yelena was watching her with a constant smile; she was too busy trying to make everything perfect for Yelena.

"You know I can't say no to that!" Peter exclaimed excitedly. "Lena, what do you think?" he asked, amused by Yelena's continued distraction in "Kateland". "Lena? Earth to Lena?"

"Uh... did you say something?" Yelena replied, blushing and avoiding eye contact. Kate smiled even more delightedly at the sight.

"Do you want to watch the Harry Potter movies?" Kate asked softly.

"Mm... I haven't seen them yet... maybe we can watch them another time," Yelena murmured, still blushing and unable to hold Kate's gaze. Her subconscious just blurted it out, wanting to spend more time with Kate, watching something that she clearly enjoyed.

"That sounds great, maybe after your birthday party," Kate replied sweetly. "Actually, we should watch the movie that inspired your costume, so we'll know what it's about in case we haven't seen it."

"Yeah, that's an excellent idea," Peter chimed in.

"Oh, believe me, Kate Bishop. Everyone will recognize my costume," Yelena affirmed confidently.

Chapter 31: Nightmares

Summary:

Before her birthday, Yelena has a rough night and receives help from a friend.

Chapter Text

Yelena woke up abruptly, drenched in cold sweat, with a distant gaze and a look of panic. It had been a long time since she had experienced such an intense nightmare; the ghosts of her past continued to relentlessly haunt her. Deep down, she didn't believe that she would ever be able to completely free herself from them.

She spent several minutes trying to control her breathing and calm herself before looking at the bedside clock. "Chert vozmi... (damn it)," she muttered in frustration, realizing that it was only four in the morning. She knew she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep; despite the exhaustion, the nightmares had been so disturbing that she preferred not to sleep for the rest of the day.

She let out a resigned sigh before getting out of bed to change her clothes and put on something more suitable for training. Usually, when she had these kinds of nightmares, training hard helped her channel all the anger, frustration, and pain she felt after relieving such terrible memories.

A couple of minutes later, she stepped out of her room and headed towards the kitchen on the same floor. She needed some water before she started training.

Upon reaching the kitchen, she found Bucky, who happened to be drinking a glass of water. Seeing the expression on Yelena's face, Bucky instantly knew what had happened. He, too, experienced nightmares from time to time, and he recognized that look anywhere.

"Nightmares, right" Bucky said as he handed her a glass of water.

"I'm not sure if it counts as a nightmares when they're memories," Yelena replied seriously, but took the glass of water.

An uncomfortable silence settled in the room. Yelena and Bucky got along well, and while they weren't close friends, they had a close relationship and could coexist without problems.

Not too long ago, Bucky had apologized to Yelena for all the harm he had caused her when he was one of her trainers in the Red Room. She understood perfectly well what it meant to be under mind control and forced to do things she didn't want to do. Plus, Bucky hadn't been as cruel to her as the Winter Soldier was supposed to be. On many occasions, he had helped her more than expected and rescued her from terrible punishments. It seemed as though, even under mind control, the real Bucky fought not to become the monster that Hydra and the Red Room wanted him to be. He seemed to strive to do the right thing or, at the very least, avoid causing more harm, especially when it came to the Red Room girls.

Despite all that, sometimes it was difficult for Yelena to see Bucky, especially after a terrible nightmare.

"I suppose you're heading to your sister's training room, right?" Bucky broke the uncomfortable silence. Yelena simply nodded in response. "Maybe that's not the best idea after a nightmare."

Yelena looked at him confused. That's what she did every time she had nightmares, or at least that's what she had been doing since she was freed from mind control.

"I understand, it didn't make sense to me either when my therapist told me the same thing I just told you," Bucky spoke again. Yelena was surprised to hear that Bucky was seeing a therapist, she hadn't seen that coming. "She told me that maybe engaging in what precisely gave us nightmares wasn't the best way to prevent having them again or to feel better afterwards." Yelena still didn't understand what Bucky was getting at. Bucky sighed heavily before explaining further. "When you have nightmares, what are they about?"

Yelena remained silent for a couple of seconds before answering.

"Sometimes they're about me going back to the Red Room, or seeing my family and friends dead..."

"And when they're not of that kind, what are they about?"

Now it was Yelena who sighed heavily before answering.

"Memories."

"If your nightmares are similar to mine, I suppose they're about difficult missions, painful training, or 'disciplinary' tortures, right?"

Yelena nodded, her gaze fixed on the floor. She truly hated feeling so helpless against those memories.

"Yes."

"Don't you think that by training, just as we did in the Red Room, it won't ultimately help you heal those wounds from the past?" Bucky said carefully. That really got Yelena's full attention. "My therapist says that at the moment, training in that way helps us release all the negative emotions and sort of calms us down, but in the long run, it doesn't help us heal our wounds, it just keeps them more alive."

"So, should we never train again then?" Yelena asked, confused.

"Not necessarily."

"James, I swear I don't understand what the hell you're trying to say now."

"Just try to avoid training after having nightmares, find another way to deal with our emotions without resorting to those intense training sessions."

"Like what?" Yelena asked, now genuinely interested in hearing that answer. Everything Bucky had told her made perfect sense, finding a new way to deal with her negative emotions and feelings would undoubtedly be helpful.

"There are many ways, techniques, and methods. You just have to find the one that works best for you," Bucky paused before continuing. "Have you ever wondered why I adopted Alpine?"

"You said you found her in the park and decided to bring her home," Yelena replied, confused, not understanding the point of Bucky's story.

"Well, I wasn't lying about that," Bucky responded. "One of the options my therapist gave me was precisely adopting a pet for emotional support. I hadn't really considered that idea, and it seemed a bit silly to me, but adopting Alpine has been the best decision I've made."

"And how did you decide to choose that option?"

"After my therapist suggested it, I started going for runs in the park in the early mornings to clear my mind after the nightmares. There was a period when I had nightmares almost every night, so I would go running in that park almost every dawn. One of those times, I simply stopped at a bench, no matter how much I ran, the nightmare I had that night kept tormenting me, and I didn't know what else to do. I collapsed on the bench with my eyes closed, and that's when Alpine approached me," Bucky said with a slight smile as he recalled how he met his cat. "She just came up, started purring while rubbing against me. Something as simple as that, it calmed me down and made me feel better. I started stroking her head, and then she turned around so I could also stroke her belly."

"Wow! She trusted you, a cat only shows its belly when it trusts someone because it's a sign that they won't attack," Yelena said, amazed by Alpine's reaction to Bucky on the day they met.

Bucky smiled widely as he nodded.

"Exactly, I read about that a few days after meeting her."

"Did you already adopt her when you read that?"

"No, but I adopted her on the day I read that."

"I thought you adopted her on the day you met her."

"No, that time I just played with her for about an hour. Then I went to buy her some food because I didn't know when was the last time she had eaten, she looked a bit malnourished, and I wanted to help her just like she had helped me."

"And then? I suppose that wasn't the only time you saw her before adopting her," Yelena mentioned.

"Actually, no. Two days later, I went back for the same reason and found her there again, it was as if she was already waiting for me."

"I don't doubt it. It's said that cats can sense when a person needs their help, that's probably why Alpine approached you in the first place," Yelena said with a slight smile. She liked the story Bucky was telling her; unconsciously, that same story was gradually calming her down.

"I believe so. That happened a few more days, but this time I already brought food and water to give her so I wouldn't have to leave her to go buy it. Being with Alpine made me interested in cats; I read more about them and the great companionship they provide to many people, especially introverted people. Even many war veterans prefer to adopt a cat for the tranquility and peace they bring, which is a bit different from dogs. Well, I'm a war veteran with a darker past... but apparently, that's precisely what made Alpine come to me."

"With a past like yours, I'm surprised only one cat approached you and not all the cats in the state," Yelena jokes.

Bucky burst into laughter. Maybe the joke had been a bit dark, but only between them could they make those kinds of jokes. After all, their backgrounds were very similar.

"Touché."

With that joke, the atmosphere lightened even more, and both of them remained in comfortable silence for a couple more seconds. Still, Bucky knew that Yelena still needed help, and he was more than willing to help her. Not just because he felt partly responsible for several of Yelena's traumas, but also because he genuinely liked Yelena, and Bucky could even say that in time they would become good friends.

"Do you want to give it a try?"

Yelena didn't catch the question.

"What?"

"The company of an emotional support pet," Bucky suggested.

"I don't know," Yelena replied after a few seconds. "It sounds cool... but I'm not sure, do you think it would help me?"

Bucky shrugged.

"We'll have to give it a try to find out," Bucky replied. Yelena didn't respond, she just remained silent, contemplating his words. "I was thinking of taking Alpine for a nighttime walk," he lied. "Maybe we can also bring Liho and take a stroll in the park," he suggested.

Yelena thought about Bucky's proposal for a moment before accepting.

"Alright, although I don't think Liho will want to go," Yelena replied. "Don't get me wrong, I love my little nephew, but that damn cat only listens to Natasha and especially Wanda. Even he knows who's the boss in that relationship."

Bucky burst into laughter along with Yelena. Definitely, the atmosphere was much better than it was a couple of minutes ago.

"We all know it," Bucky added teasingly. "Well, shall we go get the cats?"

"Oh, fuck," Yelena cursed. "I have no idea where Liho is. I know he doesn't usually sleep with Nat and Wands, he doesn't want to be traumatized," she joked.

Bucky laughed.

"I don't think finding him will be a problem. Usually, when Alpine and Liho aren't in the rooms, they like to sleep on the windowsills overlooking the main garden," Bucky told her. "Shall we go look for them?"

"Let 's go."

Without further ado, they went to find the cats in the place Bucky had mentioned. Luckily for both of them, both Alpine and Liho were sleeping right at one of the windows. Yelena would have liked to have brought her camera to take a picture of them, they looked so cute and peaceful sleeping.

After waking the cats up gently, each of them took a cat and then went to get the things they needed to go out. Bucky had everything necessary for a nighttime walk with a cat. He brought bags to pick up waste, a portable water bottle for pets, and even brought food in case they encountered a cat or dog that needed to eat. None of the cats had a leash or a harness, but they knew they wouldn't go anywhere without them, and they would be watching them to make sure they didn't get lost in the park.

The walk was only a few minutes to reach the park. They took several complete laps around the park with the cats walking alongside them. Occasionally, they would pause because the cats approached something or when they stopped to listen to a loud noise. After walking enough to tire the cats out, they took the initiative to lie down and rest on one of the park benches. Both Bucky and Yelena followed suit.

As soon as they took their seats, Alpine and Liho approached Yelena, purring and rubbing against her. It seemed they had sensed that she still needed their help, and they were more than willing to help her feel better.

Yelena smiled before starting to pet both cats. Bucky also smiled as he watched the interaction between the three of them. It seemed that his advice had indeed helped Yelena, and he was happy that it had.

Several minutes later, Alpine left Yelena and returned to her father, who welcomed her gladly.

"So, what did you think of pet therapy?" Bucky asked Yelena.

"I liked it," Yelena replied with a slight but genuine smile. Bucky returned the gesture. "It was exactly what I needed, thank you."

"I'm glad it worked for you," Bucky replied sincerely.

"But I think I would like it even more with dogs," Yelena mentioned after a couple of seconds. Both Alpine and Liho turned to look at her, as if they understood perfectly what she said. "Don't be offended, guys, it's just that I'm more of a dog person."

But it seemed like they were offended. Alpine fully returned her attention to her father, while Liho got up from Yelena's lap and went over to Bucky.

That sparked an indignant look from Yelena, while it made Bucky laugh.

"What did you expect them to do? Cats are very proud," Bucky defended the cats, which made Yelena curse in Russian, causing Bucky to laugh again. "I think it's time to head back to the compound."

The journey back to the compound somehow felt shorter than the way to the park, especially for Yelena. She definitely felt calmer and much less overwhelmed.

Upon arriving at the compound, the cats ran to the nearest sofa they could find. This gave Bucky and Yelena the opportunity to get some water since they had only brought water for the cats, and the walk to the park had made them thirsty.

When they both finished drinking water, Yelena took one of her vodka bottles from the refrigerator and showed it to Bucky, who hesitated for a few seconds before accepting.

With the bottle in hand, they both approached the same sofa where the cats were lying. It seemed that Liho had forgiven his aunt Yelena because as soon as she sat on the sofa, Liho went to curl up on her lap, while Alpine did the same with her father.

Both Bucky and Yelena had their second glass of vodka in hand. The atmosphere was much calmer and lighter than it was when they left for the park, so this moment could be the perfect time to talk about their lives.

“And... How did things go with Cap the other day?" Yelena asked.

Bucky sighed heavily before answering.

"Well, at least now I know what was holding him back," Bucky said before taking a big gulp from his glass.

"Please tell me it's not because he still has feelings for Stark."

"Hell no! I wouldn't be here if that were the case."

"Good point," Yelena agreed. "So, why is it then?"

Bucky sighed again.

"He says that as Captain America, people expect certain things from him. You know, the traditional things expected from a man like Steve," Bucky said. "He's afraid that if people see him with a man, he'll lose all the support and faith that people have just regained in him."

"Oh, fuck! Screw all those people!" Yelena cursed, a bit exasperated by what she had just heard. "Why does it matter what people think? It's none of their damn business!"

Bucky nodded, completely agreeing with her.

"That's what I told him, but he just asked me for more time."

"Time for what?" Yelena asked. "Time to stop being a douchebag?"

"Hey!" Bucky exclaimed. "Don't call him that."

Yelena rolled her eyes.

"Just like you defend him, he should do the same for you."

"He has," Bucky instantly replied, referring to the Avengers' "Civil War."

"You know what I mean, James," Yelena said. "He has defended you as his best friend, his right-hand man in World War II. But he still hasn't been able to properly defend or acknowledge your relationship as the man he claims to love," Yelena fell silent, and once again, she was right. "If he truly wants to be with you, he should not give a damn about what others say and defend you and your love above all else and everyone else. You deserve no less than that, James."

Once again, Bucky sighed.

"I know, I've been discussing that with my therapist," Bucky paused to take a sip from his glass. "That's why I told Steve that I couldn't wait for him forever. I've been waiting for an opportunity since the '40s, but these are different times, and after everything we've been through, we don't have time to waste. If he doesn't get his priorities straight, I will find my happiness with someone else."

Now Yelena was definitely determined to go to therapy. If Bucky could realize his worth as a person despite his past, she could too.

"Wow... you've left me speechless," Yelena muttered before taking a sip from her drink. "I'm glad you're standing up for yourself, you deserve it."

"Yeah, well, let's see how that goes," Bucky murmured. "I hope Steve realizes soon that it's worth fighting for us... I can't see myself with anyone else, just him..."

"He'll surely realize it soon," Yelena encouraged him. "After all, you have a great history and past together. He may be a bit clumsy, but I don't think he's stupid enough to let you go."

Bucky smiled slightly. He hoped for that too, but receiving support from someone else gave him more faith that it would happen.

"You know, the night of the party, after that conversation I had with Steve..." Bucky paused. He hadn't told anyone about this because the nightmare still felt too real. It wasn't anything from his past; it was something that could become his future, and that was what scared him the most. "That night, I dreamed something I hope I never have to experience..." he whispered.

"You don't have to say it if it makes you feel that way," Yelena advised.

"No, I have to tell someone to get it out of my mind," Bucky said before downing the rest of the vodka in his glass. "I dreamed that Steve went back to the past... that he left me here in the present and went back to the '40s to be with Peggy..." he added in a whisper.

Yelena's heart sank as she heard him speak in that way. She had never been in love with anyone, but she knew the story of Bucky and his history with Steve and the love triangle they had with the late Agent Carter. Steve choosing Peggy had been Bucky's worst nightmare at the time, but it seemed like Steve's recent behavior had revived that old fear in the man he loved and who loved him.

"I don't think the Captain we know would do that," Yelena said, earning Bucky's gaze. "As I said, he may be slow and clueless in realizing that he should be by your side as more than just a friend, no matter what others say. But Rogers wouldn't do something as stupid as leaving you here in these times, not after everything that has happened since you reunited a couple of years ago."

Alpine started purring and showing more affection to his father, knowing that he needed it.

Yelena's words and Alpine's actions were exactly what Bucky needed. He now felt calmer, having managed to get that bad dream out of his mind, and he had received the words he needed to not let it affect him any further.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Bucky replied in a calmer tone, pouring more vodka for himself and Yelena, who had also finished her drink. "But let's talk about something else. I don't want to keep talking about sad stuff," he paused to take a sip of his drink. "So, tell me, how are things going with Bishop?" Bucky asked. Instantly, a huge smile appeared on Yelena's face at the mention of Kate. Bucky smiled at her reaction. At least one of them was succeeding in love. "I heard she surprised you with a movie marathon or something like that."

“Yeah, she put together an afternoon and evening movie session just for me”, Yelena replied, still smiling. “She also brought all my favorite snacks and drinks, she really went out of her way to make it a special time”.

“Although all of that was unnecessary, right?” Bucky said, slightly teasing. “For you, it would have been more than enough to just have her by your side”.

Bucky's comment made Yelena blush and look away. Bucky laughed at her reaction.

Yelena still didn't understand why those kinds of comments affected her that way. And she was starting to realize that she liked the feeling, especially because Kate was the main reason for it.

“Kate Bishop is truly a beautiful and wonderful person, her mere presence was more than enough”, Yelena agreed, still blushing. “I'm so lucky to have her as a friend... she makes me so good”, she added, her gaze lost in a memory of beautiful grayish-blue eyes.

Anyone who saw Yelena in that moment could easily guess that she was talking about the person she liked. It was evident in the sparkle of her eyes and even in the affectionate tone of her voice.

Little by little, Yelena was realizing the impact that Kate Bishop had on her. She still had a lot to discover, but things were going quite well.

The duo continued their conversation and drinking for a little over an hour. They didn't even realize when they fell asleep on the sofa with Alpine and Liho on top of them. They probably slept for an hour or less, and they would have slept longer if it weren't for Natasha's appearance.

Natasha hadn't gone out for her morning cardio routine outside the compound that morning. Instead, she had achieved her cardio goal with her girlfriend in their room. She definitely preferred this routine over the one she used to have before being with Wanda.

But it was precisely because of the incredible start to the day she had with the woman she loved that she was in such a good mood and determined to continue progressing on a personal project she had been working on for a couple of weeks.

Natasha loved Wanda and knew that she was the love of her life, which is why she had started building the house where they could start their family. She wanted it to be ready as soon as possible because she planned to propose on their first anniversary. And what better wedding gift than the house of their dreams.

Of course, Natasha had some help with the house construction. Her friends and sister had been helping her with the construction so that it could be completed as soon as possible.

That day, she had decided to make more progress on the house construction while Wanda slept for a couple more hours. So, she was on her way to find Yelena to ask if she wanted to help or if she should ask Bucky or Steve. She knew about the conversation they had, so she wouldn't ask both of them at the same time. But when she found Bucky and Yelena asleep on the sofas in one of the living rooms of the compound, it made things easier for her. Luck seemed to be on her side that morning.

Natasha stood in front of the sofa where they both slept. She crouched down a bit to be almost at their eye level so that they could hear her perfectly.

"Rogers, Bishop, what are you doing here?!"

As soon as Natasha said that, Bucky and Yelena woke up at the same time. A mocking smile appeared on Natasha's face, although she rolled her eyes when she saw her sister quickly looking around for Kate, only to realize that she had been tricked by her sister.

"Cyka," Yelena muttered under her breath as she gently placed Liho back on the sofa.

"You know, if I didn't know the two of you, I would have woken you up in a very different way after finding you like this."

Both Bucky and Yelena rolled their eyes at Natasha's words.

"Fortunately, I'm not Bishop, and Yelena is not Steve."

Yelena pondered for a moment, trying to understand the comparison Bucky had just made, but in the end, she didn't give it much importance. After all, she had just woken up in a rather abrupt manner.

"What time is it?" Yelena asked, rubbing her eyes. Depending on the time, she might be able to sleep a little longer.

"Just after eight," Natasha answered, causing Yelena to curse under her breath. She was still sleepy and knew she wouldn't be able to sleep anymore. Natasha noticed her sister's reaction, considering how she found her asleep and with whom, she could get an idea of what had happened. "Nightmares again?"

Yelena nodded. Natasha sighed. If there was a way for her to have all the nightmares instead of her sister, she would do it. But since she couldn't do that, she would have to find other ways to help her sister.

"The good thing is that I ran into James, and he helped me a lot with the same technique that worked for him," Yelena mentioned calmly, which also calmed Natasha.

Natasha gave Bucky a grateful look for taking care of her sister.

"Well, technically, it was Liho and Alpine who did all the work, I just gave the advice," Bucky humbly said.

"From what I see, it was great advice," Natasha said gratefully. "Why don't you go back to your room and sleep for at least another hour?" she said, now addressing her sister directly. She wanted to talk to Bucky alone about the matter.

"Nah, I'm fine," Yelena waved her hand dismissively. "Just tell me why you were looking for me because I know you were looking for me for something."

Natasha hesitated for a moment before responding.

"I was going to make some progress on the house construction and was going to ask you to join me, but I'd rather have you stay here in the compound and rest a little longer. You can take Liho with you if you want," Natasha suggested.

"You know I can't sleep after eight, and if I stay alone in my room for too long, I'll start remembering the nightmare I had, and I don't want that," Yelena replied. "I'd rather accompany you; I prefer that a thousand times over trying to get some more sleep."

"Are you sure?" Natasha inquired, not very sure. On one hand, she wanted her sister to rest more, but she also understood that it could be counterproductive for her sister.

"Yes, just let me grab my vest and boots," Yelena said, picking up the bottle and glasses to return them to the kitchen. "I'll see you at the exit in five," she said to her sister. "Thanks for everything, James."

"Anytime," Bucky replied with a slight smile.

Yelena returned the gesture before disappearing down the hallway toward her room.

Once Yelena was out of sight, Natasha carefully picked up Liho to give him a hug and a kiss.

"You took good care of Auntie Lena, good boy," Natasha said, planting another kiss on Liho's head before placing him back on the sofa. She then picked up Alpine and did the same with him. "Thank you too for taking care of my malen’kiya sestra, good kittie," she told Alpine, who purred in response. "Both of you did great. I'll bring you a reward when I come back."

Both cats closed their eyes, as if understanding what Natasha had just said. Natasha gave them one last smile before turning to Bucky.

"Thank you also for taking care of Yelena. I really appreciated it."

Bucky shook his head slightly before responding.

"There's nothing to thank me for. It's the least I can do."

Both of them fell silent for a few seconds. Not an awkward silence, just silence.

"Do you think Yelena would be willing to see your therapist?" Natasha asked.

"Yeah, after today, I don't think she'll refuse to go," Bucky replied. "The advice she gave me about support pets is what made her feel better. I think Yelena now has more confidence to give it a try."

"I'll talk to Wanda so that we can discuss it with Lena and take her to Dr. Raynor," Natasha said. "Although now that we know that having a support pet is beneficial for her, I know what I'll give her as a gift."

"A dog?"

Natasha nodded her head.

"Yes, she mentioned wanting one last year when we were in Budapest," Natasha answered. "Now that we know that support pets makes her feel better, I think a dog would make her feel even better."

"Yeah, I agree," Bucky said, standing up from the sofa to stretch. "Anyway, do you need an extra pair of hands for the construction?"

"You read my mind, Barnes."

Chapter 32: Yelena it’s not feeling 22 - Part I

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Finally, Yelena's long-awaited party had arrived. Early in the day, Natasha and Wanda took care of decorating the event hall in the complex to celebrate Yelena's birthday. As the organizers, they wanted to ensure that everything was in perfect order.

When they arrived at the balloon room, they were already wearing their chosen costumes for the occasion. The couple had decided to dress in matching costumes, inspired by the lead couple in Natasha's favorite movie, "From Russia with Love." Natasha was personifying James Bond, while Wanda was embodying the iconic Tatiana Romanova. The choice of costumes was definitely not a coincidence.

The party was scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m., and right at that time, Kate and Peter made their entrance. They arrived neither a minute earlier nor a minute later.

Both carried the gifts they had chosen for Yelena. Upon entering the hall, they placed them on the table next to the entrance. Then, they approached Natasha and Wanda to greet them. Meanwhile, Kate couldn't stop scanning the place in hopes of finding Yelena among the attendees.

"Hey, I knew both of you are from Hufflepuff," Wanda said upon seeing their Quidditch player costumes for the Hufflepuff team. Both responded with a smile.

"Kate is the team's Chaser, and I am the Seeker," Peter exclaimed excitedly, showing his enthusiasm. Kate continued to explore the place in hopes of encountering Yelena.

"My sister hasn't arrived yet," Natasha informed, capturing Kate's attention. "She's finishing getting ready; shouldn't take much longer."

Kate was still getting used to Natasha no longer being so hostile towards her. Although, generally, she wasn't anymore, unless Kate said something that triggered a scornful look or comment from Natasha.

"Any hints on how she'll be dressed?" asked Kate, puzzled about whether she would recognize Yelena when she saw her.

The couple exchanged a knowing smile. They could perceive the desperation in Kate's gaze, but even so, they wouldn't reveal anything. Yelena wanted to keep her costume a secret until the last moment; even Kate would have to wait to find out.

"All we can say is that she feels a connection with that character," replied Wanda, aware that her answer didn't help much for Kate.

"You'll have to wait, Bishop," added Natasha, amused.

Kate sighed in frustration. She felt like she was at the altar waiting for her future wife to see her arrive in her beautiful white dress. If this happened to her with just a costume, she couldn't even imagine how she would feel if she ever got married to Yelena.

"Speaking of costumes, from which movie are yours?" asked Natasha. "I've seen all the Harry Potter movies and I've never seen anyone dressed like that. At least not in those colors."

Both Peter and Kate were surprised by Natasha's comment. They didn't know she was a fan of the Harry Potter series; it was definitely a surprise for both of them.

"You've s-seen the Harry Potter saga?" stammered Peter, surprised, still getting used to addressing Natasha informally.

"Of course, I've seen them," Natasha replied. "It's not a secret that I like witches," she added, amused.

The guys chuckled knowingly, fully catching Natasha's joke. Wanda didn't laugh; she kept a straight face for a couple of seconds before speaking again.

"I hope I'm the only witch you like, Natalia."

Natasha smiled broadly at her girlfriend.

"More than that, Witchy," she paused to place a gentle kiss on Wanda's head. "You have my whole heart and me, detka."

Wanda smiled back, more than delighted by her girlfriend's words.

"I love you, Nat."

"I love you more, moya lyubov."

Peter watched the endearing scene, truly believing that the couple in front of him was one of the most romantic and adorable he had ever seen in his life. Kate thought the same, although she wouldn't say it out loud and instead preferred to make a joke about it.

"I think I'm going to vomit from all this sugar," said Kate, holding her stomach as if she were about to vomit.

Wanda nervously but playfully laughed; she had forgotten they were in front of Yelena's friends. Natasha simply rolled her eyes.

"You're saying that just because you can't be like this with my sister."

Kate opened her mouth, feeling a mix of offense and amazement. Mostly offended because Natasha was right about what she said. But also amazed because she still couldn't believe Natasha was already making those kinds of jokes. Kate had definitely done something right.

Peter and Wanda laughed, especially at Kate's expression. Natasha only smiled proudly on the side.

"Anyway," said Kate, changing the subject, "our costumes are in the third movie, the Prisoner of Azkaban."

"Yeah, exactly," Peter agreed.

Both Wanda and Natasha didn't remember seeing such a scene or people dressed like that. They only recalled the green Slytherin and red Gryffindor uniforms.

"In which part?" asked Wanda, still trying to remember where they appeared.

"In the Quidditch match where Harry falls off his broom," Peter replied.

"Yeah, in the movies, there are few cameos where you can see the Hufflepuff players. I think the clearest scene is when Cedric gets hit by lightning in the game and falls moments before Harry," added Kate, speaking really fast. "Of course, in the books, you can read more about that match. Starting with the fact that Hufflepuff wasn't supposed to play that match, it was Slytherin. But the team couldn't play because Draco was injured. So, they sent my all-powerful badgers to face off against the Gryffindor lions."

Wanda stayed silent, still processing the information Kate provided so quickly. She hadn't even heard Pietro speak that fast. "You're such a nerd," Natasha said with a displeased expression, questioning how her sister could be fascinated by someone like that.

"Hey!" protested Wanda. "Watch that behavior, Natalia."

Natasha fell silent, but she was far from regretting what she had said.

What Natasha didn't know was that this was a compliment to Kate. She was a nerd and a fangirl, and she would never deny it or hide it. If there were five things Kate was proud of, it was being crazy about Yelena, being gay, taking up the mantle of Hawkeye, being a nerd, and being a fangirl. In that exact order.

"What can I say? It's part of my charm," Kate said without sounding as mocking as she was about to be. "Ask your sister."

Yes, for reasons like this, Kate wasn't a Ravenclaw. If she were, she would think before she spoke.

Natasha's expression hardened, and it was at that moment that the mocking smile disappeared from Kate's face. Wanda and Peter had similar reactions, shaking their heads at what they had just heard.

Wanda knew she'd have to use her secret weapon: whispering in Natasha's ear to calm her down and promise a reward later when they returned to their room. Just the idea brought a smile to Wanda's face, imagining the wonderful night she would have with her girlfriend. Lately, she had a lot more desire than usual for intimacy; she didn't understand why, but in the end, Kate's slip of the tongue would be a perfect excuse to spend an incredible night with Natasha. Although, of course, the couple didn't really need excuses.

After a few seconds lost in her thoughts, Wanda returned to reality and stopped Natasha, who had already taken a step forward. It took her only a second to approach her girlfriend, urging her to behave and promising a reward later. Natasha noticeably calmed down, and even a small smile was about to appear on her face, but she immediately hid it.

"Just be careful with what you say, Bishop."

Kate nodded quickly, she wouldn't tempt fate anymore. At least, not that night. Fortunately for Kate, the Rambeau-Danvers marriage arrived just in time to divert attention from her.

"Nice party, Romanoffs," Carol greeted as they arrived where they were.

Both Wanda and Natasha smiled at the way they referred to them. Both had the illusion of making it legal soon.

"Everything looks very nice, thanks for the invitation," Maria Rambeau added.

"We're glad you could come, Maria," Wanda was the first to respond and greeted her with a little hug. Later, Natasha greeted her in the same way.

"Yeah, we needed someone to keep Danvers in check," Natasha said playfully, making everyone, including Carol, laugh.

"I don't know what you're talking about, I always behave," Carol said in the same tone.

"Believe what you want, love," Maria responded, still smiling as she patted her wife on the shoulder. Then her gaze went to the unfamiliar faces. "Hello, guys."

"Oh, right," Carol mentioned, remembering that she hadn't done the necessary introductions yet. "Love, these are Kate Bishop and Peter Parker, they're part of Yelena’s team," she said before looking at the guys. "Bishop, Peter, this is Captain Maria Rambeau, my wonderful wife," she added, smiling proudly. Both guys smiled at the couple.

"The pleasure is ours, Captain Rambeau," Peter responded respectfully and a bit shy.

"Yeah, nice to meet you," Kate also replied, sounding much more confident and sure.

Maria nodded with a slight smile on her face in response. “Likewise, guys”.

"And where’s Monica? I thought she'd come with you," Wanda said, usually the Rambeau family used to arrive at events together.

"She and Darcy agreed to get ready together; I don't think they'll take long to get here," Maria was the first to respond. Omitting the detail that before going with Darcy, Monica had gone on a date with Pietro. "I think they'll come dressed as a duo, that's what Monica mentioned."

"Speaking of costumes, why am I not surprised by yours?" Carol joked with Natasha and Wanda.

"Do you recognize their costumes?" Kate asked. Both she and Peter didn't recognize Romanoff's costumes, or any of the couples, actually.

"Of course. They're James Bond and Tatiana Romanova," Carol replied obviously.

"I don't remember hearing about any Tatiana Romanova," Peter said a bit doubtful. He was sure he'd never heard that name in any of the movies.

"Me either," Kate added. "And I've seen all of Daniel Craig's and Pierce Brosnan's movies."

Natasha shook her head a bit indignant; now she understood Steve when he complained about youth these days.

"Nat's from the first James Bond, and I'm from his love interest, it's from the second movie of the entire James Bond saga," Wanda calmly told the guys. She wouldn't have known if it wasn't for the fact that this was her girlfriend's favorite movie.

"From Russia with Love, right?" Maria asked, getting three affirmative answers. Now Peter and Kate started to understand why the couple had chosen those costumes. "Excellent movie, a classic."

"Not bad for a movie from '63," Carol added amused. Now the guys understood why they hadn't recognized that movie, it was quite old for them.

"Yeah, Danvers went to the premiere," Natasha said teasingly. Everyone laughed, including Maria.

"Hey! You got the wrong Cap, I was born a year after that premiere." Carol tried to defend herself.

"Whatever you say, Maverick," Natasha commented in the same way she had before.

"Oh, I got it!" Peter exclaimed excitedly, having recognized the costumes of the couple. "Maverick and Charlie Blackwood!"

"Oh, that's true!" Kate also exclaimed. "I can't believe I didn't recognize you both!"

Both Maria and Carol smiled, agreeing with the guys.

"I guess we're more popular with the youngsters, Agent Bond," Carol teased Natasha, who rolled her eyes.

"Now you really sound like Rogers."

"I regretted it as soon as I said it," Carol agreed, earning laughs from the others.

"And what are you dressed as?" Maria asked Kate and Peter, who couldn't believe that someone didn't recognize where their costumes were from.

"Hufflepuff Quidditch players," Kate was the first to answer. Maria and Carol still didn't recognize their costumes, although they were sure they had heard those

"From Harry Potter," Peter added, noticing the puzzled expressions of Maria and Carol. The couple realized why those words sounded familiar.

"Oh, Harry Potter, now I get it," Maria responded. "Carol took Monica and me to see the first movie. It was the second time she returned from space after we reconnected."

"It must have been amazing," Peter mentioned excitedly. He would have loved to go see the first movie of the saga in the theater, but at the same time, he said it nostalgically because he couldn't recall the last time his parents took him to the movies.

"It was," Carol responded with a faint smile. "Monica was already at the Air Force Academy, it was her first year, and she still didn't have permission to go out on weekends. Nick helped us get permission so the three of us could have that family weekend."

"It must have been great," Kate said with a nostalgic tone. Similar to Peter, she couldn't recall the last time she had a family weekend. It was probably long before her father's death almost five years ago. Though, at least now she could have those moments with the Bartons.

Wanda recognized the nostalgic looks on both of the guys. She knew perfectly well what it was like not to grow up with parents. She made a mental note to plan an outing or some activity with the guys and Lena, an activity with family vibes that would be comforting to the small group.

"That's right, but anyway. Where's the birthday girl?" Carol said to change the topic to the main reason they were there.

"Finishing getting ready, she shouldn't be long," Wanda replied.

"That explains why Bishop can't stop turning her head to the door every five seconds," Carol said teasingly, eliciting laughter from the rest. Kate blushed upon hearing it, feeling exposed.

Fortunately for Kate, the Bartons were making their entrance, avoiding further teasing for the honorary member of their family.

"Auntie Nat!" The still young Lila practically jumped to hug her aunt, who welcomed her with open arms.

"Hello, little one," Nat returned the greeting to her favorite niece.

"Auntie Wands!" Cooper ran to hug Nat's girlfriend. Although they had just found out that Natasha and Wanda were in a relationship, the Barton kids had also called Wanda "auntie" for almost two years. It seemed Clint had a thing for rescuing Soviets and bringing them into his family.

"Hey, Coop," Wanda greeted him, ruffling his hair a bit. "You've grown so much!" she said, noting her nephew's new height.

"I grew since Christmas," Cooper said proudly, causing his sister to roll her eyes. According to Lila, Cooper said that like ten times a day.

"And there he goes again," Lila muttered, making Natasha and her parents laugh.

A few seconds later, Lila and Cooper switched places to greet their other aunt whom they hadn't greeted yet. This was while Clint and Laura greeted Carol, Maria, and the young people present.

"Hi, Romanoffs," Laura greeted the couple, once her kids had let them go. Both Wanda and Natasha smiled upon hearing how she addressed them. They loved being addressed that way.

“Hey, girls,” Clint greeted as well. “Nice party”.

“Thank you, we're glad you like it,” Wanda responded. “Nice costumes, Incredibles,” she added playfully.

The Bartons smiled in response. They had chosen a family costume and were dressed as the Incredibles. Clint was Mr. Incredible, Laura was Elastigirl, Cooper was Flash, Lila was Violet (a bit ironic, yes), and little Nate was Jack Jack. Before choosing their costumes, they had offered Kate to dress up with them, but she had already chosen her costume with Peter, so maybe next time.

“Yeah, great costumes,” Natasha added before turning her gaze to the little nephew, who was being carried by Kate. “Hello, little traitor,” she said, smiling at the almost two-year-old baby, who laughed upon hearing his aunt. “Are you coming with me?” she added, offering her arms to pick him up. Nate shook his head while still laughing, then hid in his older sister. Kate triumphantly smiled, teasing Natasha a bit, who looked offended at her nephew. Many laughed at this scene. “Traitor…” she murmured, looking away.

Wanda (still laughing) approached to hug her girlfriend, who hugged her back.

“And the birthday girl?” Laura asked after a couple of seconds.

“She hasn't arrived yet” Natasha responded this time. “Maybe I should send someone to fetch her…”

“I'll go!” Kate quickly volunteered, earning the teasing looks from the majority, which deepened her blush. Natasha was giving her a stern look. “Of course, if you want…” she added nervously, looking away from Natasha.

“Pretty well, Katie,” Clint said, totally unaware of what was really going on. “Taking care of your Widow friend as the good Hawkeye you are, nice done,” he added proudly. Incredulous looks were directed at him as soon as he said that; it was amazing that he still hadn't realized what was really going on between Kate and Yelena, even Lila and Cooper had noticed.

“Sure, dear, that's it,” Laura said ironically, giving her husband some pats. Clint looked at her confused, but before he could say anything else, Natasha spoke again.

“We'd better all continue waiting for Yelena, no one will go get her.” She said, addressing Kate in particular, who nodded quickly. “Great. Enjoy the party.”

Notes:

Hello, gentle readers,

First of all, I apologize for taking so long to update. Among all the stories, this is the one that is the most challenging for me to continue because I lost the notes I made over a year ago, so I have a lot of information to cross-check with the rest of the story to avoid making a mistake.

If you follow the story on TikTok, this chapter is part of the time jump between chapter 01x81 and 01x82. Once the chapters between this jump are finished, updates will be more frequent.

Yelena's birthday will be a special comprised of three to five parts, depending on how long it takes me to write the next two parts of this special.

For now, thank you very much for your understanding and for following the story. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

 

With love,
Chaxan.

Chapter 33: New Year's Special 🌟🎉

Summary:

On the threshold of a new year, we stand before the door of hope, ready to bid farewell to the fading days and welcome the promise of a tomorrow filled with possibilities. The clock ticks relentlessly, marking not only the passage of time but also the beginning of a new chapter in our lives.
The New Year is more than a date on the calendar; it is a blank canvas inviting us to paint with the colors of renewal and personal growth. It is a reminder that, regardless of the challenges we may have faced, there is always an opportunity to start anew, to learn, to love, and to build upon the foundations of our dreams.
As we bid farewell to the past year with gratitude for the lessons learned, we open our hands to the future with the hope of a brighter tomorrow. In these fleeting moments between yesterday and tomorrow, we reflect on our goals, aspirations, and dreams, committing to weave a new year filled with meaningful moments, contagious laughter, and extraordinary achievements.

Notes:

Welcome to the unexplored chapter that awaits this new year for the Avengers family! Happy New Year! 🌟🎉

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Saturday, December 31, 2039.

It is no secret that over the years, the Avengers have experienced a significant increase in their numbers, leading to the evolution of traditions and customs, especially during the holidays. New Year's is no exception, particularly since the third generation is no longer too young.

As we approach the end of the year 2039, the third generation boasts forty-six members, ranging in age from one to twenty-four. Technically, it would be forty-nine, but Cooper Barton chose not to follow in his father's footsteps, so his three children do not share day-to-day life with the remaining forty-six.

With such a wide range of ages in the third generation, it was expected that modifications to existing customs would occur and, at the same time, some new ones would emerge. For example, while not all Avengers families might be present at the Christmas party, every single one attended the New Year's celebration without exception. Until now, all families had been complete on that date, except for the Laufeyson family, who had spent three years in Sylvie's universe and only returned on certain occasions. Excluding them, the rest of the families were always present.

In the year 2039, only one person from the third generation entered university: Alex Romanoff, who joined the other five who were already pursuing a degree. Additionally, more than one member graduated and started postgraduate studies, raising the total number of third-generation university students to ten at that time.

James Rogers and Maggy Carter-Hill continued to excel in their careers as Marines, with James already holding the rank of Sergeant and Maggy that of Corporal. Both pursued specific goals in their respective careers and were unwilling to leave their military lives until achieving them.

On the other hand, Anya, having graduated from MIT last year, embarked on her full-time professional career (whenever there were no missions) at the Avengers Foundation. This organization aimed to help young people and those in need, providing Anya with a new perspective on the world and planting a new dream in her that she hoped to fulfill with Hawk's help, once Hawk graduated with her MBA.

In 2039, Hawk completed her studies at MIT and decided to pursue an MBA before returning to New York. In the meantime, she shared her time with her best friend, Morgan Stark, who was already immersed in her first ScD, and with Carter, who was in her final year at MIT. She also spent time with three of her sisters who were also studying at MIT: the twins in their junior year and Alex, who was a freshman year student.

But in that year, an unprecedented change occurred among the young Avengers: moving to another state to study and live with their partners. This was exactly what Nate Barton and Harry Pym-Van Dyne decided to do. Nate had already spent two years in the veterinary school at Penn U, and that year, Harry joined him after graduating from his master's at MIT to start his Ph.D. at Penn U as well. Although Harry could have chosen to pursue his Ph.D. at MIT, like Morgan, he chose to live independently with his boyfriend, away from his city, family, and friends. He knew the experience might not be easy, but he was convinced it would provide them with the maturity and experience needed to move forward as a couple.

After five years of being in a relationship since that Valentine's Day when Talya shot them with an arrow, the couple had plans for a lifetime. With time, patience, and love, they were both confident that they would succeed. As they embarked on this new phase of their lives together, Nate and Harry shared the conviction that the distance from everyone they knew would not weaken their connection but rather strengthen their bond, allowing them to face life's challenges as the team they had become.

Despite Nate and Harry continuing their journey together after five years, not all couples who were together five years ago could say the same. The first to break, and undoubtedly the most painful, was the one between Maggy Carter-Hill and Hawk Romanoff, who decided to break up two years ago. It wasn't that the couple stopped loving each other, but Maggy's military life, which kept them apart for extended periods, coupled with inconsistent communication, led to a slow and painful separation. Over time, both were able to rebuild a friendship, but things were still somewhat awkward, even now that both have new partners. Although both denied still loving each other, more than one speculated that it would only be a matter of time before they found their way back to each other.

Moving on to the next relationship that came to an end, it was none other than the one between Morgan Stark and Carter Rogers. They ended their relationship in mid-February of that year, a surprising yet predictable piece of news. While they were an adorable and exemplary couple in the beginning, in the end, it seemed like they were only staying together out of habit. The romantic love between them slowly faded, perhaps only truly thriving until Carter's first year at MIT. After that, things began to change, and in their final year together, they seemed more like two friends than a relationship. Although both were aware of the evolution of their relationship, neither dared to take the next step to end it. After all, they had been together for a long time and feared what it would be like to go back to being just friends. Finally, they had an open conversation and parted on good terms. Although things were a bit awkward at first, it didn't take them long to get used to being just friends again.

But being college students or working in their careers wasn't the only obstacle that could prevent any of these young individuals from missing an Avengers' party. In fact, none of them had missed a Thanksgiving or Christmas to stay at university. On the contrary, they always returned eager to see their families and friends. However, that year, more than one spent Christmas away from home.

The year 2039 wasn't one of the favorite Christmases for the Romanoff family, especially for Natasha. Although they eagerly anticipated Alex's return after successfully completing her first semester at MIT, they didn't expect that two of their members would spend Christmas away from home for the first time and would only arrive a few days before New Year's.

That year, both Hawk and Billy spent Christmas with the families of their respective partners. Hawk had been dating Val Iglesias for six months, a bright, beautiful, attentive, thoughtful, and sweet girl with a very promising future as a partner in her father's law firm. Without a doubt, she was a great catch, and Hawk liked her a lot. While she wasn't completely in love, she cared for Val a great deal. Val was deeply in love with Hawk, which is why she invited her to spend Christmas with her family in Aspen, so she could get to know them better. Undoubtedly, it was the Christmas when Natasha missed the fact that her daughter wasn't dating Maggy Carter-Hill the most. Although she was happy that her daughter had the experience of spending Christmas in Aspen, it didn't take away from the feeling of missing her daughter on that day, especially when noticing Billy's absence as well.

The surprise for the family was that Billy decided to spend the holidays with Evan's family, her boyfriend of fourteen months. Evan, an excellent guy in his last year of Civil and Environmental Engineering at MIT, who was also a wide receiver on the football team. He was very kind, polite, handsome, true to his principles, smart, and on top of everything else, blond. More than one person joked that Billy was dating a doppelgänger of James Rogers, something that prompted a nervous laugh from Billy before saying that there wasn't much resemblance between her boyfriend and the eldest Rogers. Tommy always rolled her eyes when she heard her twin say that.

Undoubtedly, that Christmas was not easy for the Romanoffs with two of their members away from home, but such changes were something that would eventually happen with time. The only one who disagreed with the idea of her sisters being away, or rather her twin, was Tommy. However, her anger quickly subsided after Morgan's 21st birthday party.

In addition to the Romanoffs, the only other family that experienced an absence that Christmas was the Carter-Hills. Unlike James, Maggy couldn't get away from her Marine obligations before Christmas, but she arrived three days later in the company of Mackenzie 'Kenzie' Woods, her girlfriend and fellow Marine whom she had been dating for ten months. Since Kenzie wasn't close to her own family, Maggy invited her to spend New Year's Eve in the company of hers and the rest of the Avengers, to which Kenzie gladly accepted.

It wouldn't be the first time Maggy brought Kenzie to New York, but it would be the first time at such a large party with everyone present. Maggy wanted to continue formalizing her relationship with her girlfriend, and bringing her home for that occasion seemed like the best idea at the time. However, she didn't anticipate what would happen at that party and how it would make her reconsider their entire relationship.

But the return of those who were absent wasn't the only thing that made this date special compared to other years. More than one family saw it as the last year of one of their young ones being still small and still high school students, as the next year they would already be college freshman years.

In 2040, four new members would join the group of young third-generation avengers who were in college. The still seniors were none other than Talya Bishop, Dawn Dane, Freya Laufeyson, and Arno Stark. The first three were still sixteen years old and, like other young members of the third generation, skipped a year in high school, so they would enter at the age of seventeen. Freya studied at home in the universe where her mother came from, but in early December, she returned to this universe just to share the news with her friends that she would also be entering college with them next year, something that delighted her entire group of friends who had been dreaming of starting their college journey for years. On the other hand, Arno Stark, like her older sister Morgan, had skipped more than one year in high school, which is why she would also enter college next year. Tony and Pepper were undoubtedly proud of their daughter, especially Tony, who asserted that his little Arno would be another proud MIT graduate. What a surprise he will have when he discovers that the plans of his youngest daughter don't involve studying at her father's alma mater.


The New Year's Eve party to welcome 2040 was undoubtedly one of the most anticipated events for the entire Avengers family. As every year, Tony made an effort to throw a grand party to usher in the new year in the best way possible. The Avengers' compound hall transformed into a spectacle of bright lights and extravagant decorations, creating a festive atmosphere that reflected the excitement and anticipation of those present.

As another tradition of every Avengers party, it was no surprise that the first family to arrive was the Rogers. It was also not uncommon for the family to arrive incomplete; usually, it was Carter who arrived much later with Morgan, but now that they weren't together, for the first time in many years, Carter arrived with her parents and siblings, excluding one.

Buck was the first of the triplets to follow in his brother Carter's footsteps and arrive at the party a bit later with his partner. While Georgie had been dating a boy from high school since the Homecoming dance, his situation was not at all the same as that of his triplet. Like his older brother, Buck was dating someone who was also part of the third generation, none other than Stacey Lang; the eldest daughter of Cassie and, consequently, the eldest granddaughter of Scott. The young couple had only been dating for a couple of weeks, and since the Lang family spent the holidays in California, this party would be their official debut as a couple in front of all the Avengers.

Equally new was the punctuality of the Pym-Van Dyne family, who, while not typically late, weren't known for their punctuality either. But this year, the excitement of Scott Lang, the ever-fanboy, to see his granddaughter arrive with her boyfriend, one of Captain America's sons, undoubtedly prompted him to hurry his family to arrive on time and not miss the big moment. So, almost alongside the Rogers, Scott along with his wife Hope, his son Harry, and Nate Barton, arrived at the party.

With the arrival of just two families, the friend groups were already beginning to form. James, Carter, Harry, and Nate headed to the area where their group of friends usually gathered, the eldest members of the third generation. Meanwhile, two of the present Rogers triplets, Sarah and Georgie, also decided to go to the area where their group of friends usually gathered. Thus, only the leaders of both families remained conversing amiably while waiting for the others to arrive.

Of course, Scott's enthusiasm did not go unnoticed, and he couldn't resist making jokes about the newly established relationship between the two families. Bucky had to down more than one drink to endure that kind of teasing from Scott. Fortunately for him, not long after, the Carter-Hills arrived.

As usual, Maria and Sharon arrived hand in hand, with their not-so-little ones in front of them; Oliver and Nicky, while Maggy walked a bit behind them, also hand in hand with Kenzie, her girlfriend. As soon as they greeted the others, Oliver went off with Georgie and Sarah, and Nicky did the same while waiting for someone from her friend group to arrive. As expected, Maggy went off with her respective friends.

The four boys exchanged glances upon seeing that Maggy had brought Kenzie—not because they didn't like her, but because they were aware of how awkward the situation could become when Hawk arrived with her girlfriend too. The only one truly intrigued to see what would happen was Nate Barton, finding the situation quite amusing.

Fortunately, the Romanoffs, being such a large family, were not known for their punctuality, so they had a bit of time before things could potentially get a bit awkward.

It wasn't a secret that military families were the ones who usually arrived on time, so the next family to arrive was the Wilsons. Sam and Helmut also arrived hand in hand, while their sons, Zemo and Lucas, walked alongside their parents. Similarly, the Bartons arrived. Clint and Laura led the way for their family, with Cooper, who held his three-year-old daughter Liv in one hand and his two-year-old son Finn in the other, while his wife led their eldest daughter, Laurie, now six years old, by the hand. On the other side of her brother, a pregnant Lila walked with the help of Zac, her husband of two years. Due to the ages of the young Bartons, their parents went to the tables near the children's area to keep an eye on their kids.

The arrival of these two families further solidified the lively atmosphere of the party. Warm greetings and hugs were exchanged among those present, while the children ran around and played in the children's area, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the rest of their friends they only saw a few times a year. Fortunately, they didn't have to wait long to welcome another member of the younger generation, as the next family to arrive was the Foster-Odinsons. The family of four entered with the characteristic spark that defined them. Thor carried the youngest of his children, four-year-old little Jimmy, on his neck, while both he and Jane hugged their ten-year-old daughter Love, the member who joined their family two years ago. The entry of the Foster-Odinsons added an even more vibrant energy to the party. Thor, with his imposing presence, and Jane, with her charming grace, joined the celebration with affectionate hugs and radiant smiles.

A couple of minutes after them, the Stark family arrived. Like the Rogers, this was the first time in a long while that the entire family arrived, including the addition of the Parkers. Tony and Pepper walked in the midst of their family, the couple embracing with Tony's arms around his wife's waist. On Tony's side, Peter and MJ walked similarly to how Tony and Pepper did, except in the case of the Parkers, it was MJ who held Peter around the waist. Next to the Parker couple, Arno Stark, Toni, and Mary Parker walked calmly, while little Mitch walked alongside his grandmother Pepper and his aunt Morgan, who, by the way, was trying to hide her nervousness while looking for someone in the crowd. Morgan's anxiety significantly eased upon confirming that none of the Romanoffs had arrived yet, so after taking a drink, she joined the rest of her group of friends. Of course, being the good best friend she was, Morgan couldn't help but worry when she noticed that Maggy had brought her girlfriend to the party.

Fortunately for more than one person, the Romanoffs still hadn't arrived. The family that followed the Starks was the Langs. Cassie and Robin walked in with their little Rory between them, both mothers hugging their youngest daughter. They had never arrived without one of their daughters before, and the feeling was strange. They never thought they would experience this so soon; they assumed it would be at least another year when Stacey turned sixteen, but they were clearly mistaken. Of course, that wasn't the only prediction they got wrong. None of them expected that their eldest daughter's first partner would be Buck Rogers, and while Robin had never thought about it, Cassie always believed that her daughter would end up dating Talya Bishop, especially after how close they had become that semester. It seemed that her motherly instincts were off on that one, or at least that's what she thought at that moment.
The Lang family's arrival marked another moment of the night, the entrance of the smaller families. Minutes after them, the Danes arrived accompanied by Shuri, who still maintained a close bond with them. Both Shuri and Lorna joined Cassie, Robin, Peter, and MJ, part of the former Young Avengers.
Continuing with the blended families, Carol and Valkyrie arrived with Kamala and her husband Kamran. While it was the second year that the Rambeau family arrived in the company of another family, the rest of the Marvels did arrive together. While Carol carried five-year-old Aisha Khan, Valkyrie held three-year-old Carlos, and Kamran carried one-year-old Kamal, embracing his wife Kamala with his other hand. After greeting everyone, Aisha ran towards where Jimmy Foster-Odinson, Laurie Barton, and Mitch Parker were, while Carlos and Kamal stayed in the toddler area with Liv and Finn Barton.

The Avengers Tower continued to fill with the presence of families, each contributing their own joy and unique dynamics. This only increased with the arrival of another peculiar family, the family of sorcerers. Usually, Stephen and Christine entered hand in hand or embraced, while America and Kamar Chávez-Wong walked alongside them, but this year was different from the rest. The youngest of the former Young Avengers had finally become a mother just a month ago when her wife gave birth to their daughter, Stephanie Chávez-Wong. Stephen couldn't have been happier to finally be a grandfather, so it was common to see him carrying his granddaughter for the past month; his entrance to the party was no exception.

The excitement and joy were reflected on everyone's faces as they saw the newest addition to the sorcerer's family. Little Stephanie became the center of attention, receiving affection and congratulations from everyone present who met her for the first time. The night continued to enrich with the arrival of each family, creating special memories and strengthening the bonds that united the Avengers.

Only three families remained to arrive at the party, and the next to arrive were the combination of two families: the Bishops and the Rambeaus. Since the previous year, both families arrived together following an agreement between both Bishop moms along with the Rambeau parents. The reason they did this since the previous year was the relationship that had started a year ago between Bella Bishop and Luna "Looney" Rambeau.

The young couple had started their relationship a year ago when they were both thirteen years old. Even though they were very young according to many, that didn't change the fact that both were in love, so they saw no reason to wait a couple of years to call themselves girlfriends. Contrary to what might be believed, they weren't a pair of precocious teenagers; at most, they had reached kisses where their lips barely met. The love both girls had for each other was pure, innocent, sweet and tender, one of those loves that are rarely found. Both said they were lucky to have realized their feelings from a young age, avoiding many unnecessary dramas that would only delay living their love.

The maturity with which the girls spoke about their relationship and love surprised both Kate and Yelena as well as Monica and Pietro, but at the same time, they were proud of the emotional maturity their daughters possessed. So instead of opposing their relationship, they had supported them from day one. However, being so young, they couldn't do many things that other older couples did, such as, for example, arriving with their partners at parties. That's why last year both families had agreed to arrive together; this way, Bella and Looney would enter together as the couple they were.


With the arrival of the Bishop and Rambeau families, the young members of the third generation were finally able to split into their respective groups of friends. The second group of the older ones in that generation was almost complete, as Alex Romanoff was still missing, and Freya Laufeyson wouldn't be coming, so at the moment, there were Zemo Wilson, Dawn Dane, Vers Rambeau, and a Talya Bishop who didn't look happy or excited to be there, something very unusual for her.

Continuing with the next group, which was also missing two Romanoffs (Kiernan and Max) as well as the new couple Stacey and Buck, it was the group that included Looney Rambeau, Bella Bishop, Arno Stark, Oliver Carter-Hill, Georgie, and Sara Rogers.

Next came one of the smaller groups with only four members: Nicky Carter-Hill, Lucas Wilson, Toni Parker, and Katy Bishop. This particular group seemed quite familiar to more than one, finding several similarities with another of the previous groups, one of the older ones.

Continuing with the group made up of the ones too big for the kids' area but still too young for the older groups, it was the group consisting of Leska Bishop, Mayry Parker, Rory Lang, and Love Foster-Odinson. The four, being the same age of ten, didn't find playing in the kids' area that appealing. Instead, they preferred to sit in one of the small rooms and talk about the gifts Santa had brought them almost a week ago. Because yes, they might be too big to play games, but they still believed in Santa. Without a doubt, being in that complicated age where you're between childhood and adolescence could be chaotic, but luckily, they had each other, and whatever came their way, they would face it like the good friends they were.

The rest of the kids remained as they had been since the arrival of the Khans, with Aisha and Jimmy eagerly awaiting the arrival of Lizzie Romanoff. The anticipation on their faces was palpable, eager for their friend to complete the group and enjoy the party together.

Finally, moving to the side of the older ones where the four older Romanoffs were missing; it was the one that had the most difficulty dividing. Now that they were all college students between the ages of nineteen to twenty-four, they usually chose to stay together, perhaps talk more with some than with others but all in the same group. This particular party had more than one reason to split into one or more groups.

Morgan Stark had to use her brilliant genius mind to ensure that the large group was divided in such a way that they could avoid awkward moments. Obviously, she would be with her best friend, Hawk, and Hawk's girlfriend; there were many other considerations before adding more to their group. Maggy and, consequently, Kenzie would obviously be in the other group, and while both Morgan and Carter had no problem interacting as the friends they were, Carter and Maggy were best friends, so it was assumed they would be in the same group.

She still had to arrange the rest in a way that the groups had almost the same number of people, which wouldn't be difficult considering recent events. James and Anya were always a pair, so they also had to be in the same group, not to mention that their other two best friends were Harry and Nate, so that would send four to the other group.

A couple of days ago, the answer would have been simple: send them to the group where Carter would be, after all, he was James's brother, and Anya had become very close to him that semester. Anya even taught Carter how to flirt with guys. The problem now was that with that move, the twins and Marius would, by default, end up in her and Hawk's group. If there was anything Morgan had been avoiding in the last four days, it was being as far away as possible from Tommy Romanoff.

There was no way Morgan could be interacting at the same time with Hawk and Tommy without feeling guilty. Not to mention the enormous temptation of having Tommy nearby. So, she had no choice but to make a decision that surprised more than one person. She had to act quickly before the Romanoffs arrived.

Under the pretext of getting a different drink, Morgan managed to get Harry and Nate to go with her to the other bar in the hall, leaving James, Carter, Maggy, Kenzie, and Marius where Morgan later hoped that Tommy, Billy, and her boyfriend would join. If Anya decided to stay with her and Hawk, there was no problem, but it was obvious that she would go where James was.

What Morgan did not consider in her plan was the information she was unaware of, like Billy's crush on James. Therefore, both twins and Marius would not stay in that group for long. For now, Morgan felt more at ease, thinking that her plan had no flaws and that, therefore, she would not fall into the temptation of a green-eyed blonde again.

Finally, after a long and paused wait, the entire Romanoff family, along with their two (temporary) additions, arrived at the New Year's Eve party, officially marking the beginning of the celebration.

After greeting everyone and officially introducing both Val and Evan, the family split up to join their respective friends. The first to leave was none other than the youngest Romanoff; Lizzie, who ran off as soon as she could with her friends Aisha and Jimmy.

Following the footsteps of her younger sister, Max, Kiernan, and Alex went with their respective groups, leaving the four older sisters in search of their friends. As expected, Anya went straight to James as soon as she saw him. The fact that Carter was with his brother was just a bonus.

Hawk also quickly found her best friend, so she and Val walked over to where Morgan was with Harry and Nate. Similarly, Tommy managed to spot Morgan, exchanging a brief glance with her. This act didn't go unnoticed by Billy, but she didn't say anything. Fortunately for more than one person, Marius reached where the twins and Evan were, suggesting they go somewhere else. While Marius suggested going with Hawk, Billy thought it wouldn't be a good idea, judging by the looks exchanged between her twin and Morgan. Perhaps, for now, it was best to stay away from any potential drama, so a place where they weren't with Morgan or James seemed to be the best possible idea.

With that, the Avengers' compound hall echoed with the joy of the gathering, marking the beginning of a night that promised to be memorable for everyone.

The atmosphere remained relaxed and cheerful. The night was in full swing, and laughter echoed in the festive ambiance, along with music and the warmth of family and friendly connections.

And finally, a moment awaited by several (especially by Scott) arrived—the debut of the new couple formed by Stacey and Buck.

Stacey, radiant with her presence and elegance, walked hand in hand with Buck, who wore an expression of confidence and pride to have her by his side. The couple, with only a couple of weeks into their relationship, ventured into the heart of the party, receiving curious and warm looks from those present.

The couple, though a bit overwhelmed by the attention, responded with smiles and gratitude. Around them, the members of the present families and friends celebrated the moment with applause and congratulations. With the arrival of the new couple, Tony suggested opening the dance floor, giving the young couple a chance to debut in front of the entire family. Tony also extended the invitation to the other three couples who had officially introduced themselves to all the Avengers.

None of the couples declined the invitation, so the four pairs—Stacey and Buck, Hawk and Val, Billy and Evan, as well as Maggy and Kenzie—moved to the dance floor. Not long after, Harry and Nate joined the young couples, along with Bella and Looney. Of course, it wasn't only couples from the third generation who took to the dance floor, as more than one married couple could also be seen dancing.

The couples moved with grace and enthusiasm, creating a scene full of laughter and cheers. The mix of dance styles reflected the diversity of the Avengers' family, from elegant steps to more playful moves.

But while the couples seemed to be having fun on the dance floor, there were certain people who weren't having a good time that night, and that didn't go unnoticed by their loved ones.

Kate and Yelena had gone dancing, but after a while, they decided to grab a drink with the Romanoffs. They hadn't had a chance to talk to them since greeting them, so seeing them sipping a drink at their table after dancing seemed like a good idea to catch up on everything that had happened since Christmas.

"Hey, Romanoffs! How's everything going?" greeted Kate with her usual energy, causing both mentioned to smile at the greeting.

"Bishops, we thought at your age after dancing, you wouldn't have that much energy," Natasha joked.

"And dancing is nothing, sestra. Believe me, at our age, we still have a lot of energy for all kinds of things," Yelena said with a double entendre, making both her wife and Wanda laugh, while Natasha made a disgusted face.

"You asked for it, Nat," Wanda said amidst laughter. Natasha didn't say anything; she just finished what was left of her drink.

"Let's change the subject," Natasha suggested, eliciting laughter once again from the other three women present.

"Sounds good," Yelena agreed. "Tell us, how are things with Val and Evan at home?"

Both Romanoffs sighed at that question.

"That doesn't sound like a good sign," Kate remarked.

"Val and Evan are great, both really nice," Wanda said sincerely, clarifying to avoid any misunderstanding.

"But...?" Yelena prompted, waiting for one of her sisters to continue the conversation.

"Neither of them seems to be a permanent member of the family, especially Val," Natasha replied.

The Bishops took the opportunity to look at the couple, who were still dancing on the floor. One didn't have to be an expert to understand why the Romanoffs believed that; you just had to look at the couple. They seemed comfortable being together, there was no doubt about that, but there was still something missing. Val looked at Hawk with eyes full of love, but hers lacked that sparkle, not even a little. In contrast, there were moments when a hint of sadness appeared in Hawk's eyes, especially after seeing Maggy dancing with her girlfriend a few meters away.

Fortunately or unfortunately, Val didn't notice any of that, but undoubtedly Hawk's moms did, as well as her aunts.

"Yeah... that makes sense," Kate said, picking up the thread of the conversation.

"What does Hawk say about it?" Yelena asked. Both Romanoffs took a sip of their drinks before responding.

"We tried talking to her about it... she assured us that everything was fine and not to worry," Wanda was the first to answer.

"Of course, we don't believe her, but we also can't insist," Natasha added. "So I guess we just have to hope for the best."

"I can talk to her; maybe giving her a different perspective will be helpful," Kate suggested.

"That would be great, Kate," Wanda said.

"We would really appreciate it," Natasha added.

The Romanoffs knew that Hawk listened to Kate; after all, she was her favorite aunt. And while another person might be bothered by it, Yelena loved that Hawk had always considered Kate her favorite aunt. That's why she couldn't help but smile at her wife when she offered to do this.

"Anytime," Kate said. "But what's going on with Billy and Evan?"

"I want to know the same; they look... normal," Yelena mentioned as well, watching the couple still on the dance floor.

The couple didn't particularly stand out; they were just dancing and seemed to be having fun, but there was nothing that truly made them stand out from the rest.

"That's exactly it," Natasha responded. "You, like us, know what it's like to be with the love of your life, and you know what that looks like. Billy and Evan are a cute couple, but it's more than obvious that they're not meant to be together."

"We're not worried about it, per se; Billy is still very young, and she will meet her true love... we just hope she won't suffer too much when the breakup comes," Wanda added.

"It will hurt, but I think who will suffer more when that happens will undoubtedly be Evan," Kate mentioned after looking at the couple again.

As with the other couple, it was more than obvious who was truly in love in the relationship. Evan also looked at Billy with eyes full of love, but hers didn't see it in the same way.

"What can I say? It's their Romanoff genes; that make them heartbreakers," Natasha said partly as a joke and partly in truth. Wanda rolled her eyes upon hearing her wife, causing the Bishops to laugh.

"Don't remind me of you and your damn Romanoff genes, Natasha."

As soon as Wanda said that, Natasha fell silent, making the Bishops laugh even more.

"Uh-oh, that sounds like something happened," Kate said playfully.

"Who was it this time?" Yelena asked, knowing that Wanda said that because of one of her daughters. "Ann, Tommy, or Alex?"

Wanda sighed before responding.

"Thomasine.”

"And what did my Speedy do now?" Yelena asked.

"Disappeared again, this time after the Christmas party," Wanda replied.

"She didn't show up at the house until the 27th," Natasha added. "Even Billy arrived with Evan before Tommy."

"And something tells me that it will probably happen again tonight," Wanda mentioned, not pleased with the idea.

"Wow, if that happens, it would be... three times in the last ten days, right?" Kate said, making both Romanoffs nod. "Sounds like Tommy is seeing a girl she really likes," she added, once again getting agreement from the Romanoffs.

"That's what we think," Natasha said. "But we have no idea who it could be; Tommy hasn't said anything."

"We're glad our daughter is finally finding someone she really likes enough to want to spend so much time with her; what we don't approve of are these secret getaways," Wanda added, not happy with her daughter's recent behavior.

"Tommy dating someone... no, it doesn't make sense," Yelena said after thinking about it. While it was more than obvious to the other three women, she knew her niece-goddaughter very well and was aware of Tommy's lingering feelings for Morgan. So, if it wasn't Morgan, Yelena doubted that her niece was really dating someone. Then something clicked in her mind as she remembered that it all started after Morgan's birthday party. "... unless..." she murmured really quietly, but still catching the attention of the others. Fortunately, no one noticed that discreetly, Yelena managed to see the exchanged glances between Tommy and Morgan. "Yeah... that makes sense," she thought, seeing those complicit looks that spoke more than a thousand words. She doesn't know exactly what is happening between her niece and the Stark heiress, but she will find out tonight.

"Unless... what?" Wanda asked after several seconds of silence. Of course, she wasn't the only one eager to hear Yelena's answer; Natasha and Kate also wanted to know what it was about.

"Nothing, I think you're right," Yelena said without going into details. Obviously, Wanda was not satisfied with that answer, so she hurried to add, "I'll handle this, don't worry."

Wanda resigned herself, knowing she wouldn't get more information from Yelena.

"Alright, I just hope Tommy doesn't keep disappearing for days," Wanda said.

"Well, that's something I can't promise," Yelena replied, "... but I'll tell her to at least send you a text," she added after feeling Wanda's murderous gaze.

"Okay, that's fine," Natasha said to change the course of the conversation. "Speaking of daughters with strange behavior in the last few days, I see that my dear niece still has a sour face," she added, pointing to where Talya was in the company of her best friend and favorite cousin; Alex Romanoff.

Unlike other parties, that was the first time she was seen not only off the dance floor but also with a face that could only be translated as annoyance and even discomfort, as if she didn't want to be there.

Now it was the turn of the Bishops to sigh heavily.

"Yeah, she's still like that," Kate was the first to respond. "She didn't even want to come to the party, but ended up coming only because her friends and especially Alex would be here," she took a brief pause to drink from her glass. "We don't know what's going on with her; this Christmas was supposed to be her best, and she spends almost the whole month angry.

Yelena bit the inside of her cheek. She did have an idea of what was going on, but she couldn't say anything. As someone who understood the importance of figuring things out on her own, she wouldn't say anything until her daughter did first.

"She's been like this since when, the winter dance?" Wanda asked, to which Kate nodded in response. "That's a long time... anyone would say that after receiving her early acceptance letters from two universities, she would be happy for the entire holiday.

"I say the same!" Kate agreed with her sister-in-law. "Although maybe it's because we didn't give her the Harley Davidson she asked for as a Christmas gift... maybe I should go to the dealership on Monday," she added, more to herself than to the others. Yelena smiled at her wife's words, but at the same time couldn't help but roll her eyes. Kate was undoubtedly the indulgent mom of the two, and that often led to various punishments from her wife.

"You won't buy Talya any motorcycle, Kate," Yelena declared. "We gave her a Lamborghini on her birthday; that should be enough for at least a couple more years.

"But it's not the same, a motorcycle is different from a car..." Kate continued to advocate for her daughter's wish.

"Exactly, it's not the same. A car is much safer, and Talya, who turned out just as reckless as you, believe me, doesn't need a motorcycle," Yelena replied. Kate didn't say anything more; she couldn't argue against her wife's logic.

The Romanoffs chuckled quietly; so many years had passed, and the Bishops still seemed like the same girls from over twenty years ago.

"Besides, Talya has been like this since several weeks before Christmas," Yelena reminded her wife.

"True... but we still don't know why," Kate mentioned.

"Maybe it's just stress; senior year can be very challenging, especially considering all of Talya's extracurricular activities," Wanda opined, providing a plausible reason for her niece's behavior.

"The next semester won't have as many activities as this last one, so maybe that will help," Kate said.

"It will still be the same number of activities; she just won't be in the academic marathon club anymore," Yelena clarified, knowing that her daughter's behavior wasn't due to stress.

"She didn't like being in that club?" Wanda asked.

"She never wanted to be in that club; she only did it to cover for one of the members," Natasha answered her wife. She knew this because Talya had told her herself.

"Exaclty, Stacey, as the captain of the club, asked her, and Talya agreed, but only for one semester," Yelena added, making Natasha realize what was happening with her niece. "I can't believe it took me so long to figure it out... I should spend less time with Yelena," Natasha thought to herself.

"Those fucking Belova genes," Natasha cursed under her breath, though while everyone heard it, Kate and Wanda only saw her muttering without understanding. Only Yelena understood why she had said that and couldn't agree more with her sister. Among all the things that Talya could have inherited from Yelena, she got what could be a curse. "I'll talk to Talya; maybe that will help."

Before any of the Bishops could say anything, a distressed Pietro joined the conversation.

"Could you talk to your nieces too? Someone needs to talk to them," Pietro said so fast that it was barely understandable.

"Nieces? You mean Bella and Looney, right?" Kate asked just to confirm.

"Of course, I mean them!" Pietro exclaimed obviously. "They've gone crazy; someone needs to talk some sense into them!"

If Pietro weren't known for his dramatics, that would alarm everyone present.

"What's going on with the girls, Sonic?" Yelena asked him.

"I was getting a drink when I passed by where they were with their friends, and I overheard them talking about getting married, GETTING MARRIED!" Pietro said, still unable to calm down. "For God's sake, they're fourteen! They shouldn't be thinking about such things!"

Okay, maybe they should worry a little after all.

Kate and Yelena exchanged looks, both concerned about the situation. Although Bella and Looney were quite mature for their age, the idea that they were thinking about getting married at such a young age was unexpected.

"They're young, yes, but still, they've always known what they want... It's obvious that both have already planned much, if not their entire lives, but that doesn't mean they have plans to get married so young," Yelena was the first to speak after Pietro dropped the bomb. "Or did they say something else?"

Pietro thought for a moment before responding.

"No... they just talked about getting married."

With that, both Bishops relaxed noticeably. Still, someone should talk to the girls; it wouldn't hurt to know more about the plans they had.

"You see, they probably just talked about what their lives would be like in, I don't know, ten or fifteen years," Kate said, mostly to reassure Pietro, who didn't look entirely relieved.

"I don't want a bride-teen daughter, so someone needs to talk to them," Pietro said before leaving to find his wife. More than one rolled their eyes at his statement.

"I'll talk to the girls, just to ease your minds," Wanda told the Bishops. "Surely Pietro was just exaggerating, but a chat wouldn't hurt."

"Please, we also want to have the peace of mind that they're not thinking of getting married as soon as they both turn eighteen," Yelena requested.

Natasha internally thanked herself for never having such a thing happen with any of her daughters. While Hawk had an epic teenage romance, both she and Maggy always said they would get married at least by the time they were twenty-five. So, no, the Romanoffs never had the concern that the Rambeaus or the Bishops had at that moment, and Natasha trusted that she wouldn't have it either with her three younger daughters.

"I think that's our cue," Kate said amusedly upon hearing Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy start playing, Harry and Nate's characteristic song. The rest of the women present laughed, especially as they saw how gradually the couples on the dance floor dispersed, leaving the sweet couple to enjoy their song.

Whenever that song played, the others on the dance floor would let the couple savor their moment, so this would be the perfect time for the four women to talk to their respective nieces.

"The song doesn't last long, so we'd better hurry," Wanda told them.

Without further ado, the four got up to start walking in different directions. The soft music and festive atmosphere created the perfect backdrop for addressing these delicate issues.

When Harry and Nate's song started playing, Val and Hawk decided to get a drink from the large fountain on the snack table, so they weren't far from where Kate was.

"Hey, girls," Kate greeted when she was close enough to the couple.

"Hey, Auntie Kate," Hawk greeted with a smile at her favorite aunt. "Val, remember my Aunt Kate?" she asked her girlfriend.

"Of course, your aunt who's also your godparents’ oldest child, right?" Val said, making Kate smile with pride. Whenever she was referred to as the Bartons’ oldest, it stirred a great sense of pride.

"That's the one," Hawk replied, also smiling. It always seemed cute to her when her girlfriend remembered things she told her, especially when the information could be as confusing as what Val had just said.

"A pleasure again, Mrs. Bishop," Val greeted Kate with a handshake, and Kate returned the greeting.

"Oh, please, Kate is fine. Mrs. Bishop is my mother," Kate said, amused, causing both girls to laugh. Val really seemed like a great girl and undoubtedly a great match for her niece. If, after talking to Hawk, she still wanted to give it a try, Kate would give her full support.

"And what happened, Auntie? Everything okay?" Hawk asked Kate.

Kate hesitated a bit, not sure how to talk to her niece without her girlfriend present.

"Everything's fine... I just wanted to greet my favorite niece and her girlfriend," Kate said, partly true but also hiding the real reason. Hawk gave her a sidelong smile in response.

"Val, love, why don't you get a drink for Morgan? I need to talk to my aunt about something," Hawk asked her. She knew her aunt so well that she could tell something was on her mind, so it would be best to send Val with her friends.

"With how weird she's been tonight, I think she needs something stronger, but whatever my girlfriend says," Val said sweetly as she grabbed a drink for Morgan, then left a gentle kiss on Hawk's cheek, who smiled at the contact. "Excuse me, Mrs... Kate."

"Pleasure to meet you, Val," Kate said kindly. Without further ado, Val Iglesias left the scene.

"Now, auntie, what's going on?" Hawk asked Kate as soon as she saw that Val was far enough away. Kate sighed deeply before starting to speak.

"How was your Christmas, dear?"

"Good... Aspen is beautiful, and Val's family is great," Hawk said, not understanding where her aunt's question was coming from.

"How is everything with Val? Is everything going well between you two?" Kate asked, looking at Hawk with interest and concern.

Hawk furrowed her brow slightly, wondering why her aunt was suddenly bringing up that topic.

"Yes, Auntie, everything is fine. Val and I get along incredibly well, and I'm happy with her. Why do you ask?" Hawk told her aunt.

Kate sighed again before responding.

"It's just that I've noticed... certain things, dear," Kate said, and Hawk looked at her with genuine curiosity. "For example, the lack of sparkle in your eyes when you see her or talk about her," she mentioned as delicately as she could. "Also, some of your glances at Maggy..." she added cautiously. Hawk averted her gaze to the floor. "I don't want to pry, dear, but you're my favorite niece, and I just want to make sure you're happy and in a healthy relationship, where you have no doubts about being with that person," she explained honestly.

Hawk stayed silent for a moment, processing her aunt's words. She didn't expect anyone to notice the subtle glances she had been giving Maggy that night, although she wasn't surprised that it was her Aunt Kate who noticed. She just hoped no one else had.

"It's... complicated, Auntie," Hawk murmured after several seconds of silence. "Maggy... she'll always be special to me, I can't help it." Kate gave her an understanding look, grasping what her niece was saying. "I'm not still in love with her, that's impossible..."

"When love is true, nothing is impossible, dear," Kate told her, causing Hawk to sigh heavily.

"True love isn't one-sided, Auntie," Hawk replied with pain. "Maggy seems to have moved on a long time ago; she looks very happy with her girlfriend. It's obvious that she has her feelings clear."

"I don't know, dear... Maggy and her girlfriend don't look much different from you and Val," Kate mentioned, not wanting to bring up that she had also seen Maggy look at Hawk in the same way. That was something that, when the time came, both girls should talk about or realize.

"I really don't think so," Hawk said, much to her dismay. For her, there was no way that could be possible. "And still, it's not like I'm still in love with Maggy... it's just complicated. I'm not used to seeing her or talking to her, so it still confuses me a bit when I do."

"Self-sabotage, she definitely got that from Natasha," Kate thought upon hearing her niece's denial.

"Okay, but what about Val?"

Again, Hawk sighed deeply.

"Val is amazing, auntie. She's affectionate, fun, understanding... seriously, I have no complaints. She makes me happy, and I really enjoy our relationship. But..." Hawk paused for a moment, searching for the right words. "But sometimes I feel like I'll never be able to reciprocate her love, love her as she loves me or as I loved Maggy..." Kate listened carefully to her niece's words, knowing she was in the midst of a complicated emotional dilemma. Moreover, with that description, there was no need to ask if she's in love with Val; the answer was more than obvious. "I really wanted to give it a try with Val, stay together and see what happens... I still want that, despite everything, I really like her.

"You know you can't control matters of the heart, right, dear?" Kate stated the obvious. If Hawk still wanted to go through with this, she could end up really hurt, not to mention how much it would affect Val.

"I know, but Val and I have only been together for a couple of months... maybe after spending Christmas together and now that we're going back to Massachusetts, things will change for the better," Hawk said, more to convince herself than anything else. "Of course, when I return to New York in the summer, things will change a bit, but we've talked about it, and we'll make it work. Maybe by then, I'll already be head over heels in love with my girlfriend."

“It seems you've already made your decision, dear," Kate said. She wasn't convinced it was a good idea, but she would support her niece in whatever decision she made. "Just be very careful, try not to force things, and always be honest with yourself and with Val. Don't forget that communication is key in any relationship."

Hawk nodded, grateful for her aunt's words. She knew making decisions in matters of the heart was not easy, but she felt more secure after talking to Kate.

"That's what I'll do," Hawk said after a couple of seconds. "I don't want to hurt Val or myself, but I also want to give our relationship a chance. I truly believe she and I can make it work."

"In that case, I wish you both the best of luck, dear," Kate said as she approached to hug her niece. "I'm here for whatever you need, okay?"

"I know, Auntie, thank you," Hawk said before breaking the hug.

"Now, go back to your girl," Kate encouraged. Hawk smiled in response.

"See you, Auntie K," Hawk said before heading back to where Val was waiting.

"Well, I tried... I just hope things go really well for my niece," Kate thought as she watched Hawk leave. But her thoughts were interrupted by the presence of someone who didn't go unnoticed.

"Where do you think you're going, young man?" Kate said, causing little Mitch Parker to stop in his tracks. "Aren't you supposed to be with the other kids in the play area?"

"I was looking for some ice cream, Auntie Kate," little Mitch said.

"Did your parents give you permission to have ice cream so late, littlest spider?" Kate asked her nephew, who immediately gave her a nervous smile identical to his father's whenever he was caught red-handed.

"Um... No?" Mitch mumbled. "But I really want ice cream, Auntie Kate..." he added, pouting.

Kate smiled affectionately.

"In that case, let's get some ice cream, littlest spider."

The little one's eyes lit up.

"Really?!"

"Of course, anything for my favorite nephew," Kate replied, still smiling. The little one smiled back.

"Just don't tell your mom or Auntie Lena, okay?" Mitch nodded energetically. "Great, now let's go get that ice cream."

Once again, Auntie Kate saved the night.

~

Meanwhile, in one of the lounges of the hall, Wanda was with Bella and Looney. The young couple was still chatting with their friends when Wanda went to find them. It wasn't very difficult to get them out of there; it was enough to tell them that she wanted to talk to them, and the girls followed her.

As soon as they reached a somewhat secluded room away from all the noise, Wanda was the first to take a seat on one of the sofas, while the couple sat across from her. The pair never let go of each other's hands, something that Wanda found very endearing.

"Well, Aunt," Bella was the first to break the silence, "what did you want to talk to us about?"

"Is everything okay?" Looney also asked after a couple of seconds in which Wanda remained silent.

The truth was that Wanda didn't know how to approach the situation; eight daughters, and yet there were still things that continued to challenge her. Dealing with Thanos seemed much simpler at that moment.

"Everything's fine, girls, don't worry," Wanda said, noticing the concerned looks from the couple. Both girls immediately relaxed. "I just wanted to talk about you... how you feel about your relationship, plans for the future, and all that."

"Does this have to do with Dad overhearing us?" Looney asked. Wanda was surprised to hear that; she didn't expect them to know.

"How do you know that your dad overheard something?"

Both girls chuckled.

"Dad is not known for being discreet, Auntie Wands, you know that," Looney said with amusement. Wanda nodded, agreeing with her.

"A silvery-blue light passing by you only means one thing," Bella added in the same vein.

"True... I should have guessed you already knew," Wanda said, now much more relaxed that the girls were aware of the direction of the conversation. "So, if you already know what we're going to talk about, would you like to start?"

Both girls turned to each other, shared a smile, and then nodded in response, never letting go of each other's hands.

"Yes, that would be better," Looney was the first to speak.

"In that case, go ahead, sweeties," Wanda encouraged them, giving them a warm smile to make the couple feel more at ease.

"We've always felt that we're meant to be together," Bella began to explain, squeezing Looney's hand. "No matter how much time passes, we always feel the same way about each other."

Looney nodded, adding, "We love each other, and we both know that we'll never love anyone else like this," she took a small pause to breathe. "We know we're so young, and many people may say that we're saying this now and that it will change in a couple of years... but we both know that won't happen; we feel it in our hearts."

Both girls turned slightly to look directly into each other's eyes. A smile settled on each of their faces.

"We want to be together forever... no matter how much time passes, it will always be like this," Bella added, gently caressing her girlfriend's hand. "Just by looking into my Moony's eyes, I know I don't want anyone else... she's all I want and need."

Wanda couldn't help but smile as she listened and watched the couple in front of her. This kind of sweetness and love brought back memories of when Kate and Yelena started their relationship; Bella said almost the same words that Kate said over twenty years ago.

"When you love someone the way we love each other, it's logical to start planning your life with that person, imagining how everything would be..." Looney said with her characteristic dreamy voice, yet filled with all the love she felt. "... so that's what we did, we planned our entire life."

The couple knew they were reaching the exact point that had brought them there in the first place, so they broke eye contact with each other to return their attention to Wanda.

"So yes, Aunt Wands, my Moony and I are getting married," Bella said. Wanda's breath stopped for a second. "... but it will be after finishing college," she added, and Wanda couldn't help but release a sigh of relief, making both girls laugh.

"For us, marriage is a symbol of our love and commitment. We don't want to wait too long to show the world what we feel," Looney added. "But we can wait long enough for both of us to finish college; we're not in a hurry."

There was nothing to worry about; they had everything covered with a solid plan. Once again, the young couple surprised with their maturity in handling their relationship.

"I'm glad to hear that, girls. I'm sure you'll achieve everything you planned," Wanda told them, and the couple smiled in response. "But for now, enjoy your present, so go back to enjoy the party."

Both girls nodded before standing up and running back to the dance floor, bidding farewell to their Aunt Wands.

"The youth of today..." Wanda said in a low voice, then a cringe expression appeared on her face. "Ugh! I sounded like Steve saying that," she made the same expression again. "I think a drink is what I need, yes, that's it."

Without further ado, Wanda left for the nearest bar. After all, the night was still young.

~

When Yelena embarked on her mission to find out what was happening with her niece, she had already planned how she would handle the situation. She had observed that Tommy was at the back of the bar on the right side of the hall. Despite being almost in a corner of the room, she did her best to discreetly see Morgan, who was on the opposite side. Perhaps the distance between them was what prevented anyone from noticing the glances exchanged by both girls, not even the people around them.

As soon as Yelena arrived with Tommy, she asked Marius to go tell his dad that everything was fine and that Wanda would take care of the situation. Marius didn't understand what she was talking about, but he left them alone to talk.

"What is my mom taking care of?" Tommy asked, confused.

"That's not important right now," Yelena said as she took a seat next to her niece. "So... you and Morgan, huh?"

Tommy choked on the drink she was having after hearing her aunt say that. Yelena couldn't help but laugh; her niece had just confirmed everything.

"How did you know?" Tommy asked, once she stopped coughing. Yelena looked at her with an obvious expression.

"Really?"

"We were very discreet, no one noticed," Tommy paused briefly before continuing. "Well, Billy started suspecting when she came home... but she's my twin, it's obvious she would notice."

"It's not like you were very discreet either..."

"Nobody besides you or her has noticed, тетя.”

"Nobody besides her or me knows about your feelings for Morgan. Well, and Ann, but you get it," Yelena said and then thought, "from what I see, Ann is in her own world," as she watched her niece dance with the Rogers brothers.

How James didn't notice that Anya looked at his brother with eyes of love was a mystery. The most striking thing about the scene wasn't that, but apparently, Carter wasn't indifferent to Anya's gaze. Yelena made a mental note to talk to Anya once she was done with Tommy.

Anyway, Tommy knew her aunt was right; perhaps they hadn't been as discreet as they thought. She just hoped that no one besides her twin or aunt had noticed.

"What do my moms think?" Tommy asked, wanting to know more about the situation to take precautions if necessary.

"They think you're dating someone, hence the disappearances where you're gone for more than a day," Yelena replied. "At first, I didn't believe that was true. I knew the only person you would date with would be Morgan Stark... then I remembered that it all started on the night of her birthday," Tommy smiled at the memory, making her aunt smile in return. Over the years, Yelena has witnessed her niece's infatuation with the Stark heiress, and she's glad that Tommy is finally succeeding in love. Or at least, that's what she thought at that moment. "So, how did things unfold?"

Tommy chuckled before taking a sip of her vodka.

"I don't know... at first, everything was normal, maybe we just talked more and danced more... but we weren't alone, there were always friends or one of my sisters around," Tommy began to recount, remembering how things started with Morgan. "But around midnight, that began to change... every time we were alone, Morgan would flirt with me. I won't lie; at first, that confused me. I thought maybe I had already drunk a lot or something... but no, Morgan Stark was genuinely flirting with me..."

"And let me guess, did you flirt back, huh?" Yelena teased her, causing Tommy to let out a chuckle.

"Of course I did, it's not every day it happens, so I took my chance," Tommy replied with a mischievous smile.

"Judging by that smile, I guess I don't want to hear the rest, do I?" Yelena said with a raised eyebrow, eliciting another chuckle from Tommy.

“No, I guess not," Tommy said proudly, still smiling. Yelena shook her head amused, not knowing whether to blame the Romanoff or Maximoff genes in her niece.

"Congrats, Speedy; I'm glad you're finally dating the girl of your dreams," Yelena congratulated her niece. Tommy's smile vanished instantly. "Is something wrong, Tom?"

Tommy downed a shot of vodka before responding.

"Morgan and I are not dating."

Yelena looked bewildered.

"What do you mean you're not dating? You've been sneaking around since her birthday party," Yelena said, still not understanding. Tommy took a deep breath. "What is really going on between you and Morgan, Thomasine?"

"Don't call me that, I haven't done anything wrong," Tommy muttered under her breath. Yelena raised an eyebrow in response. "Okay... maybe I haven't handled the situation the best way, but that doesn't mean I'm doing things wrong... it's just that things are... complicated."

"Explain yourself."

Tommy took another shot, which undoubtedly was not her favorite part of the story.

"After the first night together... Morgan said it was a mistake, that it should never have happened," Tommy murmured with pain. Yelena closed her eyes and sighed; she hadn't seen that twist coming. "I wanted a better explanation than just hearing her say that; it wasn't possible for her to claim it was all a mistake after... well, you know,” she paused to sigh. “The point is, she was right, and there was something else. Morgan felt guilty because she had slept with one of her best friend's little sisters..." Yelena opened her eyes, realizing that detail. For a moment, she had forgotten that Morgan was Hawk's best friend. "Shit... Hawk is going to kill her," she thought. "She felt like she had betrayed her best friend in several ways; felt really guilty, and that's why she said it couldn't happen again."

"So, where were you the rest of the 22nd and the entire morning of the 23rd?" Yelena asked, now puzzled by her niece's absences. Tommy smiled mischievously again.

"Well, apparently, I'm a temptation hard to resist," Tommy said conceitedly, almost arrogantly. Yelena rolled her eyes. "Seriously, those bloody Romanoff genes," she thought. "With Hawk out of town, it wasn't difficult for Morgan to forget about her guilt for a couple of days."

"That's why it happened again on Christmas," Yelena said, affirming rather than asking.

"I must admit that on the 23rd when we said goodbye, Morgan told me that those days with me had been amazing but that they wouldn't happen again," Tommy muttered, with a half-smile on her face. "She said it so seriously that I believed her, although I still hoped she would change her mind at the Christmas party."

"And judging by the fact that no one saw you until the 27th, I guess Santa granted your wish," Yelena said mockingly, making her niece laugh.

"Damn right!" Tommy exclaimed. "She tried to resist the temptation; I could see the internal struggle every time we talked, danced... She really tried. And well, I just gave her the final push she needed," she added mischievously.


"The Christmas night..."

The Christmas party was almost over; most families had left, leaving only about fifteen people in the hall. Luckily for Tommy, one of those people was Morgan.

Minutes ago, the girls had their seemingly final conversation of the night. They both tried to behave and keep up appearances in front of everyone, but when it came time to say goodbye... both could feel that tension and urgency to be alone again. Eyes don't lie, and in their gazes, there was a profound desire that tested both of their self-control.

Days earlier, Morgan had discovered a new weakness: Tommy's eyes. That's why she was the first to break eye contact; if she didn't, it was only a matter of seconds before she succumbed once again to the irresistible blonde temptation with beautiful green eyes.

Morgan almost ran to the farthest bar in the hall; she needed a drink to calm down before heading home. She was shaking, dangerously close to pouncing on her lover from two days ago.

Tommy couldn't help but smile. She had to do something, make one last attempt to spend at least one more night with the girl of her dreams. And she knew exactly what to do.

Once the intro of the song that would assist her began to play, Tommy used her powers to dash to the bar where Morgan was seated.

Morgan was focused, sipping her brandy when she felt the presence of someone sitting next to her. She instantly closed her eyes; it was more than obvious who it was, her body recognized her immediately.

"No... just, no, Romanoff," murmured Morgan before slowly opening her eyes, only to see Tommy with a feigned innocent smile.

"Love that song," Tommy said as casually as possible but without breaking eye contact with Morgan. "Hawk's on a vacation far away, come around and talk it over," she began to sing. Morgan couldn't help but open her mouth a bit in surprise. "So many things that I want to say," she continued. ‘that damn Russian accent… fuck…’ Morgan thought, using all her self-control. "You know I like my girls a little bit older," Tommy gave her a playful wink. A slight gasp escaped Morgan, making Tommy smile before continuing. "I just want to use your love tonight, I don't want to lose your love tonight..."

During the brief interlude, both remained silent, just gazing into each other's eyes. Morgan was losing, and she knew it, but she couldn't afford that. She was a Stark; she had to make a move that would regain control of the situation.

"Nice try, Romanoff," Morgan said, smiling seductively as she leaned in close enough to speak into Tommy's ear. Tommy straightened up instantly, causing Morgan's smile to widen. "But don't get it twisted; this isn't a game you can win."

Morgan returned to her seat, leaving Tommy quite speechless. Morgan smiled triumphantly before taking a sip of her brandy to calm herself because, while she seemed to have everything under control, the truth was entirely different.

"Your words may say that, but your body says otherwise," Tommy murmured. Morgan turned to look at her again, both facing each other.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Romanoff. Maybe you're just misinterpreting things," Morgan replied with a challenging smile.

Tommy let out a mocking laugh, causing Morgan to look at her with confusion.

"Oh, Stark, you and I both know that's not true," Tommy approached a little closer, and Morgan didn't back away. The tension between them was palpable; soon, one (if not both) would end up exploding. "Desire completely covers your eyes... you want me, you can't hide it," she added, getting even closer, their lips almost touching due to the short distance between them.

"N-no..." Morgan tried to murmur, but Tommy stopped her with a soft "Shh..." while placing her hands on Morgan's waist to bring her even closer. This sent a shiver down her lover's spine.

Both were staring intensely at each other, although there were moments when their gazes lingered on each other's lips.

"I know you want me as much as I want you; I can feel it," Tommy murmured over Morgan's lips, without breaking eye contact and the tension surrounding them.

"This is wrong..." Morgan admitted, though her tone of voice was filled with internal conflict.

"Just one more night..." Tommy pleaded, softly, slowly, and torturously brushing her lips against Morgan's, who was on the verge of a breakdown. "I just want to use your love tonight, I don't want to lose your love tonight..."

Tommy could barely finish saying that when she felt the impact of Morgan's lips against hers. Every contact of their lips seemed to ignite a spark that ran through their bodies, and the sexual tension surrounding them reached its peak.

Time seemed to stand still as both women lost themselves in the moment, exploring the forbidden territory. The stifling heat they felt had only one way to be relieved, but they couldn't do it in that place.

"Let's get out of here," Morgan whispered almost in a hush after breaking the kiss.

Tommy nodded, sharing the urgency to leave that place. They stood up almost in unison, hurrying to exit through one of the already familiar secret passages in the hall.

Once again, both girls succumbed to temptation, and equally, once again, they believed it would be the last time.

Back to the present…

"Oh, for vodka's sakes," Yelena said in surprise after hearing her niece's story. "I can't believe that move actually worked... but '80s rock-pop? You definitely got that from me."

Tommy chuckled.

"Yeah, I know," Tommy said in a playful tone that turned somewhat disheartened. "But I don't think that trick or any other will work tonight... you know, with Hawk back."

Yelena gave her a sympathetic look; the situation wasn't easy for the girls.

"Regardless of whether it happens again tonight or not, you and Morgan need to talk, but talk seriously," Yelena advised her. "You need to be honest with her and express your feelings. You can't just keep having these secret hangouts; it can end up with both of you getting hurt, especially you."

Tommy sighed heavily; she knew that, but at the same time, the mere thought of opening up terrified her.

"I know... but what if Morgan freaks out or says it's just sex for her? I don't know if I could handle hearing that..." Tommy murmured, fear lacing her voice.

"I know it's not what you want to hear... but if that happens, at least you'll have a clear answer and the satisfaction of having tried. Only then can you move on."

Tommy nodded sadly, acknowledging the truth in her aunt's words.

"I guess you're right, тетя," Tommy said, distressed. Yelena sighed heavily; it wasn't easy for her to see her niece this way.

"Look, I don't want to give you false hope," Yelena began to say, "but from what you tell me, the main issue here is that Morgan is Hawk's best friend." Tommy listened attentively, maybe all was not completely lost. "Hawk can be very protective of all of you, but I'm sure that if Morgan and you decide to give it a try, your sestra will accept it and support you both."

"Do you really think so, тетя?"

Yelena nodded with a sincere smile.

"Yes, I believe so," she responded, causing Tommy to smile too. "If your мама could, your sestra can also do it," they both laughed. "But first and foremost, you need to talk to Morgan."

"I will, believe me, I will," Tommy replied, while in the distance, she saw Morgan, who also noticed her. This detail did not go unnoticed by Yelena. "I think I don't have to worry about Speedy; it seems everything will sort itself out," she thought.

Yelena placed a comforting hand on Tommy's shoulder, conveying support with her gesture and bringing her back to the present.

"If you need advice, someone to talk to, or anything else, you know you can count on me, Speedy."

Tommy nodded with a grateful half-smile.

"I know, тетя, thank you."

Before Yelena could say anything else, she saw her other niece-goddaughter, Anya, approaching the bar, but many yards ahead of where she and Tommy were. "Great, just in time," she thought to herself.

"Keep having fun, Speedy, and good luck," she said, sharing a knowing look and making Tommy laugh. "Oh, and if you and Morgan disappear again, at least send a message to your moms, please."

"Sure, no problem," Tommy replied playfully. Yelena nodded in response.

"See you, Tom," Yelena said as she walked away. "And use protection!"

"I will!"

Without further ado, Yelena made her way to where her older niece was pouring, of course, vodka.

"But look who we have here," Yelena said upon reaching her niece, who turned to see her with joy.

"крестная мама (godmother), hey!" Anya said upon seeing her godmother-aunt. "A drink?"

"You know the answer, sweetie," Yelena replied amusingly, making Anya Yelena laugh softly.

"Here's your drink, крестная мама," Anya said as she handed her the drink. Yelena thanked her with a look before taking a sip of her vodka.

"And tell me, Juni, how's the party?"

Anya Yela smiled, perhaps remembering something or someone.

"Very fun, you know, Uncle Tony's parties never disappoint," she replied, still smiling.

"Oh, sweet youthful love," Yelena thought as she observed her niece's reaction. It was more than obvious that Anya's happiness wasn't so much about the party; it was more about a certain brown-haired, blue-eyed guy.

"Sure, that's it," Yelena said, going along with her niece. "And I guess also for the good company, who knows, maybe Carter Rogers." Anya Yelena's face lit up at the mention of the boy who, even after so many years, still occupied her heart. "HA! I thought so," Yelena added amusingly.

"Oh, yeah, Carter is here. But, you know, we're just friends. Nothing special."

Yelena raised an eyebrow with a playful smile.

"Nothing special, you say? Are you sure about that, Juni?"

Anya had to take a sip of her drink before responding to that.

"It's true that after his breakup with Morgan, he and I have gotten closer... but only as friends," Anya Yelena said, somewhat disheartened by the idea. "In these past few months, I've realized that he would never see me in that way... he'll always just see me as a friend and nothing more." She took a sip of her drink before continuing. "And while I still love him, I'm okay with just being his friend... at least that way, I'm closer to him. I even taught him how to flirt with guys."

"Why would you do that?" Yelena asked, confused. She couldn't understand how her niece could be masochistic enough to do that.

"Well, after the breakup with Morgan, he wanted to explore his bisexuality more... but oh Odin, Carter really needed help figuring out how to flirt, especially with guys," she said, amused by remembering Carter's attempts at flirting. "It's really cute when he tries... he gets all nervous, doesn't know what to say, and stumbles," she added dreamily. Anya Yelena found it truly cute how Carter didn't know how to flirt. Yelena smirked at seeing her casanova niece react like this to a guy who was the complete opposite of her. "Anyway, he needed help from a professional, so he asked me, and of course, I agreed."

"And did it work?" Yelena asked, genuinely interested in whether her niece had done a good job as a teacher. Anya Yelena gave a sad faint smile.

"Yes, he's been dating a guy for a couple of weeks," she replied. "Nothing serious yet, they've only been out a couple of times." Yelena gave her niece an understanding look; undoubtedly, it doesn't sound like an easy situation. "But hey, no problem, I'm totally cool with that. The guy seems nice, and Carter likes him, so... yeah, all good."

"Are you sure, Juni?" Yelena said, concerned for her niece's well-being.

"Yeah, I am," Anya Yelena replied, trying to smile to reassure her aunt. "I mean, it sucks, but there's nothing to be done about it... I've always been aware of what I'm getting into, and I'm okay with that." Yelena saw her not entirely convinced, so Anya added, "I promise I'm okay, крестная мама, and if I need help, you can be sure I'll reach out. But for now, everything's fine, or as fine as it can be in these cases," wrapped up with that playful tone that characterizes her so much.

Yelena smiled, feeling more at ease upon hearing her. She knew her niece had everything under control and just hoped that things would get better with time.

"Alright. Just be careful, Juni," Yelena requested.

"Always, крестная мама, no worries," Anya Yelena said with a smile. "Now, if you'll excuse me, the dance floor is calling," she added before downing the rest of her drink in one gulp. "See ya!"

"Have fun, Juni!"

"Oh, I will!" Anya Yelena exclaimed.

Yelena shook her head with a smile. Her niece, despite the potential challenges, always had a positive outlook on everything. Certainly, many could learn from her.

"Well, I think my job here is done," Yelena said before finishing what was left of her vodka and also heading away from there. "I hope the rest went well too."

And with that, Yelena returned to the party, hoping that everything worked out for her goddaughters-nieces.

~

At some point during Yelena's conversation with Anya Yelena, James Rogers also went to get a drink. However, unlike his best friend, James went to the back bar in the hall, near the tables where his parents were talking to another blond guy.

He was just getting a drink, but upon seeing Billy Romanoff, he didn't hesitate to approach and greet her. After all, it had been a long time since he had seen her, and why not say hello to one of your best friend's sisters.

"Hey, Billy. How have you been?" James greeted with a friendly smile as he approached the bar. Billy was surprised to hear his voice.

"James... hi," she muttered, trying to hide the nerves that still surfaced every time she spoke to him.

"How was your Christmas? I heard you spent it away from home this year," James said politely.

"Everything's fine... a bit different, but good, it was fun," she said, sounding more normal. James nodded with a slight smile in response.

"And how about yours?"

"You know, like every year, all great," he replied kindly, before pointing with his drink to his parents' table where the blond guy was still chatting animatedly with Steve. "I guess he's the famous Evan," Billy's face instantly turned a bit red.

"Y-yah, he's Evan," Billy said as best she could. "I'm sorry, he's a big fan of your parents, especially Uncle Steve," she added, referring to the fact that Evan was talking to her parents. James smiled kindly.

"No problem, I still meet high-ranking officials who ask me to get them an autograph from the great Captain America," they both laughed after what James said. "Well, I have to go now," he mentioned once they fell into silence. "Glad I ran into you, Billy."

"Same here, James," Billy replied with a shy smile.

James gave her one last smile before leaving. Once the blond was out of her line of sight, Billy slumped into her seat.

"I can't go on like this..." Billy murmured with her eyes closed. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice a slight breeze passing by her side.

"I'm with you on that, dear племянница (niece)."

Billy opened her eyes a bit startled upon hearing her uncle Pietro's voice.

"дядя (Uncle), what are you doing here?"

"I saw you talking with James Jr, and I thought maybe you wanted to talk to someone," Pietro said, taking a seat beside his niece. "So, start talking, племянница."

Billy sighed, knowing she had no escape. But talking wouldn't hurt either; maybe that was precisely what she needed to sort out her feelings.

"It's just that... ugh, I'm with Evan. We've been dating for over a year, and I really like him, he's a great guy,” she pauses briefly. “And then there's James... even after all these years, every time I see him, my heart beats faster, but at the same time, I feel a knot in my stomach, and... I shouldn't still be feeling these things for him,” she sighs again. “James was supposed to be just my first crush, I mean, he barely talks to me... I shouldn't feel this way about him anymore.”

"Well, you can't expect to have moved on when you're dating a James 2.0," Pietro said, earning a disapproving look from his niece. “Let 's be honest, племянница, why are you dating Evan?”

"Because I like him, he's a great guy.

"Uh-huh, I've heard that. But there have to be more things than just that."

Billy thought about it for a moment before answering again.

"Evan has many qualities. He's very intelligent, a natural athlete, very kind, helpful, polite, protective of his loved ones, responsible, honest, and loyal."

"Okay... I'll pretend you didn't just describe James," Pietro muttered somewhat amused, making Billy roll her eyes. “So, is that what you like about Ja... I mean, Evan?"

"That's what caught my attention at first when we started dating, but getting to know him more was when I really started to like him," Billy replied, and Pietro gestured for her to keep talking. “Evan is caring, understanding, thoughtful, and he makes me feel special. Plus, we've built a strong and reliable relationship. He's a good partner."

"Very nice and all, but I still don't hear you say that you love him or that you're in love with him, племянница."

"It 's complicated, дядя."

"No, it really isn't," Pietro told her in a more serious tone. “When you truly love someone, it's something you just feel, I don't know how to say it... but it's something you know just by looking at that person. Your whole body and heart tell you, it's not hard to realize that.

Billy's gaze shifted to her drink; she knew her uncle was right, but accepting it meant accepting many things she wasn't ready for.

"Look, племянница, I'm not the one to tell you what to do when it comes to love. I just ask that you be honest with yourself and others. If you love Evan, great. If not, then don't hurt yourself or make him suffer," he advised. "And as for James, we can't always control our feelings, but we can control our actions. If you come to the conclusion that your feelings for James persist and are stronger, then you must also be honest with Evan. You can't play with anyone's feelings, least of all yours."

Billy appreciated her uncle's words, although she knew that making a decision wouldn't be easy.

"I guess you're right, дядя," Billy admitted. "I have to sort out many things first... but I will talk to Evan about everything; it's only fair."

Pietro smiled and gave her a gentle tap on the shoulder.

"Whatever you decide, I'll always be here for you, племянница."

Billy gave him a half-smile in response.

"Thank you, дядя," Billy murmured, grateful for her uncle's support in this moment of emotional confusion.

"Anytime, племянница," Pietro said with a warm smile. "In the meantime, go back to James 2.0, who seems to be looking for you."

Billy rolled her eyes playfully.

"God, I don't know how Aunt Monica puts up with you."

"I wonder the same, племянница, I wonder the same."

~

While everyone didn't have much trouble finding their niece or nieces they were supposed to look after, Natasha didn't have it easy. Before Pietro arrived to interrupt, Talya was at one of the tables near the dance floor with her group of friends, but when Natasha looked for her, she was no longer there.

After a couple of minutes searching, Natasha saw her niece coming out of the restroom, so she decided to intercept her before she returned to her friends.

"Hey, do you have a moment, kiddo?" Natasha said to Talya once she caught up. Talya shrugged.

"Yeah, whatever."

They both walked to a place where they could talk in peace, away from the main hallways of the venue.

"What do you want to talk about, тетя?" Talya asked, leaning against the wall and crossing her arms.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Natasha replied.

Talya smirked ironically before answering.

"Yeah, you'll have to be more specific."

Natasha rolled her eyes, thinking, "this little shit," as she sighed in mild frustration.

"Let me rephrase my question," she said, "What's going on with you? Why have you been in a bad mood all month?"

"I don't know what you're talking about; I'm the same as always."

Natasha raised an eyebrow.

"Last chance, little Bishop."

"As I said, I don't know what the hell you're talking about."

"Your call, let's cut the chase." Natasha announced, but Talya couldn't care less. "You've been in a crappy mood since Stacey started dating Buck."

Talya's face tightened with the mention of the night's couple.

"I don't give a damn if they are dating."

"So it's just a coincidence," Natasha said sarcastically, but seeing that Talya's expression didn't change, she decided to change her strategy. "Is there anything you want to talk about, kiddo?" there was no response, but she could see her niece deep in thought. "What's bothering you?"

"Remember I told you how close Stacey and I had become when we were studying for the academic marathon?" Talya asked, getting a nod in response from her aunt. "Well, I thought we were finally getting along, that we were friends... but no, Stacey went back to being the same as before and even a bit meaner. I don't know what happened.

"Did she suddenly distance herself from you out of nowhere?" Natasha asked, puzzled.

"Yeah, I never thought she and I could really get along, but we really became close," Talya said. Natasha looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Oh no, none of that, we were just friends," Talya clarified instantly, but her aunt's expression didn't change. "I swear on my bow that nothing ever happened, we were just friends, that's it."

Natasha nodded with a smile of pure amusement on her face. While she believed her niece, that doesn't mean Talya wouldn't have liked something more to happen between her and Stacey Lang.

"Okay then. But if you were both friends, what changed?" Natasha said, emphasizing "friends." Talya rolled her eyes, she couldn't believe her aunt kept going with that, I mean, her and Stacey? It never happened.

"That's what I want to know too!" Talya said frustrated, then sighed lightly to calm herself.

"And have you tried talking to Stacey about it?"

"Every time I tried to talk to her, she wouldn't let me. And then she started dating Buck, and I haven't seen her since," Talya muttered, visibly annoyed, and although she didn't notice it, jealousy was evident. Natasha, on the other hand, did notice.

"So, did she start distancing herself from you before dating Buck?"

Talya thought about her response for a moment.

"Something like that, it's a bit confusing," Talya said. "Even at the winning party, everything was fine between us. We even danced a bit; it seemed like we had been friends for a lifetime," she added, with a faint smile recalling that party. Natasha rolled her eyes; just like Talya was, it almost seemed like she was seeing Kate talking about Yelena. "I don't know what happened, but at some point near midnight, I stopped seeing her at the party along with her whole group of friends," she paused to better remember what happened next. "Throughout the weekend, she didn't respond to any of my messages; she read them but didn't reply. At the time, I didn't think much of it; I thought she was just tired from the trip to D.C. and all, so the following Monday, I looked for her at school. I wanted to ask her something."

"What did you want to ask her?" Natasha teased her. Talya blushed a little, which surprised her aunt. Talya wasn't the type to blush when talking to or about girls, so there was something there.

"Well… with how close and good friends we had become… I thought it would be cool go to the winter dance together… you know, as friends," Talya said, a bit nervous, avoiding eye contact with her aunt, who was genuinely surprised by the revelation.

"Who are you, and what have you done with my niece?" Natasha said, looking at her niece as if she were an alien. Talya was never one to bring dates to dances; she said that way, she could dance with all the girls and have more fun without being tied to just one. So hearing her say that she wanted to invite Stacey undoubtedly took Natasha by surprise.

Talya let out a nervous laugh.

"It's my senior year; I thought it would be fun go to the dance with someone, that's all."

"And who better than Stacey Lang, right?"

Once again, Talya blushed, and Natasha made an effort not to roll her eyes again. "Of course she got Yelena's oblivious gene... I just hope it doesn't take her a year to realize." she thought.

"Well, we were finally friends, and it seemed like a good idea at the time," Talya said, but then her expression turned somewhat sad. "Of course, I could never ask her."

"Did she go back to her old self with you before that?" Natasha asked, starting to connect the dots. Talya nodded in response.

"That Monday when I finally found her, she was like really mad at me. he kicker? She didn't bother giving me a reason, just mumbled something about me never changing and then she left—she left!" Talya recounted, still frustrated not knowing what had happened. "I tried to chat her up multiple times, but she shut me down. Then, a couple of days later, I found out from Bella that Buck had asked her to the dance, and Stacey said yes. So, I missed my chance to set things straight and ask her myself" she added disheartened. "The rest is history; they seemed to have enjoyed the dance so much that they've been dating since then."

Natasha fell silent, processing everything her niece had just told her. Something didn't add up; Stacey changed her attitude toward Talya drastically. Then something clicked in Natasha's mind; everything was fine at the party, Stacey disappeared, and that's when the change began. The answer was obvious—something had happened at that party, and knowing her niece, Natasha was sure it was her fault.

"What happened at the party, little Bishop?" Natasha asked.

Talya looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

"You said you were at the party with Stacey, and everything was fine, but around midnight, you stopped seeing her," Natasha reminded her. "What did you do before that?"

"Nothing unusual... well, yeah. That time I was just hangin' with my friends and Stacey's until they bounced."

"And you didn't find out why they left, right?

"That’s right. The ten of them vanished in the time it took me to hit the bathroom. When I came back, I asked about them because, you know, I'm a responsible sister and wanted to know where Bella and her friends had gone,” Talya tried to justify herself, only making it more obvious. “None of my friends knew why they left. Looney just told Vers they were out, and Bella asked her to give me a heads up, that's it."

Something was odd; Natasha could almost be certain that something was missing, and she thought she knew what it was.

"Please tell me you didn't hook up or make out with any girl at the party, Talya."

"What? No! With all the time I spent studying with Stacey, I didn't have much time for parties or dating, so no, I didn't hook up with anyone that night," Talya defended herself. Natasha looked at her inquisitively, not entirely convinced. "Well... before I went to the bathroom, I ran into a girl I used to go out with. She wanted to hook up… but nothing happened, I swear! I mean, she kissed me... but it was just like five seconds, and that was it."

Natasha shook her head; now everything made sense. Talya and Stacey were so close that it wouldn't surprise her if Stacey went looking for her after noticing she was taking a while, and she probably arrived at the least opportune moment. That would explain why she and all her friends left the party so abruptly, as well as Stacey's drastic change in attitude towards Talya.

"Oh, little Bishop." Natasha couldn't believe how Talya hadn't considered the possibility that Stacey found out about it. "Well, what's done is done. But still, I think it wouldn't hurt to try talking to Stacey once more, just to clear things up."

"Didn't you hear everything I said? She doesn't want to talk to me!" Talya retorted. "And what's the point of hashing things out now? The dance is history; she went with Buck and is now his girlfriend."

"That's true, she's with Buck. But if you really want to be her friend again, it wouldn't hurt to apologize and clarify things with her."

"Why should I apologize? I didn't do anything wrong," Talya said, confused, still not realizing the extent of the situation. "She's your niece, don't kill her, she's your niece," Natasha told herself.

"Just do it, trust me."

"I don't know if I want to... seems like a dead end to me," Talya muttered."If I didn't know her better, I'd say she never saw me as her friend and just used me to win... but I know that's not the deal." She sighed. "And now she's with Buck... I'm still trying to wrap my head around it."

"Careful, if anyone hears you, they'd say you're jealous," Natasha teased, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm Talya Bishop, I don't get jealous, I provoke jealousy."

"There's always a first time for everything, kiddo," Natasha said, maintaining a playful smile. Talya rolled her eyes. "But seriously, is there anything else you want to talk about?"

Talya shrugged before responding, "No... that's all. I guess I just miss Stacey." She paused briefly, her eyes reflecting a hint of melancholy. "If I apologize, do you really think she'll talk to me again?"

Natasha gave her niece a reassuring smile. "I can't guarantee that things will go back to how they were, but yes, I believe she'll at least talk to you again."

Talya sighed deeply. "I guess that's better than nothing."

Natasha nodded in understanding. "Now, go and have fun," she encouraged. "Things will get better, you'll see."

"I hope so," Talya said, with a faint smile on her face. She was feeling better; the conversation with her aunt had indeed helped. "Alright, I'm out. I want to dance a bit before the party ends."

"Good luck, kiddo."

"I'll need it, no doubt." Talya murmured, thinking about how difficult it would be to talk to Stacey. "Any last advice?"

"Yeah, try to keep it in your pants."

"Says the one who got tangled up with her daughter's ex's moms and her BIL's wife's mom," Talya said teasingly. Natasha looked at her, torn between offense and the desire to throttle her.

"Get out of here, you little shit!"

Talya laughed before running off. "What the hell was my sister thinking when she decided to have daughters with Kate fucking Bishop?" Natasha thought as she walked away. "Oh, who am I kidding, I love those brats."

~

While Talya was unconsciously grappling with the feelings stirred by the night’s couple, she wasn't the only one suffering from the same lovesickness. However, unlike Talya, her cousin Kiernan was well aware of her feelings for the eldest of the Rogers triplets.

Kiernan was very close friends with both of them, and while she was genuinely happy for the couple, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness at the same time. She had had a crush on Buck for months, and despite her efforts to move on, it wasn't working very well.

Watching the couple dance, smile, and show affection to each other didn't help soothe her wounded heart. What worried Kiernan the most was the potential for a magical outburst that would expose her or harm someone. She had inherited Wanda's destructive magic, which, while helpful on missions, was less so in everyday life, especially as a teenager.

Destructive magic had several drawbacks, with the main one being that, depending on emotions, there could be uncontrollable bursts of magic that could end very badly.

That's why as soon as Kiernan began to feel the discomfort, sadness, and jealousy grow within her, she decided to distance herself from the hall to calm down.

There was no safe place inside the hall, so one of the outside corridors would do for the moment. As soon as she reached the main corridor, she slumped against the wall and sank to the floor. Once seated, she began to take deep breaths to calm her emotions and, consequently, the magic within her.

What Kiernan didn't expect was that her aunt Lorna had seen everything, so she quickly went over to her niece. She knew about her niece's feelings for Buck Rogers, so it wasn't difficult to guess what was going on.

When Lorna spotted her niece in the corridor, she sat down beside her. Kiernan didn't notice because her eyes were closed.

"That's it, K, keep breathing, you're doing great," Lorna said, also taking deep breaths with her. Kiernan didn't say anything; she just continued with what she was doing. "Focus on your breath, K. Inhale deeply and then exhale slowly." Kiernan followed her aunt's instructions. "That's it, over and over again." Kiernan continued with the breaths as Lorna instructed. "Do you feel calmer now?"

Kiernan nodded slowly. "This is helping, but I still feel the knot in my chest…" she said without opening her eyes.

"It 's normal, K. Magic feeds off emotions, but you can control it," Lorna said gently. "Now, close your eyes and visualize a serene place. It could be a garden, a quiet forest, whatever makes you feel at peace."

"A library..."

Lorna smiled; it was obvious that Kiernan would say that.

"Okay, a library, that will work," she encouraged. "Now, imagine yourself walking among the bookshelves, looking at the books, and feeling their covers." Kiernan nodded. "Good, keep walking until you see a hidden bookshelf, in a dark corner or one that has a feature that makes you want to keep it away from you."

"Got it..."

"Well done, K. Now, you're going to pick a book from that shelf that's red, just like the color of your magic," Kiernan nodded again as she followed her aunt's instructions. "That book is like a totem; you can store emotions, feelings, and even the magic that wants to explode in there. Close your eyes there in the library as well, hold the book with both hands, and feel how the book absorbs everything... gradually, everything overwhelming you enters the book, and once it's full, place it back on the shelf."

"Done..." Kiernan whispered once she had finished doing what her aunt had instructed.

"Very well, K. Now that the book is in place, walk slowly away from that bookshelf until you reach the library’s exit." Lorna continued with the exercise. "Now, when you feel ready, come back to the present."

After a couple of seconds, Kiernan took a deep breath while simultaneously opening her eyes.

"How do you feel, K?"

"Good, it's like... the emotions faded away when I put the book back," Kiernan explained. "It's strange, but it worked. Thanks, Auntie D."

"No problem, anything for my favorite niece," Lorna said, with a maternal smile. Kiernan smiled back. "I'm glad you feel better, K. Sometimes, we just need a little reminder that we have control, even over our emotions."

"Yeah, I think I needed that," Kiernan agreed, conceding the point. "I don't know how you do it, Auntie. You can easily control your magic."

Lorna laughed; it definitely hadn't always been that way.

"It wasn't always easy, in fact, at your age, I had much less control than you do now. You surpass me by far, K."

"Really?" Kiernan asked, astonished. Lorna nodded with a faint smile on her face.

"Yeah, really. I learned to understand my emotions and channel the magic positively when I was twenty-five or twenty-six," she chuckled, recalling several incidents she had due to her magical outbursts. "Your grandfather Charles always said I was just like your grandpa Erik,, which got us into trouble almost daily," Kiernan laughed at the thought. "Anyway, everyone has their own path, and you're doing great, K. You just need to practice more, remember that control comes with practice."

"I'm going to practice more, Auntie D," Kiernan said determinedly. "I want to be able to control this like you do."

"That's my niece," Lorna said proudly. "If you need help, you know you can count on me, K."

"I will," Kiernan replied with a smile, now much calmer without a doubt.

"It's good to hear that," Lorna said before changing the subject. "Is there anything else you'd like to talk about, K?"

Kiernan sighed slowly before nodding. She had to talk to someone about what was going on, and unfortunately, she couldn't do it with any of her friends since they were also Buck and Stacey’s friends. Not to mention that her best friend was another of the Rogers triplets, Georgie. So, she would talk to her aunt, who was the only one who knew about her feelings for Buck and always understood and advised her wonderfully.

"I feel terrible for still having feelings for Buck... I feel like I'm betraying Stacey," Kiernan confessed. "I don't know what to do; I just don't want to feel this way anymore."

"The heart is complicated, K," Lorna said, letting out a sigh. "We don't choose who we love. So, you're not betraying anyone by having these feelings, especially when it's something you've been feeling for a long time."

"But, Auntie, what do I do with these feelings? I can't help feeling guilty every time I'm around them," Kiernan paused to sigh again. "And things will get worse now that we're going back to school; I don't want to distance myself from my friends just to avoid dealing with this."

"The first thing, K, is to give yourself permission to feel and not judge yourself for it. The more you blame yourself, the harder it will be to move on," Lorna advised. I wouldn't advise distancing yourself from your friends; that will only affect you more. What you can do is join more clubs, stay busy with things you enjoy, and where you don't spend as much time alone with Stacey and Buck; that will also help."

"Not a bad idea... besides, extra credits are never a bad thing, especially months before sending out university applications," Kiernan said, reflecting on her aunt's words.

"Getting into stuff you enjoy will not only earn you some extra points but also gives you a mental break. It'll provide you with a place where you don't have to worry about anything tied to Buck or Stacey." Lorna told her. "See? You don't need to distance yourself from your friends; just shift your focus a bit to find a balance."

"And maybe that way, I can stop dwelling so much on what I feel for Buck."

"That's right, K," Lorna agreed. "But you know, when it comes to matters of the heart, only time can truly help you."

Kiernan sighed again; sadly, all that remained was to wait.

"I hope so. I just want to be free of these feelings... it sucks being like this," she said.

"Time will tell, dear niece. One day, when you least expect it, all of this will be in the past," Lorna encouraged her. "And who knows, maybe everything will end soon, and you'll meet a lovely boy or girl."

"That would be awesome, someone who makes my heart beat in a different way," Kiernan said, flashing a small smile. "An epic teenage romance, that's all I ask for."

"That's the spirit, K!" Lorna congratulated her.

"Thanks, Auntie, I needed to see things from a different angle."

"I'll always be here for you, K," Lorna told her, getting up. "Now, I think it's time to go back to the party, what do you say?" she added, extending her hand to help Kiernan stand up.

"Yeah, I think I can handle the rest of the night," Kiernan replied, now on her feet.

"That's the spirit," Lorna said as they walked back to the party.

"Oh, that's my song!" exclaimed Kiernan as she heard Dancing Queen, her all-time favorite song.

"I think you know what to do, K."

And without further ado, Kiernan quickly made her way to the dance floor. This was her moment, and nothing and no one could change that.

~

The vibrant rhythm of the music filled the room as the countdown to the New Year approached. Bright lights twinkled all around, and the excitement in the air was palpable as the seconds dwindled, and the clock struck midnight.

The burst of fireworks illuminated the night sky, and the room echoed with exclamations of wonder and joy. The entire Avengers family embraced, sharing laughter and good wishes for the new year; everyone caught up in the magic of the moment.

Several minutes later, the hall echoed with festive music and laughter as the party continued with renewed energy after the arrival of the new year. Everyone immersed themselves once again in the fun, enjoying each other's company and the vibrant atmosphere that filled the venue.

Two hours later, Tony gave his traditional farewell speech, inviting the younger crowd to close the dance floor with of course, a modern version of the waltz.

The couples were the first to hit the dance floor, forming the three lines in which they would dance. Those without a partner who wanted to join in had to ask a friend. That's exactly what most people did.

From the group of the older members of the third generation, only four people were left to step onto the dance floor. Usually, it wouldn't be difficult for everyone to be eagerly awaiting the start of the waltz, but due to the breakup of Morgan and Carter, things changed a bit.

"Ann, would you like to dance?" Carter asked Anya, offering his hand. Anya looked at him somewhat surprised, but after a couple of seconds, she nodded slightly, smiling warmly as she took Carter's hand.

"I would love to."

Carter smiled back before leading Anya to the dance floor.

The dance was the perfect opportunity to get close to someone, so Tommy was determined to invite Morgan to dance. However, upon seeing Tommy approach, Morgan quickly turned to the only available person she saw—James Rogers.

"James, let's dance," Morgan said to him, more as an order than a request.

"It's not like I have another option," James replied, starting to walk with Morgan to the dance floor.

"You got it, Jimmy."

Observing this, Tommy huffed but wouldn't give up. Since the dance involved changing partners with each turn, she still had the chance to dance a bit with Morgan and make her next move. She just needed to start the dance with someone else, luckily Marius was always available.

"Let's dance, cousin," Tommy said, returning to where Marius was.

"I don't know if I want to dance... why don't you ask Alex?" Marius suggested.

"You know she never dances the New Year's waltz."

"Fine... let's do it," Marius finally agreed.

Without further ado, they both joined the dance floor where luckily, there was a spot right next to where Morgan and James were. Tommy grinned triumphantly, seeing that her plan was going quite well.

"Hey, guys" Tommy greeted, still smiling, as they arrived. Morgan rolled her eyes in a classic Stark style. "Keep it, Morgan, you can't fall again," she encouraged herself.


Meanwhile, with the next group of friends, dance couples were also starting to form.

"Vers Rambeau, would you do me the honor of dancing this piece with me?" Zemo asked, smiling broadly.

"No."

Laughter erupted from their friends.

Vers did want to dance, but she wouldn't give Zemo the honor. She had to choose someone else from her group of friends. The answer was simple. Since her best friend Freya wasn't around, and she knew Talya would probably ask someone else, leaving her two cousins: Alex Romanoff and Dawn Dane. Since Alex didn't enjoy dancing in the annual New Year's waltz, the only option would be Dawn.

"What do you say, Dawn?"

"Uh..." Dawn hesitated; she had someone else in mind to dance with. "...sure, why not?" she finally agreed, knowing she wouldn't ask the girl she liked.

Vers responded with a smile, then gave a mocking grin to Zemo before walking to the dance floor.

"Sorry, bro," Dawn said to her best friend before also stepping onto the dance floor.

"Yeah, I'm used to it," Zemo murmured in response, though Dawn didn't catch it. "Any of you want to dance with me?" he asked his other two friends.

"Hell no. The only way you'll see me dancing that waltz is if it's with the love of my life, something that will never happen," Alex replied, completely sure of what she said.

"I already have someone in mind... so, sorry dude, I'll pass," Talya told him. She knew Zemo would take advantage of the part of the waltz where partners exchanged to dance with Vers. She herself would use that same part to talk to Stacey, so judging by Vers's position on the dance floor, she and Zemo couldn't dance together.

"It's fine, I guess I'll have to find someone else," Zemo told them, giving them a half-smile before going to find someone else to dance with.

"Who are you going to invite to dance?" Alex asked her best friend curiously.

"That's what I wanted to talk about... is it okay if I ask Sarah?" Talya asked carefully.

"Why do you want to dance with my ex?" Alex replied, visibly confused by the request.

"Well, it's either her or Oliver, and you know the only guy I'd dance with is our boy Zemo."

"Then you should have said yes to him."

"I thought about it... but we both want to lead the dance, so... come on, it's just a dance," Talya pleaded. Alex hesitated a bit; while Talya was her cousin and best friend, she couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy—after all, Sarah was the type of girl Talya would go for. "It's either your ex or you, so make a choice."

"It's just a dance, right?"

"Of course it's just a dance!" Talya assured her. "I would never go out with your ex, Lex, I would never do that to you."

Talya had never given her reasons to distrust, and besides, the thing with Sarah had been a year ago. It's not like she was still in love or anything, so there really wasn't any problem in accepting. Plus, Talya was only asking to not break the girl code.

"Yeah, I know... don't mind me; it's fine if you dance with her."

Talya smiled at her.

"Thanks, dude!"

With that, Talya headed to where Sarah was.

That next group already had almost all its members on the dance floor. After the two official couples in the group left, Max Romanoff and Arno Stark followed suit, leaving only four of their friends to go to the dance floor.

"Think they're gonna catch on to the whole 'more than friends' thing soon?" Oliver said teasingly, referring to Arno and Max.

"My sestra can be quite blind to these kinds of things, so... I'd say one or two years," Kiernan was the first to answer.

"Romanoffs aren't usually that slow; maybe by Arno's prom they'll be a couple," Sarah said, mostly based on her own experience with a Romanoff.

"I don't know... Arno and Max are the type of idiots in love who could even get married, start a family, and still say they're just friends," Georgie added, making the rest laugh.

"Yeah, that sounds like them," Oliver agreed, still chuckling a bit. "Anyway, are you guys going to dance?" he asked, but looking directly at Georgie.

"I never miss this dance," Georgie said, excited because the New Year's waltz was undoubtedly his favorite part of the party. Oliver couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm. "K, shall we dance?" Oliver's smile faded. Sarah had to hold back the laughter threatening to burst out.

"Why me?" Kiernan retorted. With everything involving Buck and Stacey, she really wasn't in the mood to dance the damn waltz.

"Cause you're my best friend, duh."

As much as Kiernan wanted to suggest dancing with Oliver, she couldn't. After all, Georgie was dating a guy from school, but it was a somewhat secret relationship, so not everyone in their group knew about it. It was better to avoid an awkward moment between her friends.

"Alright, let's go," Kiernan agreed resignedly. Georgie quickly took her hand before running to the dance floor.

"Let's go, girl!"

Once they left, Sarah patted her best friend on the back. She knew that Oliver had a crush on her brother Georgie, and this was one of those tricky moments of being both a best friend and a sister. All she could do for now was try to make Oliver feel better.

"Do you still want to dance, Ollie?"

Before Oliver could respond, Zemo showed up.

"I'd like to know that too," Zemo said with a smirk. "What do you say, Ollie, do you want to dance?"

Surprised by Zemo's unexpected offer, Oliver looked between him and Sarah before answering. Sarah nodded to let him know it was okay for him to dance with Zemo.

"Oh, well... sure, why not?" Oliver said, accepting the invitation with a smile. I mean, who was he to turn down an offer from a handsome and hot guy like Zemo Wilson?

Still smiling, Zemo offered his arm, which Oliver took without hesitation.

"I'll return your boy later, Rogers." Zemo said to Sarah before leading Oliver to the dance floor.

Sarah smiled as she watched them leave. She didn't even feel the presence of someone positioning themselves beside her.

"Well, I'd be lying if I said I didn't see that coming," Talya said to her. Sarah turned to her, confused, not having noticed the moment when she arrived. "How about we dance?" Talya asked, offering her hand. Sarah looked even more confused. "Don't overthink it; it's just a dance."

Sarah hesitated for a moment, but as Talya said, it was just a dance.

"I suppose a dance won't do any harm."

Both girls headed to the dance floor, joining the lively atmosphere of the party.

Stacey Lang couldn't help but notice Talya and Sarah's arrival on the dance floor, especially when the girls positioned themselves beside her. As they took their proper places, Talya offered her a smirk, and Stacey responded by rolling her eyes.

"Everything okay, Stace?" Buck asked his girlfriend.

"Yeah... just this is taking forever."

Buck smiled slightly; Stacey looked adorable when she got impatient.

"I don't think it'll be much longer; it seems like we're all here," Buck whispered tenderly, offering reassurance. "Uncle Tony probably won't take much time to make the final invitation before the dance begins."

"I hope so."

And Buck was right. Not long after, Tony made the final invitation, saying there was still room if anyone else wanted to join.

"Yes! There's still room!" Nicky Carter-Hill cheered. "Who's in for a dance with me?"

The final group of the third generation, comprised of teenagers, included three thirteen-year-olds and only Nicky, who was fourteen. Usually, the new Young Avengers start participating in the New Year's Eve waltz when they are fourteen, so Nicky was excited to finally participate this year.

Katy Bishop looked at her other two friends, Luke Wilson and Toni Parker, but seeing that neither of them said anything, she offered herself. After all, if her sister Bella had participated last year, why couldn't she do it this year?

"I'll do it," Katy said, taking a step forward. Excited, Nicky took Katy's outstretched hand with a wide smile.

"Perfect, let's go!" Nicky said, starting to walk to the dance floor, totally excited to finally be part of the New Year's Eve waltz. "It will be awesome!"

"See you later, guys," Katy said with a smile to Luke and Toni before joining the others on the dance floor.

The other two watched in silence as their friends left.

"Um... should we go too?" Luke said to Toni.

"No, I can wait one more year," Toni replied.

Luke nodded, understanding Toni's decision, and both of them stayed watching as Nicky and Katy joined the group that would participate in the dance.

Toni couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment. She always thought that she and Katy would dance together for the first time in the New Year's Eve waltz next year. Despite her understanding of Katy's decision, she couldn't help but feel somewhat left out at that moment.

Luke, noticing the expression on Toni's face, gave her a pat on the shoulder.

"Next year will be our turn. It'll be so cool."

Toni nodded with a faint smile, trying to overcome the small disappointment. Although she knew she would have her chance next year, the current moment couldn't help but generate a bittersweet feeling.

Meanwhile, on the dance floor, with the arrival of Nicky and Katy, the official start of the New Year's waltz was marked. The fifteen couples lined up, ready to immerse themselves in the beautiful and special dance.

This year, the former Young Avengers had chosen the waltz song, so it didn't surprise anyone when ‘Wildest Dreams,’ the Bridgerton version, started playing.

As the melody enveloped the hall, the dance partners shared laughter, knowing glances, and, in some cases, whispers that were lost in the music.

"How do you find our second waltz so far, Moony?" Bella asked her girlfriend softly as they danced.

"It's perfect, Bell. Dancing with you is always the best," Looney said affectionately, looking at Bella with eyes full of love. "But you know what would make it even more perfect?"

Bella's smile widened; she knew the answer to that question, and she couldn't agree more with her girlfriend.

"If it were our song?"

Looney's eyes sparkled with complicity as they continued to dance to the rhythm of the music, nodding her head in agreement.

"Wouldn't it be nice."

"Wouldn't it be nice."

Both said at the same time. Bella and Looney shared a light laugh, realizing they had pronounced the words of their special song in unison.

"I love you, my sweet Bell," Looney whispered softly to her girlfriend, looking directly into her eyes.

"I love you more, my Moony," Bella responded in the same manner, sealing their words with a gentle and tender kiss.

Both continued to dance, lost in the magic of the moment and the song they shared. The whispers and shared laughter created an even stronger bond between them, marking this second waltz as an unforgettable memory at the beginning of the new year.

But they weren't the only couple sharing a sweet moment on the dance floor.

"Can you imagine the two of us in a couple of years, dancing like this but as Mr. and Mr. Pym-Van Dyne?" Nate said to his boyfriend, offering him his flirtiest smile.

Harry smiled widely, loving it when Nate said things like that.

"Mr. and Mr. Pym-Van Dyne, huh? I like how that sounds," Harry said, somewhat amused. Nate winked at Harry, enjoying the future vision his imagination painted. "Any idea how long it'll take?

"Hmm... I was thinking about five years, what do you say?" Nate proposed somewhat nervously. It was the first time they had talked about an exact time.

Harry nodded without losing the smile on his face, sharing the excitement of his boyfriend for the future they envisioned together.

"I can't wait for that, my lover boy."

Nate pulled Harry even closer, placing a soft kiss on his cheek.

"I'll do everything in my power to make those dreams come true, my love."

Harry returned the kiss and embraced Nate affectionately.

"And I promise you the same, love."

The couple continued dancing, lost in love and the promise of a shared future, marking this moment as a precious memory in the story of their love.


But the New Year's waltz not only marked the beginning of a year but also symbolized the start of many new things.

Carter and Anya danced with grace and coordination, surprising themselves with how well they understood each other for their first time dancing in that way. The music enveloped the dance floor as they executed harmonious movements.

After a step in which Anya twirled, the spotlight's glow made her stand out, creating a magical moment that left Carter marveling at the sight. His heart pounded as he admired Anya, capturing that instant in his memory.

"Wow... your eyes... I had never noticed you had such beautiful eyes, Ann," Carter whispered, still amazed by the way the light accentuated his partner's eyes.

Anya couldn't help but blush, unconsciously making Carter smile.

"Th-thank you..." Anya said as best she could. She couldn't believe she had stuttered. It had never happened to her, but she couldn't afford to lose her confidence right at that moment. "...You're not too shabby yourself. Those blue eyes of yours are quite striking," she added, returning the compliment and giving him a flirtatious wink. Now it was Carter's turn to smile.

"Y-yeah… I have eyes," as soon as he said it, he realized that his attempt at flirting didn't come out as smoothly as he had thought.

Anya chuckled softly but looked at him with adoration. Carter being a bit clumsy at flirting looked genuinely cute when he tried, and that's what Anya loved, seeing him like that.

"Let 's keep dancing, casanova."

Carter agreed with a shy smile before twirling Anya again. Both continued dancing, immersed in the magic of the music and the connection they were forming on the dance floor. The complicity in their gazes indicated the beginning of something special between them in this new year.


Meanwhile, other couples were starting the year together, but it remained uncertain if they would also end it as a couple.

Having been friends previously, it wasn't the first time Stacey and Buck danced together, but it was the first time they did it as a couple.

The rhythm of the music guided them across the dance floor, and although they shared laughs and a few comments, both felt a bit nervous about the novelty of the situation.

"You know? Couldn't have imagined a better start to the year than with you," Buck said, giving her an affectionate smile. "I'm glad you said yes when I asked you out. These past few weeks have been great."

Stacey looked at him with a sidelong smile.

"I'm glad I accepted your invitation too, Buck. I've really enjoyed these weeks."

Stacey wasn't lying; Buck was a great guy, and over the past few weeks, he had proven to be a very good boyfriend as well. She didn't deny it—she really liked Buck and was determined to keep discovering how far their relationship could go. What was also true, and something she would never admit, not even to herself, was that not long ago she did imagine starting the year with someone else.

"Who would have thought we would start the year like this, huh?" Stacey said, somewhat amused. They both laughed conspiratorially, sharing that moment.

"Yeah, no one would've thought."

The waltz continued, guiding them across the dance floor in this new chapter of their lives.


Despite the dance being pleasant and fun for most, not all couples could say the same. Like Hawk and Val, who seemed to get along well while dancing, but still, Hawk felt like something was missing.

As they moved to the rhythm of the music, Val noticed Hawk's distant look and felt that something was amiss. Determined to address the issue, she gently stopped her movements.

"Are you okay, babe?" Val asked with concern, searching Hawk's eyes for answers.

Hawk gave a forced smile; she didn't want to alarm her girlfriend, especially when she didn't understand why she felt that way.

"I'm fine, darling," she lied. "Just a little tired, that's all."

Val noticed Hawk's fake smile and knew something was wrong. Not wanting to push the situation, she played along with her girlfriend.

"If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

Hawk nodded, now with a faint but genuine smile. Val returned the smile. She was tempted to tell her that she loved her, but she didn't think it was appropriate, so she decided to focus on the dance again. Both continued to move to the music, but uncertainty still lingered in the air.

Although Hawk wasn't the only one of the Romanoff sisters facing challenges while dancing with her partner. Billy, like all her sisters, was very good at dancing, and she genuinely enjoyed it. However, her boyfriend was the complete opposite. While Evan had many talents, being a good dancer was not one of them. He could be on a dance floor, moving to music that didn't involve specific steps or movements, entirely different from the way a waltz was danced.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Evan apologized after accidentally stepping on his girlfriend once again.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," Billy smiled understandingly at Evan. Fortunately, due to her good genetics, a misstep didn't cause her any pain. "Shall we keep trying, then?"

Evan nodded with relief and agreement.

"Yeah, I'll try not to step on you as much," he joked.

Billy laughed at Evan's joke.

"Sounds like a plan," she played along as they continued with their dance.

Despite the challenges in dancing, both kept moving, trying to stay in sync with the music. Billy continued guiding Evan on the dance floor. While there weren't many improvements, and there were still some missteps and stumbles, at least laughter was not in short supply.

Maggy and her girlfriend, Kenzie, had a similar yet different situation when it came to dancing.

"You're doing great, babe," Maggy encouraged Kenzie to keep up with the rhythm.

"Not bad for someone who's never taken fancy dance classes, huh?" Kenzie replied with a teasing smile, attempting to stay in tune with the music and the waltz steps. Although her sense of rhythm wasn't the best, Maggy appreciated her girlfriend's effort and fun spirit.

"That's right, not bad at all," Maggy said affectionately, trying to make Kenzie feel more comfortable.

"I didn't know you danced so well," Kenzie mentioned, still somewhat impressed by how skilled her girlfriend turned out to be when it came to dancing. "Where did you learn to dance like this?"

Maggy's gaze turned melancholic as hundreds of memories flooded her mind. While all the third-generation youths had been given dance classes to improve their coordination in combat, Maggy, in particular, had learned everything she knew thanks to Hawk. Even before becoming girlfriends, they had shared many moments related to dance since it was something they both enjoyed, especially as a couple.

"We have dance classes here to improve our coordination," Maggy replied, choosing to keep certain details private, determined to avoid any potential conflict.

Kenzie nodded, accepting Maggy's answer. If she noticed anything strange, she didn't say anything and preferred to focus on not losing the rhythm.

Despite the small challenges, Maggy made an effort to make Kenzie feel comfortable, and both continued dancing, trying to enjoy the moment and set aside any discomfort.

While some couples faced challenges on the dance floor, others kept things as they always had been. Or at least from a certain perspective.

"Another year starting it together," Arno said, smiling affectionately at her friend.

Max smiled back at her.

"Another one of many, Teddie," Max replied, telling her in a way that only she could. Arno's smile widened as she heard her.

They both continued dancing, getting lost in each other's gaze and forgetting everything and everyone around them. At that moment, only they existed.

"I don't know what I'll do without seeing you daily, Maxie," Arno whispered, very close to his friend's face. Definitely, the hardest part of going to college would be being so far away from Max for a long time.

"It'll only be two years before I catch up with you; we'll make it work," Max said softly, gently caressing Arno's cheek. "We'll talk every day, send messages, and every time we're together, we'll make the most of our time. Nothing will separate us, Teddie."

"Do you promise?" Arno asked, seeking reassurance in Max's gaze.

"I give you my word," Max said, giving her a smile full of affection.

Arno nodded with a grateful smile, feeling fortunate to have Max in her life. Together, they continued dancing, knowing that, regardless of the distance the future might put between them, they would find a way to make it work. For now, they would seize every opportunity they had, just as they were doing.

Although they hadn't crossed the line into romance, the connection between them continued to strengthen with each step, and maybe this would be the year when that line would finally be crossed.


The New Year's waltz continued, and the couples kept enjoying the music. Until finally, the much-anticipated part for more than one arrived: the moment to switch partners.

The couples rotated to the rhythm of the melody, moving on to a new temporary dance partner, adding an exciting twist to the dance, creating new combinations and opportunities to connect with different people.

Something interesting happened at that moment; excluding certain couples, the rest, in that moment, presented a perfect picture of what the future would be like. In some cases, it was closer than in others, but in the end, everyone would end up the same way: together.

The partner exchange gave Zemo the opportunity he had been waiting for, and he couldn't hide his enthusiasm as he approached Vers. With a playful expression, he remarked:

"I guess we're dancing together after all."

Vers rolled her eyes.

"As if it's the first time we've danced together," she said sarcastically.

"Well, you didn't want to dance with me this time," Zemo added, continuing with his characteristic charm.

"Because we're friends, and you want us to be more than that."

"And don't you?"

Vers averted her gaze from Zemo's before responding after a couple of silent seconds.

"We're friends, and I don't want that to change if things don't work out."

Any other person might have been discouraged or saddened to hear that response, but that wasn't the case for Zemo.

"That wasn't a no," Zemo said with a broad smile and palpable excitement in his whole being.

Vers couldn't help but show a small smile at Zemo's positive attitude. Of course, she quickly changed her expression, but her companion could still notice the action, making his excitement only grow.

"It wasn't a yes either."

"She likes me too," Zemo sang in his mind.

"But it wasn't a no."

"We work better as friends, don't you think?"

"I don't know; we've never been anything else," Zemo said playfully. "Maybe we should find out, you know, to clear up any doubts," he added with a wink.

Vers would be lying if she said that gesture didn't evoke a thousand emotions throughout her body, but she also wouldn't let her emotions control her.

"No, I really wouldn't like that."

Zemo's smile faltered.

"I don't understand, why not?"

Vers sighed, feeling the tension between her emotions and logic. She didn't want to regret not exploring something beyond friendship, but she also didn't want to jeopardize what they already had.

"Look at the other couples here who've tried to be more than friends; most of them never got back the friendship they had before," Vers hesitated, trying to express her feelings honestly. "You're one of my best friends, and I don't want that to change if things don't work out."

"But we're different, Vers. Next year, we'll be the only ones from our group in high school," Zemo reminded her, presenting his perspective on why things could work out. "Then, it'll be just you and me in the USAFA again; we'll be together for at least the next six years. That's a long time where we'll only have each other. Don't you think it's enough time for things to work out?"

"That's the same reason why I'm afraid it won't work," Vers admitted in almost a whisper. "We'll be just you and me for a long time. If things don't work out between us, and we don't go back to having the same relationship we have now, imagine how awkward things would be for a long time... I don't even want to think about it."

Zemo listened carefully to Vers's concerns, acknowledging the validity of her fears. He understood that the fear of ruining their friendship was a significant factor for her, so he had no choice but to accept the reality.

"I don't want to pressure you or make you feel uncomfortable. Our friendship is valuable to me too, and if you prefer things to stay as they are, I'll respect that," Zemo said gently, giving her an affectionate smile.

Vers smiled at Zemo, appreciating his understanding. Although she wasn't entirely convinced about venturing into something more, she valued Zemo's patient and friendly attitude.

"So... we're good, right?" she asked.

"Of course, we are!" he responded, still smiling at her. "Just keep in mind that if you ever change your mind, I'll be here, Versy."

Now it was Vers's turn to smile broadly. "I'll keep that in mind, Wilson."

Zemo returned the smile, nodding in acknowledgment.

They both continued dancing, enjoying the moment together, regardless of what the future might hold. They knew that their friendship would remain valuable no matter what. The music and the camaraderie between them created a special moment in the New Year's Eve waltz.

Another momentary dance couple was formed by Billy and James, who had never had the opportunity to dance together before.

"Hello again," James said as they started to dance. Billy laughed nervously.

"Hey..."

James didn't say anything more, just gave her a slight smile as they both continued dancing. Despite it being their first time dancing together, they clicked from the very beginning. Their movements complemented each other, and the harmony between them was palpable.

"Wow! You're really good at dancing, James," Billy said, marveling at James's skills. Even though she had seen James dance thousands of times, it was different to witness it firsthand.

"When your parents are as old as mine, this kind of thing just comes naturally," James joked, making Billy laugh.

"Especially when you have a soul as old as theirs," Billy added playfully. This time, it was James's turn to laugh.

As they glided across the dance floor, the conversation faded away, and they let the music guide them. The silence between them was filled with the melody of the music, and although they didn't exchange many words, both were enjoying that moment together.

"A pleasure to have danced with you, Ms. Romanoff," James said, bowing slightly as the time came to switch partners. Billy giggled before also curtsying, as if they were in a Victorian-era waltz.

"The feeling is mutual, Mr. Rogers."

With one last exchange of smiles, James and Billy returned to their original positions on the dance floor. The music continued to flow, and the couples kept enjoying the New Year's waltz. Or at least, most couples were.

Hawk and Maggy unexpectedly found themselves as dance partners after the exchange. Both looked at each other surprised, and despite not having danced together for two years, they just kept doing it.

"Hey... it's been a long time since we talked," Maggy greeted, somewhat awkward and, of course, nervous. It's not every day you talk to your first love.

Hawk nodded with a nostalgic smile. "Yeah, it's been a while. How have you been, Maggy?"

Maggy gave a small smile. "Good, busy, you know how it is. But what about you? How have you been?"

"The usual, college, training, and missions. Nothing new."

Maggy nodded, understanding perfectly. The soft music of the waltz enveloped them as they continued dancing. Despite that brief conversation, tension and awkwardness still lingered heavily between them. Both tried to speak at the same time, but their words overlapped.

"How was your Christmas?"

"How was Aspen?"

They both looked at each other and let out a nervous laugh at the coincidence. The awkwardness lingered, but at least they managed to break the ice with a small shared laugh.

"You go first or me?" Maggy asked once they both stopped laughing.

"You first," Hawk said, giving Maggy the floor. She wasn't really sure if she wanted to share her visit to Aspen, especially because it was with Val and her family.

Maggy bit her lips in the milliseconds she thought. She used to insist that Hawk go first when they were dating, but things had changed. She decided to take Hawk's word and share her story first.

"I spent Christmas at the base, it was great, although..." Maggy said before laughing, remembering something. Hawk smiled, always loving the sound of her now-ex's laughter. "On Christmas Eve, while we were decorating the tree and the rest of the living room, we had a little incident with the Christmas lights. Turns out I'm not as good as I thought at hanging them on the tree."

Hawk chuckled softly, recalling the times Maggy used to insist on being the one to put them up when they were still a couple. "It seems like you've rusted a bit in those skills. What exactly happened?"

"The whole team I was in charge of, from Soldiers to Lance Corporal, thought it would be fun to play a holiday prank on me, so I ended up tangled in the lights like one more ornament," Hawk's laughter sounded louder, and Maggy couldn't help but join in. "Yeah, I admit it was funny. Kenzie laughed so hard she almost fell off the couch while I was trying to untangle me," she added, amused, forgetting that maybe mentioning her current girlfriend while dancing with her ex wasn't the best move. Hawk's laughter ceased almost abruptly; she couldn't have avoided feeling a pang in her heart at the mention of Maggy's girlfriend. "Anyway, I put everyone to finish decorating the tree, and as an additional punishment, the whole base," she added somewhat nervously after realizing her slip of the tongue. She wasn't exactly sure of Hawk's reaction, but she knew she wasn't feeling very comfortable after that.

"It definitely sounds like an unforgettable Christmas," Hawk said, trying to sound as normal as possible, although tension and discomfort had returned between them.

"Yeah, it was... and what about you? I must admit I was surprised to hear that you spent Christmas away from home and without Morgan," Maggy said, trying to change the subject without knowing that it would only make things worse. "I understand that Christmas in Aspen must have been great, but why spend Christmas alone?"

"What are you talking about?" Hawk asked somewhat defensively, raising an eyebrow.

Maggy realized she said something she shouldn't have but wasn't sure exactly which part.

"About you spending Christmas without your family and best friend... did I say something wrong?"

"I spent Christmas without them, but not alone."

"Oh, did you go with friends from the Master's program?"

Hawk looked at her confused, not sure if Maggy really didn't know or what she was up to.

"No... Val invited me to spend Christmas in Aspen with her and her family."

The expression of surprise appeared on Maggy's face. She didn't expect that answer, and suddenly, the pieces began to fall into place in her mind.

"Oh, I didn't know your relationship with Valentina had reached that point so quickly," Maggy said, trying to sound calm even though she felt heartache and a hint of jealousy inside. Maggy shook her head, trying to push away those thoughts. "I'm sorry, that wasn't my intention to say that..." she sighed, trying to hide her own hurt feelings. "... I never meant to imply that you were alone because of her; I really thought you went alone or with your friends. I'm truly sorry."

"It's okay, no big deal," Hawk said with a bittersweet smile. It seemed that those who informed Maggy had omitted that detail. The question was, why did they omit that?

Maggy gave a half-smile of gratitude and decided not to delve deeper into the matter. Although the tension between them lingered, both tried to enjoy the dance as if nothing had happened.

"Thank the Goddesses that Uncle Tony didn't let Nate choose the song like last year; dancing 'Lover Boy' is not my style," Maggy said after a couple of seconds of silence, breaking the tension once again. After a long time, it was nice to be this close to Hawk again, only the discomfort made the moment less special.

Hawk chuckled, and Maggy joined in.

"I know!" she agreed, still laughing. "After so many years together in college, I swear I started to hate that song."

Maggy laughed again.

"I bet they said the same thing about 'We Fall in Love in October,'" Maggy added somewhat, sharing a secret smile. That was their song, a classic in wlw culture.

Hawk smiled widely, looking directly into Maggy's eyes, who did the same. "My girl, my girl, my girl..."

"You still remember it..." Hawk murmured without breaking eye contact.

"Of course, I still remember it. Things have changed a lot since then, but I'll always cherish those days as some of the best in my life," Maggy responded, also maintaining eye contact despite the dance; Hawk could read sincerity in her eyes.

"I treasure them too, and even though things have changed, it doesn't mean those moments have lost their significance," Hawk added, feeling a mix of nostalgia and appreciation for the shared memories.

Maggy nodded gently, and both continued dancing to the rhythm of the music. The connection between Hawk and Maggy became more intense as they reminisced about those moments from the past. Although the atmosphere was filled with nostalgia, there was also a hint of mutual recognition. Both knew that, despite the difficulties and changes, they shared a unique and special history.

"Sometimes I wonder how our life would be if things had taken a different turn," Maggy confessed in a barely audible whisper.

Hawk looked at her, understanding the weight of those words. There were moments when she, too, pondered that question, especially on this night after seeing her again.

"Perhaps in some other universe, we're living a different version of our story," Hawk replied before gently tilting Maggy's chin to reconnect their gazes. "In another life..."

Maggy smiled with melancholy, fully understanding the reference. Even though things between them had changed, the connection between the two was still there, and in that moment of complicity, both felt the nostalgia and beauty of what they once shared. The waltz continued, carrying them through the turns of time and intertwined emotions.

As the waltz progressed and the two shared knowing glances, something began to change between them. Each turn and step seemed to witness the complicity they once shared and that, somehow, still lingered.

Maggy and Hawk stopped talking for a moment, allowing the music and movement to speak for them. In that shared silence, both immersed themselves again in the memories of their time together and in the reality of the present. Although both had new stories and relationships in their lives, that moment of dance reminded them that what they shared was never completely forgotten.

Their hands intertwined with a naturalness that only time and familiarity could bring. It wasn't just a simple dance; it was a reunion, a reminder of what they once had, and perhaps, of what they could still have.

When the time came to switch partners again, Maggy and Hawk looked at each other with a mix of emotions. Complicity and nostalgia shone in their eyes, and neither could deny the connection they shared.

"It was a good dance," Hawk said with a soft smile.

"Yeah, it was," Maggy replied, returning the smile.

Both knew that something had changed between them, something they couldn't ignore. That dance had been a reminder of a love that, despite time and circumstances, still lingered in their hearts.


Meanwhile, on the other side of the dance floor, Sarah and Dawn, as well as Georgie and Oliver, were dancing. Both couples shared something in common: only one of them had a crush on their dance partner, and interestingly, in both cases, it was with a Rogers. The worst part was that neither could make a move, not even in this dance.

In Dawn's case, it was because she was trying to forget her feelings for Sarah. After all, Sarah was her cousin's ex, who is also one of her best friends. She couldn't do that to her, so she tried to keep her distance from Sarah as much as possible. But at that moment, Dawn really wished things were different. She would treat her the way Sarah deserved. She could be a better girlfriend than her.

"Everything okay, D?" Sarah asked, noticing that her partner seemed lost in thought.

Dawn blinked, returning to reality, and offered Sarah a faint smile.

"Yeah, everything's fine. I was just thinking about how this year would be," she lied. Obviously, she wouldn't tell her what she was really thinking.

Sarah smiled back, oblivious to Dawn's internal struggles. "Oh, Godness... that smile, why did it have to be so beautiful?"

"Excited for prom or for starting at UMich?"

"Both?"

Sarah chuckled softly. "Both will be amazing, I'm sure," she replied when she stopped laughing. "Do you have any idea what you'll be studying?"

Dawn smiled as they danced. "I'm not sure, but I would like something in the field of politics or health. I want to help people in some way."

Sarah looked at her with admiration.

"That sounds wonderful, D. Whatever your choice, I'm sure you'll be amazing."

Dawn smiled back in response. Sarah returned the smile.

"And have you thought about what you want to study?"

Sarah nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes, I'm going to study international security. I've always had an interest in diplomacy and conflict resolution, and UMich offers an excellent program. I believe I can make a difference."

Dawn nodded, appreciating the passion Sarah showed for her aspirations.

"I'm sure you will; there's nothing Sarah W. Rogers can't do it," Dawn told her with a proud smile.

Sarah smiled, grateful for Dawn's encouraging words.

"Thank you for the support, D."

Dawn nodded with a smile, although internally, the emotional conflict persisted. They danced in silence for a moment, immersed in the music and the lights of the dance floor. Although they enjoyed each other's company, Dawn's unexpressed emotions continued to linger in the air. Perhaps with the distance between New York and Ann Arbor, she could finally leave her feelings for Sarah Rogers behind. Maybe...

Meanwhile, George and Oliver, the other couple on the dance floor, shared laughs and lively conversations. Oliver, the member of the pair with a crush on his companion, grappled with unrequited feelings. He would follow Sarah's advice, but if the perfect opportunity presented itself to make another move, he would certainly take it.

"This dance is amazing, don't you think, Ollie?" Georgie asked, completely excited. He had always been a fan of the New Year's waltz. Oliver smiled at seeing him like that, and in response, he nodded to his companion, who was oblivious to his expression of love. "How I wish Eddie were here... maybe next year," Georgie murmured, forgetting he wasn't alone and that his companion was unaware of their relationship.

Oliver felt a knot in his stomach. He wasn't exactly sure what Georgie meant, but he didn't like the direction the conversation was taking at all.

"Who's Eddie?" Oliver dared to ask. Though it hurt, he needed to know who Eddie was to Georgie.

"My boyfriend... we've been dating for a couple of months," Georgie answered, somewhat embarrassed. He wanted to share the news about his relationship with his friends, but he never thought it would happen this way.

Oliver fell silent for a moment, processing the information. He didn't know how to react. The revelation of Georgie's relationship took him by surprise, and his heart sank a bit more. He tried to maintain a neutral expression, but his emotions were evident in his eyes. Now he understood his best friend's words.

"Oh, that's great," Oliver said, forcing a smile. He didn't want to spoil the night with his reaction, but inside, his world was shaken a bit. "I'm glad you found someone special."

Georgie nodded, noticing the discomfort in Oliver's expression.

"Thanks, Ollie. And you? Is there someone special in your life?"

Oliver lowered his gaze, avoiding eye contact.

"No, there's no one at the moment."

Georgie nodded, accepting Oliver's response. They continued dancing, but Georgie's revelation had changed the dynamic between them. Tension hung in the air as they tried to enjoy the rest of the night, each immersed in their own thoughts.

While the waltz wasn't working out for everyone, there were still two people hoping to succeed that night thanks to that darned dance. Take Talya, for example, who hoped that would be the perfect occasion to sort things out with Stacey.

When the moment came for Talya and Stacey to dance together, Talya couldn't help but look at her with her characteristic smirk, the smirk that Stacey claimed to detest so much.

Meanwhile, Stacey just rolled her eyes and avoided making eye contact with Talya, who only smiled at that gesture.

"Hey, Stace," Talya said, looking at her with a friendlier smile than a few moments ago. "How were your holidays?"

"Just because we're dancing together doesn't mean we have to talk," Stacey replied without turning to look at her.

Talya didn't lose her spirit; in fact, her smile widened. She saw a comment of that sort coming from Stacey.

"Well, if you don't want to talk, that's fine. I will," Talya replied, somewhat amused.

Stacey shrugged indifferently, resisting the urge to say something because that would imply she would talk to Talya, and Stacey had no intention of talking to Talya Bishop, like, ever. Especially not that night.

"I just wanted you to know that... to tell you that..." Talya muttered nervously, unsure of how to be straightforward.

Her nervous tone didn't escape Stacey's notice, who pretended not to be paying attention when, in reality, she was eagerly waiting for Talya to continue with whatever she was about to say.

Talya sighed before she could continue, needing a couple of seconds to organize her thoughts.

"I'm sorry for whatever I did to make you mad at me, Stace... It wasn't my intention to upset you, I'm sorry," Talya finally murmured, still a bit nervous. Stacey finally turned to look at her, observing her with astonishment. She certainly didn't expect that. "The time we spent together this semester was great for me; I am really sorry for ruining it. I miss you, Stace."

"Really?" Stacey asked, even more amazed by the last statement.

Talya nodded slowly while smiling softly. Stacey smiled back at her.

"Of course. I never thought we'd actually be friends, but now I genuinely miss my new friend."

Stacey's smile slowly faded with each word Talya spoke. For some strange reason, the word "friend" didn't sound as good as it should between them.

"You missed me, Stace?" Talya playfully asked. Stacey rolled her eyes again.

"Keep dreaming, Bishop."

Stacey wouldn't admit that she missed Talya; that would only boost her already very high ego. Talya, on the other hand, laughed, expecting such a response from Stacey.

Despite the lingering tension between them, they were gradually unfolding more and more.

"So... are we good?" Talya asked, wanting to make sure things between them were resolved.

Stacey remained silent for a moment, processing Talya's words. Although she thought the camaraderie they shared a few weeks ago was a thing of the past, she wondered if they could at least regain a good relationship. Deep down, Stacey blamed herself a bit for what happened, for expecting Talya to change when she really had no reason to. However, she wouldn't admit this out loud, especially not in front of Talya. She feared it might sound like jealousy, something she vehemently denied. She couldn't afford to be jealous, especially now that she had a boyfriend.

"Yeah, it's fine," Stacey accepted. Talya smiled triumphantly; she had finally managed to patch things up with her. "I guess I owe you an apology too for not letting you speak earlier and all that," she added.

Talya changed her smile to a softer and tender one.

"No problem, I get why you did it," she said. Now it was Stacey's turn to return the smile. Talya was happy, eager to tell her Aunt Natasha how well things had gone after following her advice.

"Shall we keep dancing, my friend?" Talya murmured, still smiling and in a playful tone, as if trying to mimic a Victorian English accent. Once again, Stacey felt that discomfort hearing Talya address her like that, but she didn't say anything, just nodded.

They both continued dancing, enjoying the closeness and each other's company. However, Stacey couldn't help but remember something that had been on her mind for weeks.

"Oh, by the way... there was something you wanted to tell me on Monday after the party," Stacey mentioned, remembering the doubt that had plagued her. "You said it was something important, but I didn't give you the chance to speak," she added, somewhat apologetic.

Talya looked at her with a sad, side smile.

"Totally forgot; probably wasn't a big deal," she lied. There was no point in telling her that she had been thinking of inviting her to the Christmas dance.

Stacey analyzed her for a couple of seconds before shrugging. She knew Talya had lied, but she also wouldn't beg her to squeeze out the truth.

"If you say so."

"Can I ask you something now?"

"Yes, go ahead," Stacey wouldn't leave another question unanswered.

"How are things with Buck?" Talya didn't know why, but she needed to know that Stacey was doing well in her relationship.

Once again, surprise covered Stacey's face; she never thought Talya would ask her that.

"Everything is good, I can't complain," admitted Stacey. While she wasn't sure about her relationship with Buck at first, the past few weeks had shown her a new side of him, and she was really enjoying it. “You know him, so considerate, cute, attentive, loyal, and sweet. As a boyfriend, he's even more, so yeah, I'm doing really well with him. I like him.”

Talya got the answer she wanted, and despite hearing that everything was fine, for some reason, she felt a pang in her heart. Perhaps because she was finding out about it several weeks later, she thought.

"I'm glad to hear that, Stace," Talya said softly, trying to hide the sadness she felt. “You deserve to be with someone like him, someone who treats you as you deserve.”

Stacey smiled at her; Talya's words had been very sweet.

"Thank you, Talya."

Talya smiled; it had been a long time since Stacey had called her that. She had certainly missed the way her name sounded when it came from Stacey's lips and voice.

"My pleasure."

Both continued dancing in silence for a while, each lost in their thoughts. It seemed like they had sorted things out, but both felt like something was missing, as if not everything was clarified, and they still had something to talk about.

Not long after (much to both their dismay), their moment of dancing together came to an end. They separated slowly but without breaking eye contact.

"Thanks for dancing with me," Talya said with a sincere smile.

Stacey nodded, returning the smile. "It wasn't that bad after all."

They looked at each other, and in that exchange of glances, there seemed to be a silent communication. Although they didn't have all the answers, something in that dance brought them a bit closer. It was evident that there was more to explore in their relationship, but they also acknowledged that they had moved a little in the right direction. Time would put everything in its place.

Each returned to their original spot on the dance floor, where new couples were forming to continue the celebration. As the music flowed and the lights twinkled, Talya and Stacey were immersed in their own thoughts.

The night still had much to offer, and as they separated on the dance floor, both wondered what the future held for them.

But Talya wasn't the only one who had a good time; in a way, Kiernan also had a nice moment with Buck, her friend and the guy she had a forbidden crush on.

"Kieran Romanoff dancing in the traditional waltz, I can't believe it," Buck said when it was his turn to dance with Kiernan, one of his best friends.

"Your brother didn't leave me many options," Kiernan replied, trying to sound as casual as possible, as if she wasn't enjoying dancing with him.

Buck laughed upon hearing her.

"Yeah, that makes more sense," Buck agreed, now understanding why Kiernan was on the dance floor. "I'm glad you did it; I've always told you it's a shame you don't dance more often when you're really good at it," he added, with one of his friendly smiles. Kiernan couldn't help but blush a bit, although she quickly tried to cover it up.

"It's not that I don't like to dance... but that song? Not my style," Kiernan said, avoiding a bit of eye contact.

Buck looked at her, a mix of surprise and relief on his face.

"Since when is Taylor Swift's music not your style?"

"It's not that it's not my style, but 'Wildest Dreams'? I like it, but I don't connect with that song as much as with others."

Buck let out a sigh of relief upon hearing her explanation. Among their group of friends, Kiernan was the biggest fan of retro music and especially Taylor's classics. That's why his initial reaction, but now everything was clear.

"Okay, no 'Wildest Dreams' for you, but... what would be the Tay Tay song you would have liked them to play?"

"Lover."

Kiernan responded so quickly that she didn't even think about what she was saying. Once again, she felt the excitement and magic growing inside her, so she tried to control it again with the exercise her Aunt Lorna had taught her.

On the other hand, Buck was perplexed by Kiernan's answer; he certainly hadn't expected that response. Anyone from folklore would understand, after all, that it's Kiernan's favorite album, but 'Lover'... that was new to him.

"What did I miss?" Buck asked, still stunned. "Is Kiernan Romanoff in love?"

"In love is a strong word... it's just a crush, it'll pass," Kiernan said, somewhat nervous but now more composed.

Buck smiled excitedly; it was the first time he had seen this behavior in Kiernan, and he was happy for his friend. Despite Kiernan's words, it was obvious that it was more than just a crush.

"Well, I'll pretend to believe you, K," Buck said playfully before changing his voice to a more serious tone. "But if it doesn't pass, I hope everything goes well with that guy or girl who has you feeling this way. May they appreciate the wonderful girl you are and give you that epic teenage love you've always dreamed of."

Kiernan had an internal conflict. On one hand, she was happy to hear Buck's words, but on the other hand, she was sad because there was no way he would give her exactly what he said. And the truth was that those kinds of comments didn't help the crush go away; quite the opposite, especially when she saw Buck smiling at her.

"Thanks, Buck," Kiernan murmured with a mix of resignation and hope.

"You have nothing to thank me for, K; I'm just speaking the truth."

Kiernan expressed her gratitude with a faint smile and nodded. Buck responded with a warm smile to Kiernan's acknowledgment. Both continued dancing, enjoying the waltz.

Kiernan tried to ignore the fluttering in her heart as she continued dancing with Buck. She valued their friendship and his words of support, but she was also aware of the reality of the situation. Kiernan promised herself to address her own feelings and find a way to move forward, even if it meant letting go of the unrequited crush for the sake of her friendship with Buck and, of course, with Stacey.

Finally, it was the turn of the non-couple who undoubtedly shared a big secret.

When Tommy finally had the chance to dance with Morgan, she couldn't help but smile at her as she took her hand to start dancing. Morgan, despite wanting to conceal it, also smiled, especially feeling the warm contact of Tommy's hand on hers. That simple touch was enough for Morgan to close her eyes and remind herself that she couldn't afford to fall back into the great temptation that was Tommy Romanoff.

"Hey," greeted Tommy, looking directly into her eyes as they danced.

"Romanoff, hey," Morgan returned the greeting.

Tommy smiled again; everything was going well for the moment.

"It's been a few days since the last time I saw you, Stark," Tommy said in a suggestive tone.

Morgan let out a laugh. She knew what Tommy was up to, and she wouldn't let her win again.

"I know what you're plotting, Romanoff, and that's not happening again."

"You said that after your birthday, the next day, on Christmas, and... should I go on?" Tommy teased, feeling quite confident at the moment.

"Well, tonight is different."

"Why?"

"You know why, Romanoff."

Tommy sighed; zhe knew the reason was her sister, Hawk.

"We have to stop having these encounters... we can't keep going like this," Morgan whispered very close to Tommy's face. She still didn't understand what was happening to her, why this new addiction to Tommy. All she knew was that she couldn't continue; it was almost forbidden to date your best friend's sister.

The connection between Tommy and Morgan was undeniable. Despite the silence, their eyes spoke a language of their own, expressing emotions beyond words. The soft music enveloped them as they continued to dance, each step bringing them a little closer. The tension in the air was palpable, and accidental brushes only intensified the electricity between them.

Morgan struggled to maintain her self-control, but every gaze, every touch, undermined her defenses. She felt her pulse quicken and the warmth emanating from Tommy. There was something in the way she looked at her that stirred up memories and emotions still very much present in her.

Tommy, on her part, couldn't help but notice Morgan's internal struggle. She wanted to say something, to express what both were feeling, but an invisible barrier kept them apart. She chose to keep dancing in silence, letting their eyes and gestures speak for them.

The waltz continued, guiding them across the dance floor like two souls destined to meet on that night. Although words were left unspoken, the connection between them was unmistakable.

The song didn't help either. Even though it was instrumental, and the lyrics weren't heard, both of them knew the song, and they understood its meaning. Undoubtedly, "Wildest Dreams" could perfectly represent how they felt in that moment. That's why Tommy decided to make one last attempt. In case it failed, at least they would have had a good closure.

With courage, Tommy brought a hand to Morgan's face, gently caressing her cheek. She looked at her intensely, as if trying to convey all the emotions she had kept for so long. Morgan, feeling the soft touch of Tommy, shivered slightly but didn't break eye contact.

"If that's what you want, then I'll accept it," Tommy murmured after several seconds of silence. Morgan couldn't help but feel disappointed upon hearing it. "Let's keep dancing, let this waltz be our way of closing the chapter on what happened between us," Tommy continued. Morgan nodded; she had no other choice, after all, Tommy was just doing what she had asked of her. "This song kind of suits us, don't you think, Stark?" Tommy asked softly, her eyes searching for answers in Morgan's.

Morgan didn't understand at first, but it only took her a couple of seconds to catch on to Tommy's new move. "Son of a bitch..." Morgan thought, once again closing her eyes to regain control. Tommy smiled; it seemed his plan was working.

"Mm, I don't think so."

She lied, but just as a twist of fate, the part where the original version would say, "No one has to know what we do," began. Once again, Morgan cursed internally, but at the same time, she couldn't help but sing the song in her mind, making the lyrics even more fitting. "She's so tall and handsome as hell, she's so bad, but she does it so well... and she really does," she thought as she bit her lips, staring at Tommy, who couldn't look away.

They both continued to dance, maintaining unbroken eye contact and singing the song in their minds. With each passing moment, the discreet touches grew, only increasing the desire to run away from there. When the song reached a certain part, Tommy got even closer to Morgan in a way that she could speak directly into her ear.

"If you truly don't want to continue, say you'll remember me, say you'll see me again even if it's just in your wildest dreams," Tommy said, serious but shamelessly at the same time. "It was a great experience to end the year this way with you, Stark."

The words, along with the tone of voice and the gaze full of desire, finally made Morgan set aside her self-control, giving in to temptation once again.

"I guess we can start it the same way, one last time won't hurt anyone," Morgan murmured once Tommy had returned to her personal space. Now it was her turn to reciprocate the move. "After the dance, I'll be waiting for you in fifteen minutes in my room," she added so closely and slowly that she could feel Tommy straighten up. Morgan was now the one smiling triumphantly.

"I think we have a deal, Stark."

Not long after, they finished their part of the dance together. They exchanged knowing glances before returning to their respective previous partners.

"Don't be late, Romanoff," Morgan said before going back, giving her a discreet flirtatious smile.

Tommy smiled back. "I won't."

Without further ado, both returned to their previous positions, trying to keep the eye contact to a minimum and the eagerness to be together again to the maximum.

The waltz set the rhythm for intertwined stories, where relationships blended with the melody, and encounters and missteps unfolded with each step. Despite the complications, the characters allowed themselves to live those special moments, aware that time does not stand still, and the dance of life continues.

The night progressed, and with each turn on the dance floor, the protagonists approached the end of this chapter, ready to face what the new year had in store for them.

The beginning of 2040 promised to be an exciting new chapter for the Avengers' family, full of challenges, personal growth, and definitely unexpected surprises. Many unexpected surprises.

Notes:

I FINALLY FINISHED IT!

It took me almost seventeen days, but here is the New Year's Special. I hope you liked it.

As usual, I bring you some visual material to put faces to the third generation.

 

The Oldies:


The Mutant Triplets:

The Fantastic Sixes:


The Unstoppables:



The Quad Squad:

 

I hope you enjoyed it!

With love,

Chaxan <3

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