An Impervious Few // KateLena Apocalypse AU

The Coast

"Do you worry about me, Yelena?"

Pierced by Kate's gaze, blue as the sky, the Widow could only shrug. "Of course I do."

Disarmed, Kate's stoic mask faltered, if only briefly. "Well, I'm fine. I know a lot of shit has gone down, but... yeah. All good."

"You're a terrible liar."

The archer, uncomfortable being the focus of conversation, turned her back, busying herself with rummaging through old, dusty shelves. Most of the store was surprisingly untouched; Kate guessed people skipped raiding for candy in exchange for actual sustenance and supplies. Amalgamations of melted chocolates occupied most display cases, clear boxes housing bubbled, rippled chocolate expanded and shrunk by the elements in an endless loop.

Though most of the sweets were inedible, Kate shoved a few jawbreakers into her leather jacket pocket, continuing, "Why so worried anyway, blondie?"

Yelena swallowed, sensing an open door. "Just like you said. A lot of shit's gone down." Unsatisfied, she climbed back out through the window, taking a seat on a rotting wooden bench, boots outstretched. "I know it was hard leaving Clint."

Kate followed, standing before Yelena, hands fiddling with the straps of her pack. "Well, yeah, of course it was hard. Of course I miss him. But if he went out, he went out his way, and I'm really finding solace in that."

"And your mom?"

"What about her? She lived, she's fine."

"No, Kate, about shooting her. Thinking she was dead for a few months. You haven't talked about it at all, and that's fine if that's what you want. But I'm here."

The archer went mute, eyes cutting to the sandy pavement. She wasn't exactly avoiding the subject, per se, she'd had other things to worry about this winter, like getting Yelena healthy and back on the road. Both of those things had come to pass now, though, leaving her no excuse. Yelena was perfectly healed now, and she was right, she was capable. She was strong, understanding, and most of all she cared. Perhaps it was time for Kate to lean on her as well.

"I'm just... I don't know." Kate sighed, kicking a pebble. "She deserved that and more. I'm really not that fucked up over it, honestly." She paused, breaths even and long. "I guess that's the scary part."

"What is?"

"Relating to her. Feeling like her. She's dismissed and justified her actions like I'm doing right now."

"Yeah, but you haven't-"

"I've come close." Kate looked Yelena dead in the eye, more serious than she had seen the archer since the city. "DC does haunt me, Lena, but not because of my mom or even Clint." She shivered, grimacing. "The guards, though..."

"Kate, you didn't have a choice."

"I know I didn't. But they were people too. They were people, and I killed them like they were nothing. And, again, Lena, I don't feel bad about it. I feel like her."

"You aren't like her, Kate. Not at all."

Resolve quickly crumbling due to the concern on Yelena's face, Kate slumped down on the bench, hands wringing. "I think this is how she felt in Boston. She said she did everything for me and I always thought it was bullshit, but... I- when she stabbed you, when you were literally bleeding out in my arms... I would've burned DC to the ground and then some to keep you safe."

Yelena was stunned, punched in the gut with the conviction coating her words. Taking a shuddering breath and feeling as though anything she could say would be wholly inadequate, Yelena wrapped an arm around Kate's back, inviting Kate to rest her head against her shoulder. The archer did so, feeling more vulnerable than she had in a good while. In years past, Kate would have recoiled at the sentiment, at the invitation to lay her troubles onto someone else. Relying on others only brought heartache; heart to hearts were useless at best, crippling weakness at worst.