That One Time We Kissed // Bishova College AU

The Universal Agony of Group Projects

Quietly, Peter slid his finished paper swan over, setting it delicately on her keyboard. "I think you got this. If anyone can do a three month project in a week, it's probably you."

"Thanks, I think."

Peter laughed, patting his best friend on the back before resuming his far less stressful research on wedding suits. He hoped his silence would nudge Kate toward her work, and for a while, he thought it had. Thoroughly occupied, Kate clicked and typed intermittently for about an hour as he purused Armani and Tom Ford pieces. They were far too expensive even with Aunt May's generosity, but a kid could dream.

With a quirked brow, he turned to ask about a forest green number when he noticed Kate was not, in fact, working on the project that represented half of her grade, but was fucking around on Cool Math Games.

"Okay, really?" He asked, shoulders slumped. "KB, come on."

"What?" She replied, not diverting her eyes from the little taxi cab on screen. "Why do you call everyone by their initials? Can I do that with you?"

"Stop stalling- wait, no, you can't do that with me."

"Whatever you say, PP."

"You're done. That's enough."

"Sorry, is PP mad?"

"You might be a lost cause after all," he grumbled, checking his phone and feeling immense relief at Yelena's text that she was almost there. Kate Bishop needed an intervention.

"Sorry." Looking guilty, Kate shut her laptop with a huff. "What if I just take the zero?"

And then, right on time, the cavalry arrived. They heard her before they saw her, confident steps clacking against old hardwood, gold bracelets clanging against one another. Alarmed, Kate turned, finding a very disgruntled Yelena strutting toward her, eyes scanning her blank notebook, her scattered pens, her closed laptop.

While Kate knew full well this side of Yelena existed- the catty, stern, sorority leader side- it was so rarely trained on her. With Kate, she was usually so soft, so unguarded and sweet as sugar. Now, face painted with annoyance and an aura of authority larger than her frame, she was downright intimidating. If Kate wasn't so stressed, she honestly would have been exhilarated.

"Kate Bishop," Yelena said lowly as she arrived.

"Good luck, KB." Peter took this as his cue, gathering his things and heading out.

Kate almost didn't hear him as Yelena took his seat. "Funny seeing you here."

"Funny? You want to know what's funny?" Yelena said, voice sickly sweet. "My girlfriend is trying her damnedest to flunk a class during senior year. Care to explain that?"

"Uh... no?"

"Too bad. Explain."

Kate relented, frowning. "I kind of, sort of, neglected a semester long project until the last week."

"It's due in a week?"

"Ten days, but, yeah..."

Yelena sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose and having half a mind to deride her, chastise her, express her disappointment. She could be putting graduation at risk, not to mention the competitive tech startups that may not be eager to hire a kid who can't even pass Intro to Civics in one go. Yelena wanted to say all of this and more, and then she looked up.

At the look on Yelena's face, Kate was almost bracing herself for whatever diatribe would come her way. Her fists were balled, eyes cast down in shame. Clearly, she was more disappointed about her screwup than anyone. Immediately, Yelena softened. Kate didn't need a lecture. She needed empathy.