𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐃 - 𝐖. 𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐟𝐟

eighteen

            YELENA sat on the park bench outside of her favorite coffee shop. Her blonde hair lightly blew in the breeze as she tapped her fingers against the cup, taking a sip of it and people watching.

Joggers ran by, headphones in as they kept their paces steady, reminding Yelena of how her life was anything but steady. The joggers had their set path, one that they followed and stuck to. Yelena did not.

People walked their dogs as they went past and Yelena wished she had a dog. She wished she had the stability to own a dog. But that was yet another thing that the blonde would never have because her life was anything but steady.

Families walked past, smiling and laughing with one another as children chased after ducks and ran back to their smiling and laughing parents. Just another thing Yelena never got to truly experience. Childhood. She and her sisters never got to experience the joys of chasing ducks around a pond and running back to their parents.

God, how she wished they had had a normal childhood.

She still couldn't believe that Wanda had known Katerina from before she had joined the Avengers. From her time with HYDRA. She couldn't believe that her best friend hadn't told her she knew her sister.

Of course she understood, she understood why Wanda didn't say anything, the memories were too raw and painful to rehash, but she couldn't help from wishing that Wanda had told her sooner.

She didn't know how this was going to end up affecting the team if Kat signed the contract. She knew that Wanda was still going to hold a grudge against Kat because the memories were so raw and painful. She hoped that maybe Wanda would be able to move past it, but she knew that was far from likely. Things were never that easy for them.

Peter sat down next to Yelena, not looking at her as the teenager watched the families, joggers and walkers passing by.

"Did Steve send you," Yelena questioned, bringing her coffee to her lips and taking a sip of it, not looking at the teenage boy next to her.

"No." The boy's words were soft and truthful and Yelena took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

"Then why are you here, kid?"

He frowned slightly at her terminology, he wasn't a 'kid.' He was a perfectly respectable age.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Pete, I'm fine."

She was far from fine.

"Liar."

Yelena turned her head, finally looking at the teenager and giving him a glare. He cowered slightly, but didn't change his answer like Yelena had hoped he would.

"I know a lot of the team thinks I'm a child and that I don't understand everything going on, but I see more than they realize."

"I don't think you're a child, Peter."

"Really?" His eyes were full of hope as he looked at the blonde who just shrugged nonchalantly.

"No. I mean, yeah, you play with legos and gasp like a toddler getting a pony on Christmas every time someone buys you a new set, but I don't think you're a child. I just think your actions are child-like."

Peter tilted his head slightly, "I think that's the exact same thing."

"No it's not."

"Okay."

Peter was quick with his answer and the two went back to a somewhat comfortable silence, their eyes gravitating back towards the people passing.

"Are you sure you're okay, though? And don't lie this time."