"Hello ladies, and Yelena." I join them at the table sitting myself next to Wanda, Natasha sitting next to her sister.
"I am a lady too Y/n!" Yelena holds her hand to her chest feigning hurt as the other three women laugh and I shake my head pointing my finger at her as I speak.
"How old are you Yelena?" She mumbles something under her breath, I catch her swearing in Russian but not much else.
"Yelena!" I gasp as I look at the children. "Watch your language there are children about."
"Blyad!" (Fuck)
"You just swore again. Surely you're too young to be cussing." Natasha is laughing at her sister now, her hand resting on Yelena's shoulder. Wanda pinches my leg under the table telling me to behave, while Sharon joins in on mocking Yelena.
"Yeah Yelena! I'm sure your mother would love to hear that you're cussing someone new out and in front of her younger brother."
"Oh shut up will you." She folds her arms and pouts, but can't hide the smirk that grows underneath as she looks up at me. Oh this is going to be good. I rest my arms on the table rubbing my hands together, curling an eyebrow as I wait for a response.
"Well at least I didn't have to climb down a beanstalk to get here today." The three women look at Yelena confused as I give her a smirk. "You know, because she is so tall. Jack and the beanstalk, the giants live, oh never mind." She waves her hands dismissively.
"It's okay Yelena I got it, maybe I could take you to my kingdom one day. I heard there was a goose that lays giant golden eggs or something." She gives me the middle finger as she scoffs. "Hey I'm just saying."
"Well I bet someone like you does have a goose that lays golden eggs. For all we know you have one of those fabergé eggs."
"Not worth the money." I shrug dismissively. Wanda places her hand on my thigh trying to take my attention away from Yelena as Natasha gives her sister a pointed look telling her to stop. Unfortunately she doesn't see, Sharon is just enjoying the show which I can't blame her for.
"Not worth the money, oh Miss self righteous I give money to poor people because I can." I take in a breath, placing my hand on Wanda's taking control of my emotions so I don't react. She isn't the first person to say something like this, she isn't going to be the last but if it's going to create tension between her and me then I might say something. I don't want to ruin what I have with Wanda because Yelena is butt hurt I have money.
"Yelena stop." I hear Natasha hiss in her sister's ear, so I know Yelena heard it. Luckily the boys are too preoccupied with chasing one another to notice what's going on.
"No, I want to know how some 22 year old has a fu...has a business and all this money. We don't even know who she works for!" Yelena throws her hands in the air aggressively as she gets more wound up, at least she stopped herself from swearing so she has some control. "I mean she turned up in a brand new G-wagon, she lives in a penthouse according to Wanda, has a few expensive cars and a house. Now you tell me, how someone who is my age can have all of that! I bet it's not even hers. She is probably just another trust fund kid who shows off mommy and daddy's money."
"My mom and dad own an ice cream parlor, how on earth would you expect them to have enough to have a trust fund let alone a multimillion dollar trust fund."
"That's not real though is it?!" Her eyes widen and she says it, the other three women's jaws drop as their heads whip around all of them glaring at Yelena. She seems to shrink under their gazes, her sister hits the back of her head seemingly the most angry with her.
"Yelena that's enough." Wanda's voice is scarily calm and even, but her head tilt and eyes tell a different story: I would hate to be on the receiving end of this Wanda.
"I'm sorry Y/n. I didn't mean, I shouldn't have said that. It just came out before I could stop myself." Well fuck!
"It's okay Yelena." My eyes meet hers as I give her a smile, one that I know doesn't meet my eyes, but my voice is soft and calm.
"It's not though. For what it's worth I am so sorry, I really didn't mean to say it."
"But you did."
"I did." She drops her head, disappointed with her own actions which already lets me know she is truly sorry but I just need a minute.
"I'm just going to the toilet." I stand gently from my chair, giving Wanda a peck on the forehead as I make my way inside.
I hear Natasha's hand make contact with the back of her sister's head as she chews her out once again. I close the decking doors behind me, taking a deep breath to compose myself before making my way to what I assume is the bathroom so I can splash some water on my face. I assume correctly as I walk into the rather large bathroom immediately locking the door behind me so no one can interrupt me. I place my hands either side of the sink as I look up into the mirror.
Like I said before, I have heard those words before and so much worse so I am not angry or upset that I heard them. It just stings a little to hear them come from one of Wanda's friends. I get she said it in the heat of the moment, but she still said it.
It isn't real? Of course it isn't fucking real, they are my adoptive parents so no it ain't fucking real. But it's a real as it is going to fucking get when both your blood parents who were meant to love and cherish you don't, well maybe my mom still does but I can't be sure I haven't visited her in a while. And my dad, well he is not my fucking dad. Clint is my dad. Clint is my real dad. I chose Clint to be my dad so surely that makes it real, it makes it all real. Right?
I'm brought out of my thoughts by a quiet knock on the bathroom door, I almost don't hear it.
"Y/n it's Yelena. Can I please come in?"
I let out a small sigh as I unlock the door, only to be knocked back when it swings open and Yelena jumps at me, wrapping her arms around me, squeezing me tightly. I turn my body to kick the door closed, and lock it because no doubt the other three women are going to want to eavesdrop, so I lock the door just so they can't watch it. I feel Yelena's shoulders shaking against my torso, a wet patch leaking through my shirt. She's crying.
I move backwards so I am leaning against the counter top, allowing my feet to slide along the floor a little so I am at an angle where Yelena's head is resting on my chest and not on my stomach. She is tiny too, just like her sister, cute.
"It's okay Yelena." I feel her shake her head against my chest.
"It's not okay. I hurt you." I hate the way her voice croaks with emotion.
"You didn't hurt me that bad. I've heard worse."
"Well you should have never heard it in the first place. You didn't deserve it. Not one bit." I let out a small sigh, moving my body to stand up detaching Yelena from me.
She lets out a surprised squeak when I pick her up, putting her on the counter top so our eyes are almost level, I take a few steps back to make sure there is space between us. I know I locked the door, but I do not want to have to deal with another angry Russian let alone an angry Sokovian if they were to catch us in that sort of position. Sharon's like Switzerland, very neutral, knows when to speak and when to let things just happen: she is a peacekeeper.
"Can I ask you something?" Yelena furrows her brows in confusion, but nods her head nonetheless. "Why did you get worked up so quickly? We were joking around and then it's like a switch flipped and you completely lost it."
"I don't know, not really. You just sort of said that fabergé eggs are not worth the money, and something just flipped. I think that's the way I interpreted it."
"How did you interpret it?"
"That you were saying they were such throwaway things. Like you were just able to spend all that money, which is not even a big spend for you, and then you were like 'no I don't like it'." She shrugs. "I don't know, it's hard to explain."
"Well try." She huffs out a laugh looking up at me unamused.
"I think maybe it's because I'm living with my sister."
"Well it can't be that bad that you lose your shit at a practical stranger. A stranger that's dating a Sokovian woman by the way."
"Yeah I know. She did the head tilt thing and I swear I nearly shit myself there and then."
"It was pretty scary." I laugh along with Yelena's giggles.
"I know right?"
"So why do you think living here caused the outburst?"
"What are you my therapist now?"
"Amuse me."
"Okay Dr Y/n." She smirks at me as I giggle a little, but nod for her to continue. "It's not just living here, it's not having a job here either. I mean I am relying on my older sister for pretty much everything and I am struggling to get to the interview faze of so many places. No one wants me."
"So that's it." I speak softly as I look at Yelean who lets out a defeated sigh as I take all the information in. "You think your not needed, not wanted and that you are going to have to rely on people all your life and yet here I am at the same age as you living some people's wildest dreams."
"No offence but I hate how you can have everything in the palm of your hand yet here I am living with my sister with no job." I perk up when I get an idea.
"What sort of jobs are you applying for?"
"Uhm, anything and everything. But something that pays more than $10 just because I need to start putting money behind me. Why?"
"What does your CV look like? I could maybe help you put something together if you would like help. I've read so many, and done so many interviews that I sort of know what to look for and what not to look for. And if they are going to read the first two lines and chuck your CV or phone you up." Yelena's jaw drops at the idea.
"You would do that? For me?" Her bottom lip quivers a little. "After what I said out there."
"All is forgiven Yelena. You need to stop beating yourself up about it. It was in the heat of the moment, and we all say things we don't mean."
"That would be like so fucking amazing if you could help me. Like you don't even know what this means. So yes, please could you help me with my CV?"
"Of course I will. I will give you my number and email and we can start on it tomorrow or something, but for today let's just relax and have fun. Oh by the way you are going to be on mine and Nats team for a water fight, but don't let the others know I brought water guns. I wanted to surprise the children."
"Thank you so so so much Y/n. You don't even know what this means to me! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She jumps off the counter to give me another hug, wrapping her arms tightly around my waist as I wrap mine around her shoulders draping them over her back lazily. "Me, you and Natasha are going to win the battle by the way."
"Of course we are. Now let's head back out there, maybe have a drink and then we can have a good afternoon."
Yelena let's go of me heading straight to the door, but as she grabs the handle with her hand ready to unlock it she turns back around to me: keeping her hand on the handle.
"Me and Natasha are adopted too, so I know it's real because it's real to me too." I smile softly and nod in understanding at what she is saying, as she turns to unlock the door so we can leave the bathroom.
She is right.
It's real.
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Word Count: 2211
Small filler chapter, for you!