Summary: When Yelena has her second ever big mission and is going to be gone with Steve and Clint for four to six days, Natasha is convinced that she is going to be miserable and lonely just like she always is without her baby sister there to keep her company. However, she finds odd comfort in one Kate Bishop, and the both of them use this time to grow closer and form a strange yet close bond with one another.
But this does not set well with Yelena when she finds out about this large amount of time that Kate is spending with her Natasha and how close they are growing.
"Have you got your knife?" Natasha asked, and Yelena grinned slightly as she withdrew the blade that she kept on her person even in the times that she did not have missions.
"Always," Yelena responded patiently before putting the knife back in its place.
Yelena had her second official multi-day mission that she had ever performed for the Avengers, and Natasha was fretting over her a ridiculously large amount. She had done this on the first mission Yelena had gone on with the intent of being gone for several days, but this time, Yelena was going to be gone for four to six days instead of simply three.
Natasha was greatly dreading Yelena leaving, and she knew she was going to miss her so much and be so lonely without her. After all, last time Yelena had left on one of these sorts of missions, Natasha had been in a pure fog as a result of the lack of sleep she had suffered. Something about not having Yelena with her killed something in Natasha and made her feel so incomplete.
But Natasha could take some solace in the fact that two of Natasha's most trusted family members were going with Yelena on this mission. Natasha trusted both Steve and especially Clint with her life and she knew she could trust Yelena with them. However, a part of her was still extremely tentative about letting her beautiful, precious diamond go on a mission without her.
"Full magazine in your handgun?" Natasha checked with her, raising an eyebrow, and Yelena huffed, rolling her eyes as she looked back at the small group gathered not too far from them where Clint was bidding Kate farewell. Steve had already headed to the jet to get it ready for liftoff.
"Yeah," Yelena easily replied, sounding somewhat fondly exasperated. Of course, Natasha supposed that she had been making these checks obsessively since about an hour before Yelena was even scheduled to leave.
"You got your bracelet?" Natasha asked, and Yelena grabbed her sleeve of her suit, pulling it out from underneath her widow's bites and her glove to expose the bracelet in its beautiful glory. Yelena's eyes were glowing with adoration as she looked at Natasha.
"Duh," Yelena shot back as if it were obvious. Natasha grinned widely, holding up her wrist as she showed off her own that was just underneath her sleeve. Yelena's smile grew significantly softer as she gazed at the redhead.
Natasha let out a deep breath, looking down for a moment as she tried to collect herself and keep at least a mask of being okay. After all, Yelena was very excited for this mission and Natasha definitely did not want to spoil it for her.
"Natashka?"
Natasha immediately looked up at her questioningly, and Yelena grinned as she stepped forward.
"I think I forgot something."
"What? Do you need me to go get—" Natasha was suddenly interrupted by Yelena's body crashing into her own as she wrapped her arms around her tightly, her nose stuffed in Natasha's neck as she smiled against her. Natasha sucked in a sharp breath before hugging her back just as firmly, one hand instinctively moving up to cradle the back of Yelena's neck as she held her near to her.
"I love you. Don't worry about me," Yelena whispered, her voice vibrating against Natasha's neck as she spoke against her skin. Natasha sighed deeply, shaking her head.
"I love you, too. But I have to worry about my sunshine," Natasha told her softly in return, and Yelena let out a small breath, but Natasha knew that she understood.
Yelena's grip tightened on her for just a moment until Natasha very hesitantly pulled away. She knew that if she hugged the blonde for much longer, she would never let her go. Yelena drew back just a little, still standing so close to Natasha that their bodies brushed against one another. Natasha let out a soft sigh, searching those gentle honey greens.
Natasha let out a small huff as she realized that Yelena's vest was hanging unzipped. She grabbed the bottom of the thing, hooking it together and carefully zipping it up to the base of Yelena's neck. She then gently took hold of the collar of the vest in her hands, grasping it gently and playing with the ends of it. Yelena just looked at her affectionately, and Natasha swallowed before leaning in and kissing her head.
"Be careful, okay?" Natasha expressed, and Yelena huffed a little but learned into her attentions.
"Careful is my middle name," Yelena confidently assured her, and Natasha pulled back to look at her skeptically. Yelena had a cheese-eating grin on her face, and Natasha quirked an eyebrow.
"I thought Squishy was," Natasha teased gently, and Yelena narrowed her eyes, immediately looking very much unimpressed with Natasha's comment. Natasha just smiled a little, allowing some mirth to show on her face. Yelena let out a sigh before bringing her hands up to cup the sides of Natasha's neck with a slightly mischievous look in her eyes.
"And your middle name is Suchk—"
"Hey, pancake, you ready to head out?" Clint called, his nickname affectionate yet teasing as he looked over at her. Kate was smiling at the both of them, looking a little goofy and dumbstruck as she pulled away from the hug that Clint somehow out of the kindness of his heart had offered her. Yelena looked away from Natasha, growling under her breath in presumable irritation at having been interrupted in her goodbyes.
"Look, Clinton, can't you see I'm kind of busy right now?" Yelena asked, unimpressed, and Natasha just grabbed the side of Yelena's face, pulling Yelena's cheek against Natasha's lips as she pressed a soft kiss to the smooth skin. Yelena closed her eyes, her hands tightening just a little on the sides of Natasha's neck as she enjoyed the attention.
"Knock them dead for me," Natasha told her with a playful wink. Yelena smirked a little at her, pure adoration shining in her eyes as she looked at Natasha. Natasha felt her heart practically aching, missing her even though she was not even out of her grasp just yet.
Yelena nodded to her with a smile. Natasha cupped her face in her hands affectionately before hesitantly letting her hands fall away. Yelena held her gaze for a long moment before turning and heading toward Clint and the jet. Natasha followed her, watching as Kate stepped nearer to Yelena as she walked by.
"Bye, Yelena," Kate cheerily told her, looking somewhat awkward as she sort of extended a hand oddly. Yelena just rolled her eyes in response, offering Kate a slight glance with a raise of her eyebrow as she paused for a moment.
"See you around, Katie-Bear. Don't be a total Kate Bishop while I'm gone," Yelena responded, and Natasha could hear a hint of softness in her voice. Yelena was somewhat fond of the girl. They were by no means best friends or nearly as close as Natasha and Kate were, but Yelena was warming up to her somewhat.
"Don't call me Katie. And I'm not a total Kate Bishop. Yelena Banana," Kate quipped teasingly.
Yelena just narrowed her eyes a little, watching Kate as she kept her hand outstretched to Yelena. Yelena looked down at it for a moment before finally just sort of smacking it in a sort of high-five motion.
"Call me Yelena Banana one more time, and when I get back, I'm hanging you up by your ankles in the gym again," Yelena threatened, and Kate nodded, quickly withdrawing her hand as she smiled somewhat guiltily.
"Noted," Kate replied, and Yelena headed over to the jet. Natasha shook her head as she then moved forward to wrap Clint in her arms. He hugged her back firmly, his hands rubbing her back affectionately.
"Keep her safe for me," Natasha whispered to him softly, and Clint nodded easily, squeezing her fondly. Natasha immediately felt tons better at the silent assurance.
"You know I'll protect her with my life," he vowed quietly, and Natasha nodded before pulling away hesitantly. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"I expect you both to come back in one piece. That means you, too, Barton," Natasha told him firmly, and he chuckled with that typical sly grin as he squeezed her shoulder.
"You don't have to worry about me, Nat," he teased, and she smirked a little, trying to keep a mostly serious look on her face.
"Don't pull a Budapest," Natasha warned somewhat mischievously, and he just pointed a finger gun her way.
"You definitely don't have to worry about that because your memories of what happened there are totally different than mine," Clint joked as he headed over to get inside the jet with Yelena. Natasha let out a deep breath, looking at two of the most important people in her life heading inside of that jet on a mission that would last multiple days and keep them away from her for far too long.
Clint offered one last wave before heading in. Kate eagerly returned the goodbye with a two-fingered salute as she stepped up next to Natasha, and Natasha offered him a small wave in reply before immediately shifting her attentions to Yelena.
Yelena paused before heading inside the jet, and she raised her wrist, exposing the bracelet as she pressed the button with a smile. Natasha looked down at her own bracelet, taking in the sight of the heart on it lighting up. Natasha grinned at her, pressing her own button on it once the light turned off. Yelena grinned ridiculously widely before heading into the jet with one long last look.
As soon as Yelena was inside and the jet closed up, Natasha allowed her smile to fall away somewhat as she watched the thing get ready to take off. Natasha stood there, the jet blowing her hair along behind her wildly. Kate's hair blew significantly more freely along behind her as she squinted a little, looking at the jet as it raised into the air.
Once it was up in the air, it paused for just a moment before taking off speedily. Natasha held in her breath as the jet disappeared from her view. She let out a heavy sigh once it was gone, feeling a pang resonating deep within her as she immediately wished that her baby sister was back home already.
"They're gonna be okay," Kate suddenly spoke up from next to her, and Natasha shifted her gaze to meet Kate's eyes. Those gunmetal blues were shining with a sweet, beautiful optimism, and Natasha could not help but feel her heart soften a bit with fondness for the girl.
Kate could be quite naïve at times despite all that she had experienced, and some part of her still believed that heroes always won and came out on the good end of things overall. Natasha herself knew better, but she did not want to make Kate worry or dampen the gorgeously shining spirit in her eyes.
"Yeah. They're going to be fine. I'm just going to miss her," Natasha admitted. Kate nodded in reply to her, looking a little sad for a moment as she eyed Natasha sympathetically. Natasha let out a gentle sigh, starting to turn and head for the compound. Kate quickly sidled up to her, her taller, lankier form striding next to her and keeping pace easily.
"So, um... Natasha?" Kate suddenly piped up questioningly.
"Hm?" Natasha hummed in reply, looking over at the girl as they walked, a gentle smile on her face as she looked at her.
Something in Kate's adorably hopeful, uncertain expression made Natasha's heart melt and made some of the pain and loneliness disappear. Kate was by no means a replacement for Yelena, but Kate certainly eased some of the pain.
"I was wondering if maybe you could help me train some? Clint and me have been working on some stuff, and as good as Clint is at fighting, he's not nearly as good as you are at hand-to-hand," Kate admitted with a somewhat awkward grin as she looked at her. Natasha smiled at her, nodding to her easily.
"Sure, sweetheart. Let's head to the gym, and you can show me what you guys have been doing," Natasha agreed. Kate immediately brightened, offering a huge, blinding smile as she nodded resolutely.
"Awesome! I've got this one move that is like super awesome that I've been practicing really hard on. Oh, and also, I was wondering if you might could teach me the leg-thigh-grabby move thing? I mean, only if you wanted to, of course. I was just thinking that Clint would be so shocked if I was able to pull that one on him—"
Natasha huffed a little with amusement at the goofy girl as she ranted on about the training and all the things that she was hoping Natasha might could teach her. Kate was certainly no Yelena, but Natasha found herself strangely wanting to cling to Kate the best she could.
Maybe she would not be so completely lonely without Yelena there after all.