2020
Manhattan, New York
"Kate told you that she loves you and you told her you wanted to be like geese?"
Anya bangs her head on the counter of her sister's kitchen, and she hears the soft giggles of four kids. Anya lifts her head to find the triplets and TJ watching her with grins and Anya smiles over at them before looking over at Natasha.
"It's like I wanted to say it but then I got scared," Anya responds, "I don't know why I'm scared because Kate loves me back, I just – I can't say it."
"I know why you can't say it," Natasha says, "Because I couldn't say it either. It's because he conditioned and trained us not to love and we may be free, but there is a part of us that still can't do it."
"Is that why you almost let Kennedy marry a man that she didn't love?" Anya asks. Natasha's eyes narrow at the mention of her wife's former fiancé.
"Yes," Natasha answers, "Don't be like me."
"I would never let Kate marry someone that isn't me," Anya says, "Obviously I'd kill them."
"Hey!" Kennedy exclaims, "Do not use the K-word in front of my children!"
"Sorry," Anya apologizes.
"Don't apologize to me. Apologize to them," Kennedy says as she nods toward the four kids who were playing on the floor.
"I'm sorry guys," Anya apologizes.
"It's okay," TJ says as he reaches over and gently pats Anya on the arm. Anya smiles at him and leans over to kiss him on the cheek, making TJ giggle.
"Kiss!" Franklin exclaims as he reaches out to Anya. She picks him up and kisses Franklin all over his face, making him giggle uncontrollably. Franklin buries his face in Anya's neck, refusing to let her go.
"Kiss kiss, Anya!" Diana exclaims and Anya leans over and plants a kiss on Diana's cheek. She looks over at Elena, but the eldest of the triplets shakes her head.
"No."
"Too bad," Anya says as she leans down and kisses Elena on the cheek, causing her to squeal in surprise, which quickly dissolves into giggles. Anya is satisfied and takes a seat beside her sister at the counter, Franklin still in her arms.
"As I was saying, you need to tell her that you love her," Natasha says, "Because life is short and anything could happen and you don't want to live your life wondering what if. Besides, I ran a full background check on her and she's squeaky clean."
"Nat!" Anya hisses, "Obviously Kate doesn't have a record. She is a college athlete so she can't do drugs and she's a lightweight, so we try to keep her away from alcohol."
"When do we get to meet her?" Kennedy asks, "We can have pizza? I'll even decorate the house in purple! Oh, what if we could get a purple pizza? Is that safe?"
"How would we know? You're the doctor," Natasha points out.
Kennedy looks at her wife, "Was that a smart-ass comment Natasha?"
"Swear!" TJ yells.
"This is a necessary swear," Kennedy insists as she gently strokes TJ's curly red hair.
"I mean you are the doctor," Anya says softly.
Kennedy looks over at the college student, "Did you say something?"
"No," Anya says quickly shaking her head. She looks over at Natasha, "You need to respect your wife."
Natasha rolls her eyes, "Push over. I bet you let Kate push you around like a shopping cart."
"What about it?" Anya asks, "She's my girlfriend who I have very deep romantic feelings for."
"Love," Kennedy says, "It's a very cute word. Nat couldn't say it but eventually, she did after I threatened to leave her for another. Now, look at us. Happy with three and a half little nuggets. That could be you someday, Anya."
"Nugget?" Elena asks.
"Fatty," Natasha mutters.
"And now you're insulting our children!" Kennedy says, "You're on a roll today Natasha. One more comment and I think you and our very expensive couch will be getting acquainted."
"Do it, you won't," Natasha dares her.
"You have been banished to the couch!" Kennedy says, "Tell her TJ."
TJ giggles as he shouts, "Couch! Couch! Couch!"
"Couch!" Diana exclaims.
"Ouch!" Franklin says, making Diana giggle.
"Your children are celebrating your banishment. How does that make you feel?" Kennedy asks as she looks at her wife.
"Hurt," Natasha says as she holds a hand to her chest, "So hurt that I don't know if I want to co-sign on this apartment for Anya."
"Whoa!" Anya exclaims, "Nat I am so sorry for your pain, but I need a cosigner and if I don't live with Kate I'll die because she'll live with someone else and then they'll fall in love and I'll have to return to my old ways all because you didn't cosign on my apartment."
"I'll cosign," Kennedy says.
"Well I'm good," Anya says, "Enjoy the couch, Natasha!"
"Cука," Natasha mutters under her breath.
"Эй, не сердись на меня, потому что твоя жена ругает тебя за твою ерунду. Может, тебе стоит быть немного больше похожей на меня. Модель значимого другого."
Kennedy glances over at Anya and Natasha picking up on only a few words as they speak.
Natasha rolls her eyes as she looks at Anya, "Ты даже не можешь сказать своей девушке, что любишь ее. Замолчи."
"Я скажу ей!" Anya exclaims.
Natasha smirks, "Я поверю, когда увижу."
"Um hi Kennedy here my knowledge of Russian is very limited and I too would like to be included in this conversation," Kennedy says as she raises her hand.
"Cукa!" Elena exclaims, "Cукa!"
"No Lena!" Kennedy says, "Mommy does know that word and it is not a good one."
"Swear?" TJ asks.
"Bad swear," Kennedy tells him.
TJ looks over at Elena, shaking his head, curly red hair bouncing as he does so, "No say that word, Lena."
Elena pouts but doesn't speak the word again.
"Hey um," Anya begins as she looks over at Franklin, his baby face making it easier for her to admit her problem to the two adults in her life, "I've been having nightmares."
"Red Room?" Natasha asks.
"Thanos," Anya says, "I just keep seeing Yelena. And I know it's stupid for me to feel like this but I just – I feel like it should have been me instead of her."
"Anya," Kennedy says, "Why would you ever think something like that?"
"I know it's crazy but I can't help it. I'm the outsider. Yelena grew up with you two and Reagan's your blood sister and Wanda was here first. I was the last to join therefore my connection with you all means less."
"That isn't how relationships work," Natasha states, "For example, I knew Kennedy for three years when we were children. Kennedy knew Fitz for triple that. She still chose me."
"That's not a good example," Kennedy says shaking her head.
"It is! It shows that time does not mean much when it comes to a relationship! Love does and the fact that there's more of it sometimes."
Anya stares at Natasha and Kennedy shakes her head, stepping in front of her wife, getting Anya's full attention, "Ignore her. There are still some kinks in that brain of hers, I think it's from all the falling she does."
Anya's lips quirk slightly.
"Anya, we love you and we've considered you a member of our family since the moment we laid eyes on you. Losing Yelena, Reagan, and Wanda really really sucked but that doesn't mean that we'd trade you for them. Because losing you would hurt just as much as losing them."
"Maybe more," Natasha says, "At least you are competent in your love life. Imagine having to watch Reagan and Wanda pretend not to be in love with each other. Absolute misery."
Kennedy sighs, "Baby? Please shut up."
"I'm just trying to help," Natasha says holding her hands up.
"You're not," Anya tells her.
Natasha huffs, "I hope Kate dumps you."
"Kate will never dump me!" Anya exclaims, "She loves me! And I love her!"
Natasha holds her hands up, "See how easy that was? Now you have to tell her or I'll use my super awesome seduction skills to convince Kennedy not to cosign on your apartment."
"Ew," Anya says nose scrunching.
"Oh my gosh," Kennedy says, "Anya are you sexually active? Has Melina had the talk with you? Do we need to?"
"We have!" Anya answers quickly.
"You've had sex?" Kennedy asks seeming as though she's on the verge of tears, "But you're so young!"
"I'm nineteen?" Anya states.
Kennedy rests her head on Natasha's shoulder, "She's in love and she's had sex. She's growing too fast."
"I haven't had sex?" Anya answers.
"You haven't?" Natasha asks sounding surprised, "What are you waiting for?"
Kennedy slaps Natasha's shoulder, "What type of question is that?"
"Sorry I have a bad relationship with intimacy," Anya states, "You know I recently was being held and mind controlled against my will. I'm getting comfortable with love and all things romantic."
"Ignore her," Kennedy states as she glares at Natasha, "Take as much time as you need to work through these things. Sex isn't just about being physically ready but mentally as well. And if Kate is as amazing as she seems to be then I don't think she'll push you."
"She hasn't," Anya says, "She's really great. She doesn't have a lot of patience but she seems to when it comes to me."
"Because she's in love," Kennedy states, "And love is worth waiting for. Unless it's Natasha. Then you expedite it by having a wedding."
Anya chuckles as Natasha sighs loudly.
"You guys are never letting that go, are you?"
"Nope!" Kennedy and Anya say in unison before laughing loudly and high-fiving one another. Natasha shakes her head as she looks at them but a small smile spreads on her lips as she walks over to Anya.
"If I ever catch you doubting that you belong in this family, I'll kick your ass," Natasha says as she pulls Anya in for a hug, "You are my sister. The same way that Yelena is my sister and the same way that Reagan is Kennedy's. Blood or no blood I love you and I will always love you."
"We will always love you," Kennedy says with a smile.
"I wuv you too!" Franklin says as he rests his head against Anya's making her smile as she rubs his back.
After a hug-filled weekend with her family, Anya headed back to campus where classes were beginning to wrap up and so was Kate's archery season.
"Okay," Kate says as she enters the dorm room with a whiteboard calendar that Anya looks at curiously, "I have a schedule."
"A schedule?" Anya asks curiously.
Kate nods, "It's a cuddle schedule. I took our extracurriculars and our finals schedules and I made this! This way we make time for each other, and we never miss the chance to cuddle with one another."
Anya stares at Kate in absolute adoration. Kate looks back at her with a small and shy smile on her face.
"You don't think it's stupid do you?"
"No," Anya replies quickly, "I love it. I love cuddle time with my Katiepoo."
Kate winces at the nickname, but doesn't comment on it, "Well I'm glad you think so because we are scheduled to cuddle right now."
Anya laughs, "my bed or yours?"
"Yours!" Kate exclaims as she places the board down and kicks off her shoes before jumping into Anya's bed. She laughs as Kate makes a grabby motion at her and Anya climbs into bed, laying down in Kate's arms.
"Ahh," Kate sighs happily "This is the life. Just me, my girl, and her comfy twin xl mattress."
"Next year we'll have a full-sized bed," Anya says, wiggling her eyebrows.
"Oh, Anya I love it when you talk dirty to me," Kate teases and Anya laughs softly as she looks up at her girlfriend.
"What's the most romantic thing a person could do for you?" Anya asks.
"You mean what's the most romantic thing you can do for me?" Kate corrects and Anya laughs nodding her head.
"What's the most romantic thing I can do for you?"
Kate looks up at their ceiling thoughtfully, "Hmm I guess the most romantic thing you can do is let everyone know that I'm yours."
"So like you want me to get your name tattooed on my forehead?" Anya asks.
"My face," Kate tells her.
"Even better," Anya says, "Cause every time I look in the mirror I get to see you."
"Aww Anya," Kate says as she melts, "You do like me."
"That was never in doubt," Anya tells her, "There isn't a person in the world that can hold a candle to you, Katherine Bishop."
Kate smiles as she buries her face in Anya's hair.
"I have a conference archery match at Princeton this weekend," Kate informs her, "I want you to come but I know that you have your first final."
"If I didn't I would be right there cheering you on, not that you need it. You're a natural. Best archer in the world if you ask me," Anya says softly, "And I'll give you the best report on Lion's Pride when you win."
"What are you going to say?"
Anya sits up and looks at Kate with a wide grin as she pushes her hair out of her face, "And onto archery. To the surprise of absolutely no one, Columbia dominated in the conference tournament this weekend at Princeton, taking home the big prize and that is all thanks to freshman archer, Kate Bishop who also happens to be my super smoking hot girlfriend so everyone back off. Baby, I am so proud of you and when you get home I'm going to bleep bleep bleep bleep."
Kate chuckles, "Why are you bleeping?"
"That is sexy stuff that can't go on air," Anya teases.
"Sexy stuff?" Kate asks.
"Oh yeah," Anya says as she crawls toward Kate and leans close to her. Anya's lips hover over Kate's own and they brush over Kate's as she speaks, "Want me to tell you?"
"Mhm."
"Okay," Anya says as she kisses Kate and plants a trail of kisses to the archer's ear, "A Bear Resurgence 32-inch long aluminum bow that weighs only 3.9 pounds."
"Oh my god, Anya!" Kate yells out as she starts laughing and Anya pulls away with a small smile.
"What baby?" she asks innocently.
"First of all, only you could make a bow sound sexy," Kate says, "Second of all how do you make a bow sound sexy?"
Anya chuckles, "I just lower my voice into deep sultry seductive talk."
"Do it again," Kate orders.
Anya leans in, kissing Kate on the lips, "The Resurgence." Kiss. "Has a draw length." Kiss. "Of 25.5 to 31 inches." Another kiss.
"God I love you," Kate says as she brings her hands up to Anya's back, pulling her down on top of her as she deepens their kisses. Anya, who had been completely in the moment is now a little out of it after hearing those words.
She needed to say it back, but she couldn't. It wasn't that she didn't love Kate, she did. She just wasn't ready to say it. Or was she?
Anya pulls away from Kate who looks at her strangely.
"I um," Anya begins as she tucks her hair behind her ear, "I uh. I – I –"
Kate smiles as she reaches out and takes Anya's hand, "It's okay. You don't have to say it now if you're not ready."
"I am because I do," Anya says, "I just – I don't know why but I can't get it out."
"Well I can wait until it's ready to come out," Kate teases with a smile.
Anya pouts, "I'm such a sad little human. I promise that I said it earlier to my sister, but when I get around you, I'm tongue-tied."
"As you should be," Kate responds as she leans forward, gently tugging Anya into her lap, "Because I'm too hot for you not to be."
Anya shakes her head with a smile, "You're such a cocky little-"
"What?" Kate interrupts with a smile.
"Дерьмо," Anya says.
Kate grins, "I have no idea what you just said but it sounded so sexy."
Anya snorts, "I said shit. You're a cocky little shit."
"Well you insulting me in Russian is a lot nicer than you insulting me in English, so I'll take it," Kate says, "Моя прекрасная, Anya."
Anya's brows furrow as she looks at Kate, "Where'd you learn that?"
"Google translate," Kate says, as she wraps her arms around Anya's waist, "I plan on learning Russian for you, but for now I thought I'd impress you with super romantic phrases."
Anya smiles, "Your pronunciation was a little off, but it was cute. A cute little American speaking Russian. My mother will be impressed. Or she might mock you. We'll see."
"Hey um, weird question and you can totally say no but would you want to get dinner with my mom sometime? Not soon because she's busy but eventually? It's just I think we're going to be together forever, and I want to show you off to my mom."
"I'd love to meet your mom," Anya says, "Though I'm not responsible for any passive-aggressive comments I make toward her for not being there more for you."
"I don't need her there when you are," Kate responds.
"Still," Anya says, "She's your mom. She should be there, I mean did she go to any of your archery matches this season?"
"No, but she did watch the one on TV," Kate says.
"Doesn't count," Anya responds.
"She tries," Kate mutters as she looks away from Anya. She wants to tell her girlfriend that her mother could do more but that's not going to make the situation better, so she simply wraps her arms around Kate and pulls her closer to her as she gently kisses her forehead.
"Hey," Anya says softly, "I'm always going to be there. And if you want me to skip my final and take a train to Jersey for your match, I'll be there."
Kate chuckles, "I'll be fine."
Anya smiles as she looks at Kate, "You are fine as hell."
Kate laughs, shaking her head as she leans in to kiss Anya.
The day eventually comes for Kate and the archery team to head down to Princeton for the conference tournament before they got into the NCAA tournament. The dorm was a little empty without Kate, but she'd left Anya cute little notes and a bunch of her shirts to make up for her absence.
"Anya!"
She and Elise both turn to find Kennedy standing there, waving at her, completely ignorant to the stares that she was receiving as well as the flashes of cameras as people took photos of her.
"That's Kennedy Allen-Romanoff," Elise says as she looks at Anya, "How do you know Kennedy Allen-Romanoff?"
"She's my sister-in-law," Anya says as she waves back, "Hi Kennedy!"
Kennedy makes her way over to the two girls and embraces Anya tightly, who hugs her back. Elise stares at Kennedy with longing eyes and when the two women part from the embrace, Elise nudges her, desperate for an introduction.
"Oh right," Anya says, "This is Elise Prescott. She's my best friend. We're in Omega Tau Nu together."
"I saw what you did in Vienna at the UN conference, and I just want to say that I have about seventeen vision boards with your face on them," Elise says, "You're a national treasure."
"Oh," Kennedy says, cheeks flushing, "I wouldn't say that, but thank you so much."
"What are you doing here?" Anya asks.
"Well I know you're alone with Kate off at Princeton and after our conversation the other day I was a little worried about you so I thought I'd come and visit. Also, I needed a break from my kids. They're all Natasha's today."
"Natasha? Romanoff? You and Natasha Romanoff have babies?" Elise asks.
Kennedy nods her head, "Triplets! And a bonus son named TJ."
Elise looks at Anya, "Your sister is Natasha Romanoff? As in Black Widow? As in an Avenger? Your sister-in-law is Kennedy Allen? The hot doctor that saved everyone in Vienna and won a Presidential Medal of Freedom? She's a MILF? And you didn't think to tell me?"
"It never came up in conversation," Anya says.
"Never came up-" Elise cuts herself off as she points a finger at Anya, "This isn't something that needs to come up. It's something that you share to exert superiority over people. We go to school with stuck-up rich kids! Name drop your family, bitch!"
Anya's brows raise on her forehead at Elise's reaction. She glances over at Kennedy who seems equally surprised.
"Um you are very enthusiastic," Kennedy notes, "Could I take the two of you out to lunch?"
"Yes," Elise answers for the two of them. Kennedy chuckles and looks over at Anya who shrugs and smiles.
Kennedy takes the girls for lunch in Manhattan and they drop Elise off at her dorm before the two of them decide to walk around campus. Kennedy looks around the campus with a wide smile and looks over at Anya.
"Do you still skate?"
"Mhm," Anya says.
"That's good," Kennedy responds, "Are you ready for Finals?"
"I think so and if not I'll just hack the school and change my grade," Anya jokes. Kennedy looks at her with a raised eyebrow that just seems so motherly and Anya laughs, "I was kidding."
"You better be," Kennedy responds. As they walk people stare at them, jaws dropping at the sight of Kennedy, but the doctor seems unphased by all of it. Anya looks at her sister-in-law in awe. Natasha was cool, but there was a certain grace to Kennedy that she aspired to achieve.
"You'll be happy to know that I figured out how to tell Kate that I love her," Anya says softly.
"How?" Kennedy asks.
Anya nods, "I'm grand gesturing. She deserves a grand gesture and she said that she wants the world to know that she's mine and since I'm not getting her face tattooed on my forehead yet, I thought I could do the next best thing."
Kennedy smiles as she throws an arm around Anya's shoulder, "Share this gesture with me, Anya."
The two continued their walk around campus as Anya gave Kennedy a detailed explanation of how she planned to declare her love to her girlfriend and Kennedy's love and support of the idea just made Anya feel more confident in her decision.
On the day of the competition, Kate was sitting in her hotel room that she was sharing with Greer, listening to a playlist on her phone to hype her up, drumming on her leg to the beat of the music which embarrassingly enough was Careless Whisper by George Michael.
"Holy shit," Greer muttered beside her as she looked at her phone, "Holy shit! Bishop!"
Greer slapped at Kate's shoulder, throwing her drumming off and Kate frowns as she takes her headphones off and looks over at Greer with a frown.
"What? You're throwing off my pregame meditation, which is going to throw off my shot!" Kate exclaims.
Greer rolls her eyes, "No one cares about George Michael. Did you watch the segment of Lion's Pride for today?"
"No," Kate responds, "I was going to watch it after the match since that's when they report scores. I wanted to see Anya be proud of me."
"Anya's proud of you alright," Greer says as she shoves her phone in Kate's face, "Look at this."
Greer presses play on her phone and Kate watches the news segment on the tiny screen.
"Our baseball team beat Harvard 7 – 4 yesterday, securing the number three slot going into the conference tournament next weekend which will be held here, so Lions do what you do best and come out to support!" Anya says with a smile.
"Finally, a shout out to our archery team as they head to Princeton this weekend for their conference tournament. Don't be shy guys, jump on a train to New Jersey right now and show our team some support because we all know this tournament is about to be a total bullseye," Anya jokes and Kate laughs at it despite the fact that it was totally lame.
Anya smiles as she looks at the camera, "That's all the sports news for today, but before we sign off I have a special message for my super talented and amazing girlfriend Katherine Bishop who is in Princeton this weekend to kick butt. Hi baby, I just wanted to wish you luck this weekend, not that you need it because you're the greatest archer in the world, but I just want you to know that I believe in you and that even though I'm not with you, I'm definitely rooting for you."
Anya smiles shyly at the camera, "Oh, and Я тебя люблю which translates to I love you in Russian. Because I do love you! So, let's be like the geese okay? Win this thing so you can come home to me." She blows a kiss to the camera, "I love you, Kate."
Anya smiles at the camera, "I'm Anya Nikolaeva and this has been your sports news! See you guys next time and Lions? Stay prideful!"
The video ends and Kate looks over at Greer, "She loves me."
Greer grins, "She loves you, dude!"
"She loves me!" Kate repeats.
"And she told the entire world!" Greer yells, "Okay maybe not the world but the entire campus!"
"Still, she loves me!" Kate yells, "I have to call her!"
"Yes, you do!" Greer says and Kate dials Anya's number quickly as she begins pacing around in the hotel room.
"Hey!" Anya greets, "Aren't you supposed to be shooting things?"
"I love you," Kate says abruptly.
"Oh," Anya says with a laugh, "I love you too."
Hearing it on the video was one thing, but hearing Anya say it made Kate giddy.
"Say it again."
"I love you, Kate Bishop," Anya says, "And I have since you saw me eat concrete in Central Park."
Kate laughs into the phone, a sound that brings a smile to Anya's lips.
"I am going to break a record today for you," Kate says, "My beautiful and amazing reporter girlfriend who I love and loves me."
"And I am going to ace my final for my beautiful and amazing archer girlfriend who I love and loves me."
Kate grins at that, "I love you."
"I love you too," Anya says, "Go kick some ass and maybe I'll talk dirty to you later."
Kate laughs at that, "Okay, I love you."
"I think I've created a monster," Anya responds, "But I love you too."
"Okay," Kate says with a smile.
"I love you," Anya says once more, "But now I have to go."
"I love you!"
Anya laughs, "I love you too! Now hang up!"
"You first!"
"Kate," Anya whines, "Hang up."
"Fine," Kate says, "I love you."
"I love you too," Anya says, "Forever."
"Good luck!"
"You too!" Anya tells her. Kate pulls the phone away from her ear and she looks at Anya's name with a smile before hanging up.
True to her word, Kate broke several records that day. One of them being the most amount of I love yous in a five-minute conversation.