welcome to this new fic! it's existed for a while but now it is finally on this app, so, whoopdeedoo! i meant to post this initially on wednesday but i forgot, oops. it'll be out every wednesday henceforth though. anyway, let's get on with it. welcome to watched as you signed your name "florence."
"Alexandra's performance in that movie was crazy, Beth, I still can't believe that you haven't seen it."
Kate hums, not really listening to the woman on the other end, Sadie, her best friend from her last project, Dickinson. To be fair, she tunes out most things when they come to Alexandra Vostokoff - aka the most deceitful human being ever. Alexandra Vostokoff, known in the spy circles as Yelena Belova, is the woman that Kate has been tracking for the past six years.
She has an affiliation with Russia, which the US Government already doesn't like, and she's not using her birth name in the public eye, which is what finally inclined SHIELD to put eyes on her. They're suspicious of foul play even though Kate's found virtually nothing of the sort.
(Maybe that'll change with the movie that they're starring in together.)
"Y'know, it'll be streaming on HBO soon."
Kate nods. She'll get to whatever Ella's talking about soon. Well, probably not.
"Beth, it's kind of dumb to meet this girl and never have seen anything that she's been in," Sadie tells her, and Kate shrugs.
"I saw that one movie," Kate says distractedly, much more focused on the fact that she's trying to break through Yelena's insane firewall right now. No wonder she can't find anything, it's hidden behind every encryption ever known.
"That's specific," Sadie comments.
Kate rolls her eyes, "It was the scary one. With the flower cult and the orgies."
"Midsommar?" Sadie sounds offended and Kate kind of wants to ask what her point is because there's no reason she should care this much about Alexandra Vostokoff. She is nothing special. "That flower cult movie was great, for your information."
"I believe you," Kate replies begrudgingly, getting more irritated the more she scrolls through the code and finds no way in. God, she hates this.
What does Yelena know? Why can't she just tell her?
"...watch it, you'll love it," Sadie rambles on and Kate sighs.
What's going to happen when the world finds out that their beloved Alexandra Vostokoff is a Russian super-spy that's helping her organization manipulate western media? She's been doing too good of a job weaseling her way into people's hearts and becoming this darling, even getting herself a boyfriend. Cynically, Kate wonders if he knows or if she keeps her life as private as Kate keeps her own.
Seriously, Sadie doesn't even know that Beth is anything but another actress.
"You're not listening," Sadie finally comments, and Kate's stomach twists uncomfortably.
"I'm sorry," Kate runs a hand through her hair, "Just... long day, you know?"
"Yeah, okay," Ella hums, "I'm gonna go make dinner. Talk to you later Beth."
It's Kate dies on her lips.
"Talk to you later," she says instead, hanging up. She sits back on the couch, head pounding. She can't keep reading this fucking code and she really can't sit in the silence.
Sadie's ramblings about the deceitful blonde stick in her head and she finally turns on the TV, opens YouTube, and mumbles "Alexandra Vostokoff" into the voice-controlled remote.
A surplus of videos pop up, from two of her movies available to rent or buy to a drama video about some horseshit news line that probably wasn't true (because they never are) and then a handful of interviews.
She clicks on the first one that pops up, labeled Ask Me Anything.
Yelena has this little grin on her face when she first pops up on the screen, and it takes Kate a second to realize that it's made her smile, too.
"My favorite emoji has always been the turd."
Kate forces the smile off of her face. She's nothing more than a mission, she has to remember that.
-
Three nights later, Kate finds herself at a party.
It's not just any party, it's the party that Yelena's throwing as a celebration before they all start filming next week. She doesn't know how, but somehow she - not her, Beth - got cast in this movie alongside her. It's perfect timing, really.
Yelena's got her full Alexandra mode on, talking up everyone in the room and carrying a kind of grace that Kate's never been able to manage.
She instead finds herself talking to a costar - a man named Peter Parker. He's another actor, English and the same age as she and Yelena are. He's notorious for spoilers and if Kate remembers correctly, dating MJ Watson.
"I'm excited that we're finally working together," he says, an excited grin on his face.
"Me too," Kate says, refocusing on him and taking a sip of the champagne she's been slowly drinking. It's not her favorite drink, but having something in her hand has always made her feel like she has some kind of purpose.
It doesn't help the fact that she's hyper aware of the blonde slowly making her way through the crowd and in their direction. Kate knows she's probably teeing up to talk to them.
"Have you read the script yet?" Kate deflects, to which Peter nods.
"Yeah, it's amazing," he grins again, "Alexandra is coming over here, have you met her yet?"
"No," Kate shakes her head, "Um, I've heard good things, though."
"Well, the rumors are true, she's amazing," Peter says, waving in her direction.
"Is the rumor about her boyfriend true?" Kate asks, relieved when Yelena gives him a wait signal before continuing her conversation with one of the camera people.
"They're both legal, we're not anyone to judge her," Peter shrugs, "I've met Bucky before, though, he's very quiet. Feels kind of like a yin-and-yang type thing, if you know what I mean."
Kate nods and Peter continues, "She doesn't talk much about him, in all honesty. Seems very private."
Kate hums, "Interesting."
She takes another sip of her champagne. She could just be with him to better her cover. Though, he doesn't exist on any databases as a suspect (yes, she's checked).
Yelena finally makes her way over and hugs Peter, saying something about how it's been so long and how she's so excited to work with him, and then her eyes land on Kate.
To be fair, she's never met Yelena before. Or Alexandra. She only knows the woman from what research (if that's what you want to call hacking, that counts, too) she's done and some random staring across the room at award shows.
But up close - the woman is wholly different. Kate can feel her vibe and she knows that even while deceiving everyone in the room, she's comfortable here. Almost too comfortable, but comfortable. She's smiley and her eyes are glittering and she's definitely a couple of drinks in judging by her scent when she leans forward to greet Kate and they end up in an awkward hug situation.
Despite that, she still smells great and carries conversation easily even with the awkward I can't believe I haven't met you thing and whatnot. Kate wonders if she learned this or if the charisma is natural.
"I've been following your work for years, I'm a huge fan," Yelena says, a big grin on her face and Kate has to hold back a reaction when the blonde's hand lands on her forearm.
"Thank you," Kate smiles, hoping it looks genuine, "I apologize for my lack of doing the same... to be honest I've been having a hard time keeping up with most of what's coming out, so it's nothing personal."
The woman bobs her head as she swallows the sip of (what Kate guesses is) vodka she was on, "I think it would be egotistical of me to assume that you've seen my work. At least this way I can tell you what you should watch to make me look good."
Her accent flows flawlessly as she speaks, almost like it's natural even though Kate knows it's not, and Kate nods along as Peter chimes in with, "She really doesn't watch anything. She doesn't even have a Netflix."
Yelena laughs, "Neither do I. Such a ripoff, really."
"My lack of media knowledge aside," Kate shifts and straightens her posture a little, "I've only heard good things about working with you, so I'm very excited to start."
Yelena smiles a little, "Likewise, Elizabeth. I must ask, you just got off of doing a TV show, right? How is that? I've always wondered about the differences between TV and movies."
"It's fun," Kate responds, "We just wrapped a couple of months back, they become family, to be honest. I... I mean I've experienced that connection with movie casts, too, but... I dunno, you gotta experience it for yourself, I think."
"I don't know," Yelena rocks on her heels as Peter excuses himself to talk to someone else, "I've always loved movies. They're special."
Kate nods, "I get that. But I... I wouldn't trade the experience for anything, honestly. I am happy to be working on movies again, though."
"We're lucky to have you," Yelena says, eyes sparkling with something that Kate can't put together, "So, how'd you get this job, anyway?"
It's like the façade is cracking and Kate finally gets what the look is for. Yelena's asking her this. It's not the Alexandra persona, this is Yelena.
Kate blinks, recomposes herself, and feigns ignorance, "I was looking for something different after Dickinson. This was something I could sink my teeth into, you know? And I don't have to wear a corset, which is a huge plus."
Not getting the answer she wanted, Yelena's glance changes again and she smiles almost like a flirting schoolgirl, "They're not comfortable."
Kate's starting to understand everyone's infatuation with her.
"No," Kate agrees, "though it was nice to dress up and the show... I fell in love with it, it wasn't great for eating or existing or anything, really."
She watches as Yelena fiddles with her rings, takes a quick glance around the room and then at Kate's empty glass, and then meets eyes with her again, "May I get you a drink, Elizabeth?"
Something about the tone of her voice makes Kate's cheeks heat up, but she plays into it, "Are you trying to get me drunk?"
"No, but," Yelena leans a little closer and Kate can smell the alcohol and sweet perfume on her again (somehow it's not a terrible combination and Kate actually finds herself wanting more of it), "I'm already four drinks in. If this is... to be completely honest, Elizabeth? I am a very single woman and you... are a very beautiful woman."
Kate's definitely red now and her heart nearly stops in her chest. This can't be real. The woman she's been following for six years can't be flirting with her like this.
And she's definitely not about to do this! She's not that kind of person. She doesn't sleep with her colleagues, much less the enemy that she has to get information out of.
She's not here for herself. She's here to help shut down whatever Yelena's organization is doing. Why is that so difficult?
Yelena's still in her space and Kate licks her lips despite herself.
"I think you're misreading the situation," Kate says softly, trying to keep control of her voice.
Yelena nods and steps away, taking a sip from her drink. She smirks and Kate feels like her knees are about to give out at the fact that this is directed at her.
God, this is so embarrassing.
"Am I?" Yelena's accent is smooth as her free hand comes up and runs along the collar of Kate's shirt, fingers dipping down to the top button and tugging lightly, "We're in a hotel. There are plenty of rooms... plenty of opportunities."
Kate's mouth goes dry as her stupid lizard brain starts to heavily consider giving into this. She can't do this. Sleeping with the enemy isn't who she is.
She's not about to do this.
But then her hand is reaching for Yelena's still half-full drink and she takes the rest of it down in one gulp.
Yelena's eyes alight with mischief and Kate dips her head down so that they're fully enclosed in some kind of bubble, "How much longer is the party?"
She's about to do this. For the mission, obviously.
"Not so long that I have to stay," Yelena laces their fingers together and Kate's heart leaps in her chest.
Kate's buzzing as Yelena rushes them upstairs, fully intending on raiding the minibar for some more liquid courage and planning her apology to her supervisor, Clint, for not checking in tonight.
Yelena, on the other hand, is all courteous to those who pass and realize who they are as if she didn't just propose them disappearing to a hotel room to have sex.
Kate keeps her guard up, though, making sure that she knows what to expect and double checking that her knife is still strapped to her thigh when Yelena is talking to someone.
She pays attention when her skin pricks with anticipation as if something bad is about to happen. Kate's sure that Yelena's figured out that she's not Beth, but she's not about to die tonight because of that.
She shuts up her stupid turned on lizard brain and follows Yelena into their hotel room, reminding herself time and time again that Yelena Belova is a dangerous woman, even though Alexandra Vostokoff is very obviously not.
The second Yelena closes the door behind them, though, Kate knows exactly who she's talking to.