IVANOV ~ yelena belova

𝟎𝟏𝟏

The crowd's applause was muffled, as if Karina was underwater. Her eyes were unable to focus on any figure in the room as she attempted to rise from the mat. It wasn't the first time she'd killed someone during training, but that didn't make it any easier. In reality, it only made the guilt on her shoulders heavier, until she felt herself crippled by the fictitious weight.

Yelena kept a wary eye on her friend. She watched as her knees almost buckled beneath her once she stood up straight. Karina couldn't rip her gaze away from the girl she had just killed.

During the fight, she only saw Anya as an opponent, an obstacle. However, as the girl lay lifeless and beaten on the floor, Karina recognised her as someone who had been subjected to the same torture and treatment as her. Someone who had also been separated from their family, someone who did not deserve to be where they were. That's what caused the suffocating feeling in her chest, which she desperately tried to hide.

"Excellent work, Ivanov." Dreykov said, drawing Karina's attention away from the body. Despite his praise, the only thing she could focus on was the suspicion in his eyes. She quickly avoided eye contact and moved away from the mat, towards the line of girls, standing up straight once there.

Yelena, too, had noticed the scepticism, causing a pit to form in her stomach. She knew this wasn't good; if Dreykov discovered any relationships, both parties would be killed, instantly. As a result, the suspicion was unwelcome.

Yelena swallowed hard, knowing what she had to do next would be difficult. But, surely, ignoring Karina was the only option? There is no death if there is no relationship. She'd be safe, and most importantly, Karina would be alive.

But then she remembered how she had tried to avoid Karina at first back when the other girl had joined the Red Room. Yelena had been too captivated by the other girl's presence and beauty to ignore her for long. And the feelings she had for the girl fluttering in her stomach told her that she would find it difficult to ignore Karina once more. But she would just have to try harder.

Yelena kept her gaze forward, waiting for her name to be called, which it was.

ⴵ

They left the training room with half the number of Widows who had entered. Yelena emerged from the fight with numerous bruises and a cut lip, but she was still alive.

Karina mentally cheered Yelena on during her fight, despite the fact that her face remained passive and emotionless. She would make sure to express her admiration for the way the blonde fought, when they were back in the safety of their room.

Karina, on the other hand, had no idea what was going through Yelena's mind. So when the blonde walked in front of her, avoiding her at all costs, her chest deflated. Yelena had decided once more that their friendship or their confusing feelings for each other were not worth the risk.

When they entered their room, the door automatically closed and locked behind them. The air was filled with a thick, heavy tension as neither girl dared to look at the other.

"I see we're going back to ignoring each other?" Karina asked, but the question came out harsher than expected. Yelena's head snapped up to meet Karina's stare, both of their gazes hard and unwavering. Neither of them were willing to back down.

"You saw the look in his eyes, Karina," Yelena said as she stood up from her bed and paced across the small room. "He knows. It's obvious; we were too obvious!" Her voice started to rise. "That little remark shouldn't have gotten under your skin. God, I'm such a fucking idiot. We should never have gotten this close."

Yelena's words were like a slap in the face.

"Do you want me to apologise for getting worked up over a small remark? Do you want me to keep my distance from you? Tell me what you want, and I'll give it to you because it's the least I could do for what you've done for me, Yelena." Karina responded, her voice softening at the end as she reflected on the times she had struggled and then Yelena picking her back up.

Yelena realised how much this was causing them both pain. Her troubling thoughts were causing harm to both of them. And their feelings for each other were bubbling to the surface in a flurry of anger and confusion.

Karina was now standing up, just a few feet away from Yelena. They were both struggling to find the right words because of their close proximity.

"I don't want to stay away from you, but we could be killed, Dreykov could've already discovered us." Yelena said, almost succumbing to the idea of them being together.

"It would be a cool way to die though," Karina smirked.

Those were the words Yelena needed to give her the courage to do what she needed.

Her heart beat faster and faster as her face came up to Karina's. She knew that when she kissed this girl, their fate in the Red Room would be sealed. But neither of them cared.

Her soft lips gently touched Karina's, and then with a swift gradation of intensity that made Karina cling to her. Her insistent mouth parted her trembling lips, causing wild tremors along her nerves and eliciting sensations from her she had never known she was capable of feeling.

They realised at that moment that this was the beginning of their end.