Pulling Me

Part Twenty-Five. Now What

The waiter came and went with their drink orders while Yelena studied Y/N's demeanor. It hadn't changed completely, but just enough to keep her on the edge of her seat. She couldn't pick up what was going on or why they'd switched like that after their moment in the car.

"What are you thinking about getting?" Y/N asked, eyes glued to their menu.

She looked up, hoping to catch their eye but disappointed once again. "Uh, I'm not sure. Probably the steak."

"No mac & cheese? Interesting," they smiled as they looked up at her. She smiled back, but it softened quickly when she returned to her menu. Y/N quickly noticed and though they were lost in their mind about the meeting they'd had earlier today, they didn't want her picking up on that. They weren't even sure when they'd try to talk to her about it, if at all.

Y/N slid their foot under the table to brush hers. At first, she thought they had just not been paying attention. After a few seconds, she noticed they'd been batting her foot back and forth. Yelena laughed but did not look up.

"We did not just do that in the car for you to not look at me," Y/N whispered.

Her mouth dropped but managed a small smile, "Excuse you."

"Oh come on, you liked it."

She smiled again, looking back down at her menu. Y/N could see the pink flushing into her cheeks. Their mind wandered, wishing they were back in the car, wishing they were in their bed, wishing they were anywhere with her as long as they were alone.

But like a rubber band, their mind snapped back again. If they didn't talk to her soon about this situation with Wanda, they might never do it. How, though? When? Where?

Maybe, maybe not at all. Something about this whole situation told Y/N that Yelena didn't actually plan on following through. At one point, sure. Maybe in the beginning, but now? She was here, on this date, and seemed... genuine.

A minute passed when they realized they'd just been studying her while she read her menu and continued trying to pick what she wanted. She'd noticed, but let them stare anyway. She liked the feeling of their eyes on her.

As she was looking over her menu, a buzz zinged in her jacket pocket. No one ever texted her unless it was Brandy, Y/N, or, apparently on occasion, Kate. Worried it might be an emergency, she checked.

(8:13 pm)

unknown
This is Clint. Meet me tonight at
the corner of 63rd and Lexington.

Her eyes locked on the text. Something is off. Y/N is off, Clint is involved. Her mind was swirling. Today had been a whirlwind of a day. A morning with Y/N, a chase with Kate, a talk with Brandy, a car ride with Y/N, and now this.

She looked around, wondering if now would be the best time to bring up Kate. Brandy had told her to leave it alone, but maybe if Y/N knew who she was, she needed to know who Kate was too.

Yelena
Why?

unknown
You'll be safe. I don't want to hurt
you. I just need to talk to you.

If her sister trusted him so much, then she felt like she could as well. Natasha always had good judgment and part of her was yearning for that right now. If she was here, maybe she'd be able to figure this whole thing out for her. Maybe, she'd be able to get Yelena out of this whole mess unscathed.

Yelena
ok.

With that, she put her phone away and looked up to see if Y/N had noticed. Unfortunately, their eyes were on her and it didn't look as if they'd just landed there. "Everything okay?" they asked.

Her eyes blinked rapidly as her eyebrows rose, "Yes, yeah. It's all fine. I have a question though."

"Shoot."

"Do you know a Kate Bishop?"

Their mouth went dry. A fear they hadn't given much thought to was on them. The idea of the two girls they'd been seeing meeting each other. "Uh, yes actually. Why?"

"What's going on with you two?" she went straight for it, no hesitating. It wasn't that she was mad at them. She couldn't be, really. She just needed to know, straight up.

"How do you know Kate?" they asked first, eyes squinted. The randomness of the conversation had thrown them off but they were starting to piece things together.

Yelena had to think quickly. How would she tell them how she knows them without lying and without giving up who she is? "I had a run-in with her this morning."

They nodded, "Oh. Okay, well... That week you were gone, my sister set me up with Kate. We've been seeing each other but as I said, you were gone and just came back last night."

She cut them off before they could continue, "I'm not upset, Y/N. I left, you're right. I just wanted to ask... I was curious, that's all."

"I'll cut things off with her tonight," they grabbed her hand from across the table, "Something about you has been on my mind since the day I first saw you. Kate is great... I just keep having these 'but' feelings."

"Butt feelings? That seems... gross," Yelena smiled, poking fun at them.

Feeling a sense of slight relief, Y/N laughed, "Shut up, you know what I mean. I just kept thinking 'I like her but...' and I couldn't finish the sentence. I know what it is now. The 'but' was you."

Yelena felt the smile on her face widen far enough that it could be stretched around the world it felt like. Finally, she'd heard it straight from them. She'd known they liked her, but these words were all she'd been waiting for.

But... Yelena was fond of Kate. The idea of knowing Y/N was going to break her heart to be with them was starting to upset her. Things couldn't overlap with the two of them. Not only for Kate's sake but Y/N's. Yelena could tell how it had been bothering them.

This whole situation had fired up so fast. She never really gave them a chance to stop things with Kate yet.

"Maybe you should tell her tonight then. She really seemed fond of you and I don't think anything between us should happen until I know that door is closed," Yelena responded. They smiled and bit their lip remembering what had happened in the taxi just before they arrived.

She was right though. They were glad Yelena wasn't upset with them, but she wasn't the one that was going to be left. Y/N did really like Kate. At times, they'd even wished they could like Kate more. Maybe things would be easier. Maybe confronting Yelena would've come more naturally.

But it didn't. The idea of breaking Kate's heart was already tearing them up. Thankfully, Yelena understood.

(8:34 pm)

Y/N
Hey. Can we meet up tonight? I have
something I need to talk to you about.