That One Time We Kissed // Bishova College AU

Tinder! No, Not the App

"Where are we even going?" Carol asked, adjusting the backwards hat over her short hair, squinting at road signs ahead.

"Umm...." Kate stared at her text from Pietro. "Cherry Lane? Do you see that?"

"Yep!" Carol said, taking a hard right. Kate slammed into the center console, phone flying. "Sorry, didn't want to pass it."

"Chill, Carol. Can't date my dream girl if I'm dead."

"Sound logic."

Kate tried her best to maintain her cool, calm exterior, much like she had the night of the party, but it was falling fast. This could be her last chance with Yelena, her final opportunity to make a move. Surely the blonde had options galore, girls flinging themselves at her from every direction, so Kate felt she had to make her intentions known as soon as possible.

On the other hand, though, a calmer approach seemed to be what drew the sorority girl to her in the first place, so Kate was at an impasse. Did she risk coming off too strong in order to make her desires known, or play it cool and risk coming off as disinterested? In the end, Kate decided to stop thinking so much, as thinking never got her very far anyway.

"Got any drugs?" Kate asked as Carol's truck pulled into the homely ranch house, where a group already gathered around a small blaze.

"I got like, an expired children's Benadryl."

"Can I have it?"

"No, freak. Just be cool." Carol hopped out of the driver's side, slinging on her bomber jacket. "And remember, she likes you already. Don't think too much."

"You're right. And thinking was never my string suit, anyway."

"Over here!" Steve called, as if the women missed the growing bonfire that everyone stood around. Kate and Carol approached the group, which consisted of Pietro, Steve, Wanda, Natasha, and of course, Yelena. The blonde chatted animatedly with Wanda, the two nearly falling over with laughter. This was enough for Kate to steer clear for the moment, and she shifted to introduce Carol to the boys.

"Pietro, I think," Kate started, and he nodded. "This is my roommate, Carol. Carol, this is a boy I've known for a day."

"A pleasure," Pietro said, nudging the taller bot next to him. "This is Steve. You probably know him, he plays football."

"'Plays' is a strong word. I'm basically the water boy," he joked, and he and Carol started into a lengthy and detailed conversation about her truck. Kate tuned this out as she observed Yelena on the other side of the fire, face lit up in the glow of the embers. She was even more beautiful without the Harley Quinn makeup, and Kate fought the urge to walk over and talk to her. Let it build naturally, she thought, don't press too hard. Luckily, for the moment, this paid off, as Yelena approached first.

"Hey," the blonde said, toying with her black hoodie sleeves. "Glad you came."

"Me too." Kate inhaled to calm herself. "You know, you never did tell me your name."

"Thought you'd figure it out by now."

"I'm not that well connected on campus, I guess. Kinda keep to myself."

"Keep to yourself? Not what it seemed like at my party."

"Could say the same for you," Kate teased, and Yelena laughed easily.

"Fine, I'll bite. I'm Yelena. Tri Delta's president."

"President, huh? What's that entail?

Yelena rolled her eyes. "Enforcing far too many rules onto far too many girls. I do get to plan the parties, though."

"Yeah... I had fun last night."

"Me too."

The two stood in silence for a bit, watching as Pietro and Steve wrestled way too close to the fire, and Wanda laid on the grass, bored. For supposedly popular kids, they sure did act like her friends, Kate thought.

"I got a question for you," Yelena asked after a moment, toying with her hoodie strings, eyes on the fire.

"Go ahead," Kate said.

"Why didn't you stay the night? I've asked that to many, many girls, and you're the only one who hasn't accepted."

Kate cocked her head. "Oh, you do that often?"

Yelena bit her lip. "That's not an answer, Kate Bishop."

In a moment of confidence, Kate decided to ignore the million red flags popping up, and play into the game. After all, if Yelena played, why couldn't she?

"Don't tell me you slept in my hoodie too, blondie."

"It was cold!" Yelena blushed. "I'm keeping it forever, you know."

"Good," Kate chuckled, absentmindedly kicking at rocks under her sneakers. "And I wanted to stay, I just panicked. Now I got a question for you."

"Oh?"

"I know you kissed me on a dare, but you could've chosen anyone else in the room. Why me?"

"Okay, Bishop, I know you were off one, so how could I expect you to remember?" Yelena stepped up to the taller woman, some confidence regained. "The dare said I had to kiss the hottest girl at the party."

"Is that right?" Kate said, leaning down slightly to the blonde's height.

"That's right."

"Well, I dare you to do it again."

Kate meant it as a cocky joke, but Yelena smirked and leaned in, never able to resist a challenge. Their lips met as Yelena got on her tippy toes, secretly loving the height difference. Kate leaned down to make it a little easier for the blonde, and eventually pulled away with a lovesick smile.

"Would you stay tonight?" Yelena asked, softly and almost vulnerably.

"I'd be a fool to deny you twice, wouldn't I?"

Yelena nodded. "So you'll stay?"

"Yes, I'll stay."

Yelena giggled, stepping back from Kate and rejoining Wanda in animated conversation. What a strange girl, Kate thought. Deep down, she knew she was probably just a temporary plaything, the latest of many for the blonde, but even deeper down, Kate knew something else lingered. The way Yelena asked so earnestly for her to stay, the way she still donned the black hoodie, toying with its strings. Perhaps Kate was naïve, but Yelena Belova may like her yet.