That One Time We Kissed // Bishova College AU

I Just Hope Both Teams Have Fun

"Where are the bases?" Yelena asked, squinting at the strange white lines painting the field in front of her. "What the fuck is a first down?"

"You're kidding, right?" Kate inquired from beside the woman, arm lazily slung across Yelena's shoulders, hand tapping the metal bleacher behind her. Yelena only pursed her lips. "Right?"

"You said you'd explain stuff," she protested, lowering her rose gold shades to eye Kate, who wore dark black sunglasses of her own. "Why do they keep throwing yellow towels on the field?"

"Those are flags. If you break the rules, you get a penalty."

"Oh, so like the penalty box?"

"What, you know hockey but not football?"

"My parents were Russian."

"Were?"

"We don't need to go down that rabbit hole right now."

"Okay... did you play any sports growing up?"

"I cheered. Which you, Kate Bishop, probably don't consider a sport."

"Was it competitive cheer?"

"Yes."

"The kind where every team goes to Disney World and you somehow all win Nationals?"

"Yeah, that's the one."

"Well, that's a sport. Those people are seriously shredded. And gymnasts, too. I mean, the six packs those girls have..."

"Okay, I'm right here," Yelena said, and Kate just chuckled.

"They can't compare. Don't worry."

"What did you play growing up? Wait, let me guess. Lacrosse."

Kate nearly snorted. "Why is lacrosse your first guess?"

"I don't know, seems like something you'd like. Hitting people with sticks."

"You cannot hit people with sticks in lacrosse."

Yelena groaned. "Then what's the point?"

"Get more points than the other team. You know, like most sports." Kate frowned as her school's quarterback tossed an interception. "But to answer your question, I tried just about everything. Karate, swimming, soccer, softball. Tried volleyball, hated it. Tried gymnastics, got too tall."

"What's your beef with volleyball?"

"It'd be much more fun if they used balloons."

"Yeah, okay, that's a solid reason."

"Softball was also short lived. Too much standing around."

"I always wanted to play softball," Yelena mused. "But just because of the girls on the team. Nothing in this world is gayer than a high school softball team."

"Except maybe a professional softball team." Another flag flew, and Yelena booed loudly, causing Kate to shush her playfully, saying, "Lena, no, the penalty was on the other team."

"Let 'em play, ref!" Yelena leaned back, arms crossed. "I still don't get downs."

Kate leaned in close, pointing out onto the field. "You see those orange markers?" Yelena nodded, leaning into the contact. "They're ten yards apart. When you have the ball, you get four tries to gain ten yards, or the other team gets the ball back."

"Oh. So first down is first try?"

"Basically, yes."

"Wow. If you can't make it ten feet in four tries, you should quit."