That One Time We Kissed // Bishova College AU

They Just Talk In This One

"So... a shrimp fried this rice?"

"Excuse me?"

Kate smirked, warm from the woman beside her and the champagne she swiped from her mother's cabinet. "It's shrimp fried rice. The shrimp..." she burst out laughing. "A shrimp fried it."

Rolling her eyes in good humor, Yelena couldn't help but laugh as she chowed down on her lo mein, leaning back in the black rattan chair. The small roof access, featuring a few tables with chairs, a jacuzzi, and artificial grass, overlooked a breathtaking New York City skyline, still abuzz with life on a steamy summer evening.

Setting her food down in exchange for the bottle, Kate glanced over at Yelena, glad to be with her now, but wishing they had done this more when they had the chance.

"It's so beautiful up here," Yelena commented dreamily. "You come up here much?"

"In high school, yeah. Used to do my homework up here, sometimes I'd just read."

"You, a bookworm?"

"Wild, I know. It's actually unthinkable that I used to read for fun. Homework has killed the concept of literature for me."

"What did little Kate Bishop used to read?"

"A lot of Ernest Hemingway, actually. And Percy Jackson, of course."

"Hm." Yelena nodded sagely. "You kind of remind me of Percy sometimes."

"Hm... I was thinking I'm more of a Leo, but I will definitely take it." Kate chuckled, hand finding Yelena's across the table. "What about you?"

"Eh, not much of a fiction reader. I did like those big world record books as a kid, but they were really hard to steal from the book fair."

"Steal?"

"Oh, I'm a regular criminal, Kate Bishop."

"I know, baby. You stole my heart."

"Your jokes are... they sure are something tonight."

Kate grinned, leaning over for a chaste kiss. "At least you didn't say they're bad."

"Never."

With a melancholy smile, Kate took another sip of champagne. "Good."

"Will your mom be mad that you took that?"

"Yeah." Kate shrugged. "Oh well. How much madder can she get?"

Yelena frowned. "I don't really want you to find out. Where is Eleanor, anyway?"

"Where she always is." The brunette kicked at a loose piece of turf under her boot. She thought of biting her tongue, of holding back like she had for so long, but the champagne and the look in Yelena's eyes coaxed her to spill. "Work. That's the most important thing to her. The company, the legacy."

"Aren't you her legacy?"

"No, of course not. I'm a screw up. Her dumb skater daughter who gets hit by cars and brings home strays."

"You are absolutely not a screw up." Yelena poked Kate's shoulder. "Look at me. You're brilliant. You're a star scholar, you got the Stark internship and you're crushing it, baby. But take all that away and you're still her daughter. You're valuable."

"Yeah, yeah. Wish she saw it that way. She just can't get past the fact that we're so... different. That I'm more like my father than her. That really eats her up."

"Yeah... it does kind of feel like she's always trying to change you."

"And all that's accomplished is push me away. College was the best fucking thing that ever happened to me." She shook her head, years of pent up frustration bubbling over. "Coming back here for the summer was so unbelievably stupid. I could've been with my dad wake boarding all day but no, I had to try and be a Bishop for once. But not even the Stark internship is enough to please my mom, so why do I even try?"

"Maybe stop trying? Clearly nothing you ever do is good enough. Maybe save yourself the stress."

"I know, but sometimes she'll just get, like, randomly supportive or soft, and that flash will be enough to keep me strung along, wanting her approval. I don't know. Fuck, I don't know."

Yelena reached gently over, hand rubbing soothing circles on her girlfriend's back. The brunette sat up, elbows rested on her knees, and Yelena could not fully tell if she was crying. At the state of the woman next to her, Yelena's stomach ached, dismayed at the thought of leaving Kate alone in such a situation.

"Is it possible you could live anywhere else?" Yelena asked softly, circling to kneel in front of Kate's slumped form. "I don't want to tell you how to live, but clearly being here isn't exactly healthy."

"I thought about getting an apartment," Kate sniffed, one hand massaging an eyebrow. "But what would be the point? A year lease for one month before school starts? And I don't have the money to get a hotel or something on my own. I'm stuck. At least it's not for long."

"I'm just..." the blonde cringed, cupping Kate's jaw. "I'm so sorry to be leaving you here alone."

"No, no, it's fine." Kate sighed, leaning back now, eyes on the bright full moon overhead. "I'm really happy for you, honestly. Get all that time with Pepper after so long."

"Thank you, baby. I don't want you to feel left out, or something, and I would invite you to come live with Pepper... but it's not really my place to offer."

"No, this is your deal. I'm not gonna wedge myself in between you and your mom. Plus, I don't really want to live with my boss." Taking both of Yelena's hands, Kate tugged her up, placing her firmly in her lap, arms wrapped around her waist. "I'm just sad we didn't do this more often. I had plans for such a big summer with you, but all we've done is work."

Yelena kissed her on the nose, smiling softly. "And fall asleep together every night," a peck on the cheek, "and go on walks," another little kiss on the forehead, "and watch each other kick ass at work."

"Man, I'm really gonna miss you," Kate said, head buried in Yelena's shoulder, biting her tongue as soon as it came out. "Sorry, not to be clingy..."

"No, you don't sound clingy, myshka. I'm gonna miss you too." Yelena's arms snaked behind Kate's neck, and she planted another forehead kiss. "But school starts in a month, and we'll be back at it. And it's not like I'm gonna be very far. You can still come over some nights, and I'm sure I'll be back over here occasionally."

"I'm gonna miss Lucky, too..."

"I know... if there was any way you could keep him, he would stay. Are you sure you're okay with me taking him for the summer?"

"I mean, not really, but what choice do I have?"

"You could... stand up to your mom?"

"This isn't some movie. I can't just make a moving speech that convinces my mom I'm not the slacker she thinks I am. And she's like, scary. I've learned it's easier just to be quiet."

"Easier in the short run, maybe." Yelena ran a tentative thumb over Kate's cheekbone, eyebrows knitted together. "Look at what it's doing to you. Even if she doesn't change, at least say your piece."

Forehead pressed against her lover's, Kate's eyes fell shut, drained from the past few days. "Thank you, Lena. I love you."

"Yeah," Yelena nudged her forehead, "I love you too. Now how about we finally test out that jacuzzi?" With a sly smile, Yelena stood, beginning to shimmy out of her clothes.

Enjoying the show, Kate tugged her hoodie off, replying, "I feel better already."

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This is not proof read in the slightest. Hope you're still having fun with this one, at this point this book will never end (: