Chapter Text
You sat at a table in the back amongst fellow Marleyans, there were even some members of the Corp and the Garrison mixed in. Everyone enjoyed sharing a drink after a long day, for the most part, managing to get along or rather tolerate the other divisions. You brought the glass up to your lips and took a small sip of the dark liquor with a grimace. You were not particularly fond of alcohol, but given the amount of stress you were facing while aiding the Eldian’s plan for the invasion, you indulged. Your eyes scanned the room before landing on a familiar blonde. Yelena.
Your history with Yelena was rather complicated. She was never keen of you, most of the time she ignored your presence or treated you like a child who was incompetent, despite you showing the upmost respect and kindness to her. It always bothered you, the way she looked down on you, but you figured in due time she would warm up. You never really knew why she resented you, it might’ve been the closeness between you and Zeke, the two of you were practically family. If it was, you knew it certainly wasn’t fueled by some sort of romantic attraction that she held towards him, throughout the years you’d seen the way she looked at women. Perhaps she just did not enjoy being tied for second in command.
The blonde stood up from her seat at the table, her slender form towering over almost everyone in the room. As she walked toward the door, a member of the Garrison backed into her spilling some of his drink on the floor, he was one of the few people that were level to her in height. Yelena had her usual bored expression as the man turned around and stepped up to her,
"Oi! Who do you think you are?” He questioned angrily, clearly inebriated.
“You bumped into me tough guy,” she scoffed, before continuing towards the door. Suddenly the man grabbed her by the collar, yanking her back to face him with a fist raised. When Yelena's face came back into view, it no longer displayed her usual collected self, her eyes were filled with anger and disgust. Your blood ran cold, you knew exactly how she could be when she allowed anger to get the best of her.
“Useless Marleyans,” the drunk retorted, spitting at Yelenas feet. Yelena watched as the fluid landed on her shoes before reaching into her jacket and pulling out her gun, pointing at the officer in front of her.
“You’ll regret that,” she cocked her gun. Everyone froze including you briefly until you decided you should intervene. Allowing Yelena to continue would not only cause more issues amongst the Garrison and the Survey Corps you were currently tasked with aiding, but it would also get her into Legal trouble. The last thing you needed was to have to tell Zeke that Yelena got herself thrown in jail. With a huff you hopped off your seat and pushed through the crowd.
“Okay Okay! Lets calm down ya, Yelena?” you broke the silence, standing beside the woman. Her eyes shot from the guy to you, back to the guy then back to you.
“This is none of your concern L/N, go back to your seat like a good little girl” she brushed you off, focusing her attention back on the terrified man in front of her. She was always so difficult, you’d think that for her being so calm and calculative normally, she would be able to see why this is clearly a bad idea.
“You’re acting ignorant. This will only cause more problems for us and you know this.” You stated, becomingly slightly anxious.
Yelena exhaled sharply before lowering the gun to her side, tucking it back into her jacket. The man in front of her practically sank to the floor. Just as Yelena moved to leave, she was slammed against the wall of the tavern by another member of the Military Police. Shit.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing!?” she questioned, trying to break out of his hold.
“You think we’re just gonna let you go like its nothing!? If your little girlfriend hadn’t stepped in im sure youd’ve killed him. ” He muttered through clenched teeth.
“Oh Im going to enjoy making your life a living hell for putting your hands on me-“ Yelena released an angry laugh, her face smashed hard against the hard wooden surface. Your mind raced, its clear she was going to make the situation infinitely worse if you didnt make an excuse, and fast.
“I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience, my colleague does as well,” you shot a glare at Yelena whose eyes bore back into yours. “I do however have to urge strongly that you let her go, I don’t imagine Zeke nor the Commander would be very pleased if the two of the most trusted and valued Volunteers weren’t able to fulfill our duties due to your interference, that is.” You reasoned. The officer cursed under his breath and released Yelena.
Quickly you grabbed onto her arm before she had even a moment to retaliate and dragged her towards the exit. Yelena tried to snatch her arm away from your grip a few times, but in a warning manner you squeezed her arm tighter, finally releasing it once the two of you were sitting on a bench on the street.
“What were you thinking Yelena,” you sighed as you examined the bruised skin. You really did want a genuine answer from her; you couldn’t wrap your head around how someone so intelligent came to the conclusion that the course of action taken tonight was beneficial to any party involved. She responded with a simple scoff, moving out of your grip. “You’re absolutely impossible you know that, I am just trying to help you-“
“I don’t recall asking for your help L/N. In fact, I would never do such a thing, especially if I wanted it done correctly.” she retorted. Her words were laced with Venom as she stood up and began walking away, leaving you on the bench alone.
And there it was again, those demeaning words that she so favored using while speaking to you. This woman made your blood boil. No, that was an understatement. She was the only person youd met thus far that could ever get so far underneath your skin. The only person’s opinion who actually mattered to you.
“Why do you think so little of me. Has my competence been proven unfit for the position I hold, Yelena!?” you questioned, stomping as you followed behind her. She didn’t answer, of course that only infuriated you further. All of the years you tried so very hard to pay no mind to Yelena’s unruly behavior had come to an end, she’d hear what you had to say by the time you parted ways.
“Oh? Well, Isnt that amusing. Ha! After all these years you’ve got nothing to say,” you laughed provokingly, “Please do explain yourself, oh highest Yelena, go on and tell me what you really think!” you spat, catching up to her tall figure and grabbing her wrist firmly. She stopped abruptly and spun to face you, snatching her wrist from you before grasping yours instead. You struggled in her hold.
“For Christ’s sake, Shut up!” she yelled, at this point you’d frozen dead in your tracks. “You want to know what I really think of you F/N L/N, do you!? You want to know why I loathe you!?” she urged through clenched teeth, you didn’t dare respond as her fiery eyes searched your own fearful ones. You could see her falter briefly before continuing.
“I despise you for being so tolerant, so forgiving and still holding the same level of respect that I’ve had to kill for. Its infuriating the way you treat everyone with such sickening kindness! Hell even after I’ve made you feel so small for all of these year. Even after ive humiliated you, you still act so desperate for my approval. I hate you-“ she paused briefly, the grip on your wrists tightened harshly. “ I hate you for making me feel so soft and remorseful…I hate you for making me feel.” she shouted in frustration.
You could only stare up at her with wide eyes, mouth open in disbelief. Her words replayed in your head like a broken record “I hate you for making me feel.” She hated you, for making her feel things? All this time you'd thought she found you incompetent, that she saw herself better than you but no. It wasn’t that at all, rather the opposite. Slowly she lowered her arms down to her side, loosening her grip on your wrists as she did.
“You’ve got me standing in the middle of the street screaming about feelings like a lunatic Y/N.” she spoke softly now, bringing a hand up to squeeze the bridge of her nose.
“Yelena,” you spoke softly, taking a cautious step closer to her before wrapping your arms around her torso. You felt her tense in your arms and scrunched your face in preparation for the rejection, but it never came. Instead you felt her pull you tighter against her chest, her lanky arms enveloping you in a warm embrace. It felt…right. You took in her scent, the feeling of her body pressed against yours, the slightly quickened beating of her heart serenely. This was what you yearned for all along: Her touch. Her approval.