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Aim High. Squat Low.
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Kate Bishop has had a gym buddy since she could walk.
Being an athlete has been part of her life for as long as she can remember.
Since both of her parents worked constantly, Kate had tried a multitude of sports from a very young age. They signed her up for all kinds of team sports.
With team sports came a buddy system that never worked in Kate’s favor.
At first she took up tennis at her mother’s behest. It got boring very quickly. She was also paired with an annoying girl with blonde pigtails who cried every time Kate hit the ball back to her.
Then swimming. She found the bathing suit uncomfortable and her mother hated that her hair was wet 24/7. Plus her swimming buddy always complained about how she was so much faster than Kate and needed a better partner.
Then soccer. Stupid sport not letting players use their hands. Also, Kate may have hit the ‘soccer pal’ she was paired with in the face with a soccer ball. It was an accident.
Kate completely disregards the time her mom wanted her to take up golf. Looking back on it now, the brunette had no idea what her mother was thinking. She had been eight for Christ’s sake. What eight year old wants to play golf? Ugh, other than that mean girl who had red hair and a level of arrogance no eight year old should have.
It wasn’t until her dad handed her a bow and arrow that something truly clicked for Kate. She was 7 years old at the time. Her mom didn't like her having access to a sharp weapon so that's why she had pushed golf shortly after. Again, it did not stick, but archery did.
Even though her dad was by no means a pro at the sport itself, he recognized that his daughter had a knack for it straight away.
He became her next buddy.
Kate's dad signed her up for private lessons at their home. He would practice with her as much as he could. Kate loved every moment of it.
Then a year later, he found a nearby gym that had an archery range for the brunette. For the next year and a half, Kate was accompanied by her father everyday after school to practice her archery skills.
Those were some of her favorite memories with her dad. Her gym buddy.
It was about six months after Kate turned 10 years old that her world was flipped upside down. Her dad died suddenly and it completely devastated her.
It took six months for the brunette to even look at a bow and arrow because it only made her think of her father.
Then, after a long well overdue conversation with her mother, Eleanor reminded Kate that her dad still lives on in the both of them. She encourages Kate to continue her passion and to think of it as a therapeutic way to cope with the loss.
While she and her mom were never close, that little pep talk reignited Kate’s passion for the sport.
_____________
As Kate progressed through middle school and high school, she picked up a few more hobbies to occupy her time.
Her mother was working constantly so instead of being home alone, Kate would either be at the archery range hitting bullseye after bullseye, at a dojo practicing her karate moves, or at their apartment building’s gym doing strength training.
With archery, Kate had picked up a mentor in the form of Clint Barton.
Her mother had found a private, upscale archery range and signed Kate up. Clint was shooting in his own booth when Kate recognized him from all the archery magazines she had read. Eleanor introduced herself and Kate to Clint. Then the rest was history. Clint became Kate’s new coach. She liked to call him her new gym buddy. He didn’t agree with the name. Regardless, the man took Kate under his wing.
With karate, Kate had convinced a middle school friend to start classes with her. He didn’t take to it as much as Kate did but he still kept going with her. It wasn’t until the end of middle school that Kate found out why he endured the sport. She didn’t feel the same way. He wasn’t her gym buddy for long. Kate didn't care, she kept going to the karate classes without him.
For strength training, Kate didn’t start that until high school. It was during gym class when Kate’s coach for track had introduced it to her. The brunette pleaded with her two best friends to join her. They became Kate’s other gym buddies until they all went their separate ways for college.
Despite the carousel of gym buddies, teammates, and partners who Kate’s been paired up with, she would never miss a gym session. Even if that meant going by herself.
For so long the gym or other athletic facilities were Kate’s safe haven, her escape, her second home. Naturally when Kate went to college, she found another gym and intended to make it her home away from home.
From her freshman year to her junior year, Kate splits her time at the uni’s gym and her home gym. She goes through another set of gym buddies depending on what she focuses on.
____________
“I never would have pegged you for a gym rat, Bishop.” Her friend, Greer, says to her before they split ways. Greer to her apartment and Kate to the gym.
Kate rolls her eyes. “It’s therapeutic for me.”
Her friend holds her hands up in surrender. “Hey you do you, dude.” She smirks. “I guess it helps you get all the ladies.” Then she winks at her.
Kate scoffs. “Shut up.” Then she smiles. “I’ll meet you, Franny and the others for dinner in two hours?”
Greer nods. “Sounds like a plan, Casanova.”
The brunette just rolls her eyes.
It’s a running gag in their friend group that Kate’s top motivator for going to the gym is to catch the attention of some girl, like any other gym bro.
When they’re all out for dinner a few hours later, the joke is brought up again.
“So how many dates do you get with those guns of yours?” Her friend Eli asks, a large smirk on his face.
Kate smiles but rolls her eyes, “Shut up.”
Nate, another friend of theirs sitting on one side of Eli, goads her. “You definitely have girls fawning over you, Kate.”
Cassie elbows her boyfriend. “Ignore them, Kate.” She glares at Nate. “Stop it.”
Eli smiles. “Come on Cass,” He says. “We’re just messing with her.” Then shrugs. “All innocent teasing.”
The dirty blonde raises an eyebrow as she turns to Eli. “Jealous she can bench more than you, Eli?”
Eli’s jaw drops. “No she can’t.”
Kate laughs and nods. “Yeah I can.”
The guy shakes his head as he turns to the other person sitting next to him. “MJ, tell them I can bench more than Kate.”
The girl looks up from her phone. “Yeah, I don’t care about this conversation at all.” Then she turns to Kate and back at Eli. “But you’re in denial, buddy.”
“Come on!”
Greer and Franny suddenly appear at the booth. “Are we messing with Eli?” Greer asks.
Franny shakes her head. “And you started without us?”
Kate laughs. “Where were you two?”
“Fashionably late.” Greer shrugs. “Where’s Parker?”
MJ answers but doesn’t look up from her phone this time. “Finishing up a project with the twins and America. They won’t join us tonight.”
Franny shakes her head as they take a seat in the large booth. “Those computer engineering majors really are all work and no play.”
Greer huffs. “So, what were we talking about before you started ragging on Eli?”
Nate laughs. “Kate’s gym obsession.”
Franny smiles. “Ah, of course.”
“It just lets me clear my head.” Kate defends. Then she shrugs. “It has nothing to do with attracting attention.”
Eli smirks. “Sure it isn’t.”
“Shut up!”
Everyone laughs but drops the joke as the waiter comes over to take their orders. Kate shakes her head as she stares at her hands. The callouses on her palms aren’t for anyone other than herself.
Despite their teasing, Kate considers a few of them to be her gym buddies. Some of them join Kate at the gym at least three times a week.
When Eli joins her, they focus on squats. By the end of their workout, neither of them can climb up or down the stairs without wincing. One time Eli referred to them as swolemates and Kate refused to even acknowledge his presence for a solid week because of that. None of their friends blamed her.
Tommy, one of the twins, joins her once or twice a week. He helps her build up her running endurance. He was a track star on his high school team and won a lot of titles. He can run a five minute mile and Kate isn’t sure if he’s human.
On her HIIT days, Greer and Cassie tag along to the gym with her. They curse Kate out every single time at the end of them. She treats them to a meal after so they always keep coming back.
Unfortunately, Kate’s regular gym buddies don’t last for long again. Towards the end of their junior year, the large friend group goes in different directions because of internships, transfers, jobs or significant others. There’s no bad blood or ill-will; life just happens.
For Kate, the gym remains her constant and she’s left to find another workout partner.
____________
During her senior year of college, the brunette rents out a studio apartment and finds a gym closeby.
For Kate, every time she joins a new gym or athletic facility, it takes her at least a week to get her footing. The layout of the gyms are always different and the equipment, while similar, always feels more complex at first.
It takes Kate ten days for her to find her groove at the new gym. After she’s finished with her college classes, she’ll walk through the NYU campus and take a few side streets until she arrives at the gym.
Kate starts on the mats first. Stretching is important. She had learned that lesson the hard way during high school. Then after stretching, she warms up by shooting a few arrows. After that, it takes a bit of time for her to decide what to focus on each day as she transitions away from the schedule she followed before.
A month in, Kate figures it out.
Mondays and Wednesdays she focuses on strength training. When her muscles feel like jelly, she ends each workout doing laps in the indoor pool as a cool down. She thinks her younger self would be yelling at her if she knew.
Tuesdays and Thursdays are HIIT days and those are Kate’s least favorite of all. She never told this to Greer or Cassie. Her body hated her after each rep but she always pushed through. It’s during these circuits she truly feels like a masochist.
On Fridays, Kate alternates between programs offered at the gym. The brunette takes advantage of the boxing and karate classes. If neither program is running, then Kate tortures herself at the spin classes and hates every single second of it. Honestly she rather do HIIT than spin class.
Saturdays are Kate’s favorite days because she shoots arrow after arrow at the archery range.
Kate falls into a nice routine at the new gym and it’s great. She even finds a new gym buddy.
Wanda Maximoff moves into the apartment across from Kate's two months into her new gym routine. The redhead is two years older than Kate and is just settling into a job at a law firm. She is passionate and incredibly intelligent. They become instant friends.
So, when Wanda asks for gym recommendations, Kate can’t help but squeal in excitement and drag the girl immediately to her gym.
____________
For Kate, life gets even better.
Her classes are going well. Her gym routine is amazing. Wanda is her favorite gym buddy so far. No offense dad.
Everything is great.
And then Krav Maga classes start up at the gym.
Wanda joins immediately and crashes on Kate’s couch after every gym session to rave about the class. The redhead even made another friend who she deems ‘an absolute badass’.
“She has to be to enjoy the shit you’re putting yourself through.” Kate teases as she takes a swig of her beer.
The redhead rolls her eyes. “Says the girl who does HIIT for fun.”
“It’s not fun but it’s effective and important.” Kate counters.
Wanda shakes her head. “No it’s not.”
During the second week of the class, Wanda asks Kate to join her at least once a week. The class really is three times a week but Wanda knows Kate doesn’t want to commit or change her schedule for it.
The first Friday Kate joins Wanda in on the class, Kate sees her for the first time.
When Kate refers to her, she means the blonde, green eyed goddess who can lift twice her weight and make sweating look attractive.
And once Kate sees the blonde that first time, she keeps on seeing her.
It's like the universe enjoys torturing Kate with the constant presence of the blonde. A beautiful torture though, if Kate is being honest.
Her usual gym schedule starts to align with the beauty's.
On Mondays, the blonde starts swimming laps during the middle of Kate’s cool down. Kate swallows a lot of water when she double takes and sees the blonde in a bathing suit. It’s not even a revealing bathing suit but she’s just too freaking beautiful for Kate’s poor gay brain to handle.
On Tuesdays, the blonde runs impressively fast on the treadmill. It makes Kate push herself even harder during her HIIT circuit on the off chance the blonde spares her a glance.
On Wednesdays, the girl starts lifting just as Kate finishes her sets. Remember when Kate mentioned the blonde could lift twice her weight? Yeah, this is how she found out. Kate may or may not have started drooling on the spot.
On Thursdays, the blonde goddess does an insane ab circuit in the same area Kate does her HIIT routine. She relentlessly works through medicine ball mountain climbers, pike to supermans, planks, roll outs, bicycle crunches, v-ups and burpees. Then she does another set and another two after that. It’s the most excruciating torture Kate’s ever seen someone choose to do. Despite the horror that is the circuit, it’s definitely working for the blonde. While her abs aren’t a six-pack, they’re tight and smooth but still pronounced. It’s mesmerizing.
But on Fridays, Kate sees the blonde in all her glory during the krav maga classes. It always takes the brunette a few minutes to pick her jaw up off the floor but then she gets in the zone. If she stutters occasionally when her eyes find the blonde, thankfully no one notices. Or, if they do, no one says anything.
Sadly, Kate doesn’t see the blonde on Saturdays. The only plus side to that fact is that she’s not distracted during her archery practice.
Now, Kate hates being one of those people objectifying someone at the gym where they’re just minding their own business. Gyms should be safe spaces for anyone. It’s one for Kate and she prays to any god who’s listening that her lingering looks aren’t making the blonde uncomfortable.
It’s not something she’s proud of but she just feels such a pull towards the blonde.
Regardless, Kate will never go over to her. She will never say anything. She will never make a move.
Kate also has no idea if the blonde is even into girls so that also helps remind her to never do anything.
Times when Kate starts getting too in her head and feels her pulse race at the mere sight of the blonde, she cranks the volume up and blasts Little Mix in her ears. She lets Perrie Edwards and the other girl’s absolute killer voices put her back in the zone.
____________
After Kate’s fourth sit in on the krav maga class, and the umpteenth time she’s seen the blonde, Kate finally has an opportunity to find more out about the blonde without being horribly creepy. She’s walking out of the locker rooms after a shower when from a distance she sees Wanda talking to the blonde goddess.
Kate waits, i.e. avoids going over to the pair, until the blonde walks out of the gym. Then she rushes to Wanda’s side.
“Who was that?” Kate asks Wanda as they walk out of the gym together.
Wanda tilts her head. “Who are we talking about?”
“The blonde you were just talking to.” Kate clarifies, trying to keep her cool. “She walked away right before I met you at the doors.”
“Oh.” Wanda smiles. “Yelena. She’s the girl I’ve been talking to you about since I started the class. You know, the absolute badass.”
The fact that Wanda’s friend is also the blonde goddess that Kate’s been pining over for the last few weeks makes the brunette’s pulse race.
“Yelena.” Kate mutters under her breath.
Wanda raises an eyebrow. “Why does your face look like that?”
Kate tilts her head. “Look like what?”
The redhead thinks for a moment. Then her face twists to a smirk but she doesn’t say anything. “Let’s grab some dinner.”
“What was that look?” Kate asks as she stops in her tracks.
Wanda laughs. “Oh nothing.” She continues walking. “Chop, chop Kate. I’m starving.” She shouts behind her.
Kate shakes her head. “Be chill for once, Bishop.” She chastises to herself before she scrambles to catch up with the redhead.
____________
It’s exactly two weeks and a day since Kate learned the blonde’s name. Not that she’s counting.
She's super chill. Super chill.
It’s a Saturday, so Kate knows she won’t see her. Instead, the brunette goes through her usual routine. Warm up stretch. A light jog to get her heart pumping. Then, off to the archery range. She finds an empty stall and preps her gear.
Once she’s ready, she puts her airpods in and cranks up Little Mix’s ‘Power’ in her ears. Then she aims. Kate hits bullseye after bullseye. When she has the simulator start moving the targets, she still never misses.
In other words, Kate’s in the zone.
Kate is so in the zone that she does not register when someone else walks into the archery range.
Just as Kate is jamming out to ‘Confetti’, she feels a tap on her shoulder.
“Ah!” Kate shouts, unceremoniously dropping her bow and arrow, and whipping her head around to look at the person who just made her heart stop.
It’s the blonde. Of course it’s the blonde. Of course it’s Yelena.
Yelena’s green eyes (they’re so freaking green) glow with amusement. They’re playful and so is the smirk that’s plastered on her face.
Oh and Kate also realizes that she’s much taller than the blonde now that they’re standing so close together. Their height difference is doing unspeakable things to Kate at the moment.
Again, she’s being so chill right now.
It takes Kate another moment to realize that the blonde’s lips are moving but she has no idea what she’s saying. The brunette takes out her airpods.
“I’m sorry, what did you say?” Kate says, sounding way too out of breath.
Yelena tilts her head, a small smile on her face. “I asked if your name is Kate Bishop.”
The brunette nods because hearing the other girl say her name is doing even more things for her.
Honestly, her poor bisexual brain is about to explode at this point.
By some merciful act of god, Kate clears her throat and finds her voice, “Yes, I’m Kate Bishop.”
Yelena nods. “Ok good. Our mutual friend Wanda wanted me to find you to let you know that she was feeling under the weather and left early.”
“Oh.” Kate says blankly at first. Then the blonde’s words register in her head. “Oh my gosh.” She raises an eyebrow. “Is she ok?”
The blonde smiles. “She said it was probably just the stomach bug.” She shrugs. “She said not to worry and that she would text you later.”
Kate exhales. “Ok good. Thank you.”
Yelena smiles. “Of course.”
There’s a beat of silence where Kate tries to scramble to come up with something to say. She doesn’t want to end this conversation but she literally has no idea what to say. No words are coming to mind.
Correction, no good words are coming to Kate’s mind because in her crazy panicked thoughts, the brunette says.
“It’s Saturday. You don’t come to the gyms on Saturdays.”
The blonde’s initial response is to furrow her eyebrows and tilt her head.
“Pardon me?”
Kate literally facepalms. “Oh gosh I said that out loud, didn’t I?” She mutters to herself.
Yelena laughs. “Yes, you did.”
“I’m sorry.” Kate says first.
The blonde raises an eyebrow at her, which causes her to start rambling. Her usual M.O.
“I’ve been coming to this gym for the last couple of months and then I noticed you started coming in. First I noticed you in the lifting area, which wow you are super strong.” She shakes her head, unable to stop herself from continuing, “Then I saw you on the cardio machines. You run really fast. Like it’s impressive.” She clears her throat. “I've also seen you do insane ab circuits. Like I don’t know how it’s humanly possible. You barely take any breaks.” She shakes her head. “And I’ve been talking for way too long. Long story short, I would see you around all of the time except on Saturdays when I’d be here in the archery range.”
Yelena nods, a look of amusement on her face. “I see.”
Kate shakes her head. "Yes," She sighs. "And, I am just going to now walk out of the gym and find a new one.” She says as she tries to get a handle on her blush.
“Why would you find a new gym?” Yelena asks, tilting her head in confusion again.
Kate scoffs. “Are you kidding me? I’ve made you uncomfortable and I am a firm believer in gyms being safe spaces so I’ll just get out of your hair.” She explains as she goes to pick up her stuff.
“You have not made me uncomfortable, Kate Bishop.” Yelena says softly.
The brunette pauses. Then she stands to look at the other girl. “I haven’t?”
Yelena smiles. “No.” She smirks. “Your flustered state is actually very adorable.”
The brunette can only blush deeply in response.
“So is your blush.” Yelena quips. She holds out a hand. “I am Yelena Belova but I believe Wanda already told you that.”
Kate shrugs, trying not to make a fool of herself. “Not the Belova part.”
Yelena laughs. “Fair enough.” She tilts her head again. “I have also seen you before at the gym. I thought you would come and talk to me based upon how much I have seen you watching me.”
“Oh god, you have noticed." Kate mutters, mostly to herself but loud enough for Yelena to hear.
The blonde nods. "I am a very observant person." She says with a shrug.
"I’m so sorry.” Kate practically shouts. “I did not mean to creep on you.”
The blonde waves her off. “The attention was not unsettling.” Then she looks Kate up and down. “It seems that in your panic, you did not notice that I was doing the same thing.”
Oh gosh.
Ok so, here’s the thing.
Kate is very aware that she is considered objectively attractive. Her build is slim but fit. Her hair falls in natural waves and her eyes are a stormy blue. She has callousness on her palms that make girls swoon and her biceps are defined. She also has pretty impressive abs with a nice V-line.
The brunette doesn’t like to stroke her ego but she’s hot. She knows it.
In line with everyone’s jokes, Kate’s dedication to the gym has garnered her a lot of attention from both men and women. Contrary though, just because she’s gotten the attention doesn’t mean she’s done anything about it.
With guys, it’s different. It’s easy to flirt with them because they’re not that complex. They usually have one thing at the forefront of their minds and Kate knows how to play them just as they play her.
A lot of guys have asked her out but that doesn’t mean she goes on any dates with them.
With women, Kate’s pretty useless. Like the epitome of a useless gay. MJ and Cassie tease her relentlessly for it. Whatever.
Because of that, this girl, the same girl she’s been pining after for the last few weeks, Wanda’s friend, and the blonde goddess, is openly flirting with her? Yeah, she’s an absolute mess.
“I had no idea.” Kate admits once she finds her voice. “You’ve seen me around?”
Yelena laughs. “You are hard to miss, Kate Bishop.”
“I am?”
The blonde nods, a wide smile on her face. “Yes.”
“Oh.”
Yelena smirks. “Have I rendered you speechless?”
“A little bit, yeah.” Kate opts to be honest since it seems to be working for her.
“Why is that?” Yelena asks playfully as she tilts her head.
Kate huffs. “Honestly because you’re beautiful, impressive, and can probably bench press my entire body without breaking a sweat, and I’m,” She starts to trail off. “I’m just me.”
Yelena’s green eyes soften and she sends Kate a warm look. “There is nothing just about you.” She sighs. “You are also very beautiful and impressive. Plus with some tips, you could probably bench press my entire weight too.”
Hearing that leaves Kate completely and utterly stunned.
What are words anymore?
It’s probably a solid minute or two of silence before Yelena realizes that Kate doesn’t have any more brain capacity to continue with the trajectory this conversation is taking.
The blonde sighs softly, smiling fondly at the other girl. “How about we do this.” She suggests, “Let us do a restart.”
Kate wordlessly nods.
Yelena holds out her hand. “I am Yelena Belova.” She smiles. “And you are?”
Kate shakes her head to jolt out of her stupor. She smiles and shakes Yelena’s hand. “Kate Bishop. It’s nice to meet you, Yelena.”
“Likewise, Kate Bishop.” Yelena says softly.
There’s a brief pause before Yelena tilts her head and asks, “Have you finished up here?”
“Huh?”
Yelena smiles. “If you were done with your bow and arrow routine, I was wondering if you would like to get something to eat?” She shrugs. “I’m always starving after a workout.”
“Yes, absolutely.” Kate says quickly.
____________
The pair end up going to a nearby Mexican restaurant for tacos.
As Kate sits across from Yelena and watches the blonde pour an obscene amount of hot sauce over her complimentary chips, she may or may not fall a little bit in love with her.
Yelena takes a large bite of a chip doused in hot sauce and doesn’t even flinch.
“So this is a very important question for you, Kate Bishop.” Yelena starts.
Kate nods. “Yes?”
“Do you or do you not like hot sauce?” The blonde asks seriously.
The brunette smiles. “I must not tell lies.” She starts, holding her right hand up. “I prefer a little hot sauce on certain things but not a lot.” Then she adds, “Please don’t hold it against me.”
Yelena smirks. “People aren’t perfect, I get it.”
Kate laughs. “I don’t know.” Then she shrugs. “You seem pretty perfect.”
Her words have Yelena laughing enthusiastically. She claps her hands together. “Oh Kate Bishop, you are hilarious.” She shakes her head. “You are very sweet but as you will get to know me, I am far from perfect.”
“I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree.” Kate counters, smiling widely at the blonde’s antics.
Yelena hums, a faint smile lingering on her face. “Tell me, what is it that you do when you are not at the gym?”
Kate smiles as she leans in to talk closely with the blonde. “I’m a business and computer programming double major at NYU.” She explains. “I’m in my last year of college.”
“Oh wow that is quite impressive.” Yelena remarks. “I am surprised to hear that you have those majors.”
The brunette shrugs. “Let’s just say that I have some big shoes to fill after I graduate.” She sighs. “Gotta get out of some people’s shadow.”
Yelena nods, a solemn look on her face. “I can understand that.”
“Really?” Kate tilts her head. “I can’t imagine you ever being in anyone's shadow.”
The blonde sighs. “You would be surprised.” She shakes her head. “But we are entering third date topics of conversation right now.”
Kate smiles, perking up. “This is a date?”
“Is it not?” Yelena playfully challenges.
The brunette adamantly shakes her head. “I mean I would love to take you on a date. A real one.”
Yelena smirks. “Do you not count this as a real date?”
“When I’m sweaty, disgusting and falling over my words?” Kate scoffs. “I'd rather make a better first impression than this.”
The blonde raises an eyebrow. “I mean I think you’ve made a lasting impression on me.”
Kate’s throat suddenly feels dry again. “Oh.”
Yelena laughs. “No, no, we are not going back to that.” She raises her hands up in surrender. “I will dial it back.”
“Please never.” Kate finally says. “I think even during our third or fourth or fortieth date you would still render me absolutely tongue-tied.”
“Are you always this smooth, Kate Bishop?” Yelena asks, a proud smile forming on her face.
Kate shakes her head. “Not in the slightest.” She laughs. “I’m just being honest.”
Yelena smiles. “And it is very attractive.”
The brunette takes a sip of her water. “I think you’re trying to kill me.”
Yelena’s smile turns wolfish. “Where’s the fun in that, Kate Bishop?”
Kate looks down at her hands to try and gain composure of her racing heartbeat. When she feels ready, she looks up.
Blue eyes meet green.
“Can I please take you out on another date?” Kate asks, trying not to lose all impulse.
Yelena’s sly grin turns gentle and soft. Her eyes shift to look at Kate’s lips for a moment. Then they look back at Kate’s.
Honestly everything is happening so fast for the brunette but she doesn’t have a care in the world.
One second they’re sharing a charged look. Then, another second passes and their lips are suddenly pressed together.
Kate feels Yelena’s fingers thread through her hair to pull her closer. Instinctively, the brunette presses further into the other girl. The kiss probably lasts a second or two longer that what is deemed chaste for public decency but Kate doesn’t care. Not when she can feel Yelena smile against her own lips.
However, decorum and propriety are important, to some degree, around campus so they break the kiss.
The brunette is slow to open her eyes but when she does, green eyes bore into her own. She feels her insides twisting in the most satisfying way possible.
Unable to come up with something smooth, Kate can’t control her filter and says, “Is that a yes?”
The blonde throws her head back, laughing. It’s Kate’s new favorite sound.
Yelena smiles big and nods. “Yes it is.”
Kate’s only response is to smile right back at the blonde.
____________
After that life-altering Saturday, Kate gains another gym buddy.
This one turns out to be her all time favorite one. And the last one she ever needs to find.
Years later, during her maid of honor speech during Kate and Yelena's wedding, Wanda reveals how she bowed out of the gym early to set up a meet cute between the two pining women.
And then the rest was history.
Thank you Wanda.