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Yelena glances at her phone. Her green eyes burn, reddened crying all day. There's an hour left, an hour before Kate's wedding. She should be happy for her. It's the archer’s big day. The blonde should be excited to see her in her dress. To see her overjoyed for the next stage of her life. To her see her smiling and misty eyed at something she's hopelessly in love with. Someone who isn't her. Yelena lifts the wedding invitation, her hand shaking from the deep pain in chest. “Cordially invited…” The blonde scoffs, tears threatening to fall again as sees how happy Kate is in the picture. Her fiance kissing her cheek as they hold hands, the raven haired archer's face frozen in a laugh Yelena can almost hear. She should just tear it in half. Tossing it and consigning herself to a day of drinking alone. Why should she go? She's never even met the person who stole Kate's heart. Being there would only be a cruel diorama of the biggest regret of the widow's life. Yelena sighs deeply, turning it over to read the scars carved into the back of it.
“I know we didn't end on the best terms, but it'd mean the world to me if you can come”
She shouldn't go. She shouldn't go. She shouldn't go. She has to go. If she goes she'll regret it. If she doesn't go she'll regret it. She needs to see Kate. It's been three years. Three years since they fought. Three years since Yelena moved out. Until she received the wedding invitation, the blonde hadn't even heard from her. She was convinced Kate wanted nothing to do with her anymore. She didn't even know Kate was with anyone. The archer moving on tore at her core. The thought of Kate with someone else almost made her physically sick, but she has to go. Kate sent her an invitation even though she never told her where she moved to. Maybe it means something.
The wedding venue is beautiful. A small church with plenty of open field. The cacophony of guests ruin an otherwise peaceful rural area. Looking around as she steps out of her black car, there's a lot more people here than she expected. Yelena wasn't used to everyone out dressing her but she didn't even really want to be here. Her simple white button up shirt and dark blue slacks with black heels will have to do. There's still time until the ceremony starts, hopefully she can find the bar before then. Stepping inside the church, a familiar voice calls out.
“Oh my God, Yelena!” Billy exclaims, grinning as he quickly walks over to her dressed in a navy blue suit with a red dress shirt. “I didn't think you'd come!”
“I didn't either.” The blonde takes a step back when he comes in for a hug, his face scrunching awkwardly as he gets the memo. She hadn't seen him since they all fought Doom. Then again, Kate was the only member of that team that the widow talked to.
“Oh! Kate wanted to talk to you before the ceremony. She's getting ready now.” Her eyes widened at his words. What did she want to talk about? Why did it need to be before the ceremony? Her mind races for answers. An apology? To reconcile things before ghosting her once again? Yelena nods, ready to see the loss of her life one last time before she's married to someone else.
Getting to the room, Billy runs off. A text from someone important it sounded like. She had hoped she wouldn't have to face her alone. A flash of the last time she saw her enters her mind. The hurt and anger in the archer's blue eyes. A glare that could shatter diamonds. The blonde takes a deep breath. She can do this. She can do this. She has to do this. Yelena slowly lifts her hand, exhaling deeply before knocking.
“Come in!” The voice on the other side calls out. A voice forever seared into her heart. Yelena hesitates, fighting the urge to just leave. Opening the door, seeing Kate sitting down. It almost broke her. Pearly white form fitting dress, raven hair in a bun, and a white veil in her hands. The bride looks up, black eyeliner with dark purple mascara. Her blue eyes widen, windows into a world of regret. “Yelena…” Kate says barely above a whisper. Hearing her name from the most beautiful woman she's ever seen again, it was something she desperately needed. “You didn't respond to the invite. I thought I got the address wrong.”
“You did actually…” Yelena responds after a brief silence. “My neighbor brought the invite over.” It was a lie, but one that made the archer smile for a moment. Kate can tell when she lies, always could. The archer says that she has a tell that gives it away, but never told her what it is.
“How have you been?”
“I've been fine.” Another lie. Yelena's drinking problem came back with a vengeance after the breakup. Even now she can hear the devil on her shoulder. The New Avengers disbanded a year ago when Valentina’s shady dealings finally caught up with her. She cut off Alexei for good, her and Ava don't talk anymore after they briefly dated, and Bob’s been MIA for the last few months. She's back where she started, all alone. “Mostly fine.”
Kate nods, her eyes full of empathy. It's a look the blonde missed, staring into the bride’s eyes as she wished things were different. “I waited for you, you know.” She says, a hint of melancholy on her tongue.
“Don't tell me you're procrastinating going down the aisle.” A sad chuckle leaves her, prompting the same from her ex lover.
“No, I'm mean after the fight. I waited for you to come home.” The words stab Yelena, tearing open the poorly stitched together wound in her heart. The blonde lets out a shaky sigh. She can feel her eyes attempting to mist, fighting it back as hard as she can. “I always hated how things ended. I shouldn't have screamed at you like that…”
“It's my fault, really.” That comes back in her mind. Lucky had gotten sick during one of Yelena's depressive episodes. Kate was stressed out, struggling to take care of both of them. The archer ended up prioritizing Lucky, which led to the argument. “I should've been more understanding. I don't blame you for-”
“It wasn't worth losing you…” Kate’s voice breaks, silence once again filling the room. If it wasn't for the dress, Yelena would have forgotten that the archer is getting married.
“How is he, by the way?”
“He's healthy now, although he misses his other mama.” Kate glances at the clock, finally standing up. The blonde takes a deep breath. It's almost time. Almost for the woman she loves to marry someone else. The pain in her chest deepens. Tears are forming in her eyes. She won't. She can't.
“I'm so sorry, Kate… I can't stay…” It was Yelena's turn for her voice to break. She's trying to keep it together. She's failing to keep it together. The blonde turns to leave, if she stays she'll ruin Kate's big day. Yelena grabs the door handle. She has to leave, even if the loss of her life says-
“Don't go…” Leaves Kate's lips but she leaves anyway. Yelena quickly walks to her car, thankful that everyone is waiting for the bride so no one sees her. Getting into the vehicle, she grips the steering wheel hard as she lets it all out. Tears burst from her eyes, cascading down her face as she screams. She should be happy for her. She wants to be happy for her. She's can't be happy for her. It should have been Yelena marrying her. She blew it. The love of her life is forever out of her reach and it's all her fault. Suddenly the passenger door opens, did she forget to lock it? Just as the blonde looks up to yell at the perpetrator, Kate pulls her in, their lips crashing together. A million questions run through Yelena's mind as they pull apart. Just as she's about to voice them, the archer places her finger over her mouth. “Just drive.”