➶ ｡˚ ° ➶ ｡˚➶ ｡˚ ➶ ｡˚ ➶ ｡˚
(𝐑𝐔𝐍)
CHAPTER TWENTY----▹ 

"Hi." Kate's eyes were wide, "I made macaroni if you want some." Yelena offered, holding the pot up. "I'm sorry, what?" Kate asked, Yelena, sighs, "Well I was starving! and you took forever, so I wanted to make food. " Yelena said with a shrug, before walking forwards towards Kate.

"What do you want?" Kate asked, hoping the Russian Assasin wouldn't be here long. Yelena still had the hot sauce in her hand walking towards the table, "Relax, Kate Bishop. I just want to talk ok?" she asked setting the pot down on the table. Kate just stared at the woman, "Are you really not hungry!" Yelena exclaimed, "That fight was so long. It's really tasty," she said motioning to the Macaroni, "Really tasty."

Kate leaned over, looking into the pot, "Yeah, I know what boxed Mac and Cheese taste like. Ok, I know it's delicious." Kate said, "Forks...Forks." Yelena muttered looking in the kitchen, "No. You have one fork?" Yelena asked turning to Kate. "I'm one person." she said defending herself, "That's so weird," Yelena replied.

"Kate, this is not cutlery. This is not cutlery." She spoke holding up the singular fork, and a set of plastic silverware. "I am not just gonna sit and have dinner with you after you tried to kill me, and then broke into my house," Kate said, and Yelena gasped in major offense. "I did not try to kill you. A, I put you on a wire to remove an obstacle. And B, I didn't break anything." Yelena said using big arm motions to express her statement.

Kate stared at the woman, "I am way more talented than that. And C, Stop being so defensive. Ok? You're so hostile." She stated, "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. I don't have any weapons on me." she paused, "Ok, I take that back, I don't have any weapons currently in my hands." she paused again her eyes landing on her widow bites, "That's a lie also. Come on, take a fork, eat." the blonde pulled out a chair sitting, "Eat, please, My daddy says it's good for you."

"You're probably thinking, 'What? This is crazy! I'm going to have dinner with the enemy? And she made some really good-smelling macaroni. But in all honesty, if I wanted to kill you..."

"You would've already." Kate nodded, "Right as you opened the door." She said pointing to it, "Yeah, I probably wouldn't even have time to shut it." Kate spoke, "No," Yelena shook her head, "I'd have been dead. Okay." Kate continued, "Yeah." and Yelena motioned for her to sit.

-----

The Next time Iskra woke up, was due to a coughing fit, much to her relief though, there was no metallic taste filling her mouth, just a lot of pain. And much to Clint's relief, some of the colors had returned to her face, "Hey, you're ok." He said, giving her a sip of water, "My whole body hurts." Iskra groaned, Iskra rolled her eyes at the look Clint was giving her, "Yes, I know. I know, that's what happens when you get stabbed." Iskra said, "I didn't say anything." he defended, "No, but you were thinking it. I don't even have to be able to read your mind to know that." Iskra replied. 

She stared at the ceiling for a while, she sighed, and turned her head to the side, "You know what I could go for if my mouth didn't taste like blood right now?" Iskra asked, and Clint hummed, "Mac and Cheese." he chuckled at his niece, "I wonder how many boxes of Kraft Mac and Cheese you have consumed..." Clint asked, "A lot." Iskra laughed, before wincing in pain, "Ouch."

"So," Clint sighed, and Iskra looked at him waiting for him to continue, "When you were bleeding out," He began, "Oh God-" Iskra groaned, "You said something about your past, what part of your past were you talking about exactly?" he asked hesitantly, "Mikhail." she said dryly, "What?" he asked, "Oh, Iskra, are you ok?" Iskra glanced away, taking a quiet, deep breath, "Other being stabbed, A-okay." Iskra replied, and he shot her a look, which she elected to ignore, "What about you? What the hell happened on that roof? You said there was a black widow assassin?" she asked changing the topic before Clint could say anything else. "Yeah, in other words, we're totally screwed on all fronts."  Iskra nodded, "That we are."

"Sooooooo..." Iskra started, "Yeah?" Clint asked, "I think...umm...I think I tore my stitches." he sighed, standing up, leaning over her unwrapping the bandage, his eyes got wide, "Uncle Clint? Clint? What's wrong?" Iskra asked trying not to panic.

----

"But hey, Kate Bishop, you grew up here right?" she asked, Kate had picked at food only eating a little bit, and Yelena proceeded to put hot sauce all over it, and made 'small talk' with the brunette. "You must have some recommendations for me." Yelena inquired. "Yeah, I-I have. Let's see. The High Line. The High Line is great. Um..." Kate started. "There's a Christmas Market in Union Square. Umm...I'm not quite sure those are the right fit for the bloodthirsty-vigilante type." Kate said, and Yelena laughed. "Bloodthirsty vigilante." the blonde Russian chuckled, "Sometimes you're funny, Kate Bishop." 

"Do you keep saying my whole name to point out you know it?" Yelena nodded, "Yes. I know a lot about you." she started, "Mother. Eleanor. Lives on Park and 41st. Father Derek, Deceased. Very sad. And you recently walked into traffic to save a dog. Which I'll admit is pretty cool, and you got a few points from me on that, Umm...University GPA 3.8. Senior. Double-Major, and-" 

"Right, ok, we get it. Thank you." she paused staring at the blonde, "Are you in New York to talk to Clint? Is that why you're here?" she asked, "No," Yelena paused, "No, no, no, no." Yelena glanced down for a moment, "I'm here to kill him." she said in a very non-chalet tone. 

Kate really was frozen for a moment and a bit of emotion seeped onto the blonde's face, "I have a question for you." she paused, "What is it? Why do you risk your life for him, Clint Barton?" she asked and Kate sighed, "How has everybody, forgiven him for his past?" she asked, her voice louder than before. 

"He saved the world." Kate said, "No. My sister saved the world. Natasha Romanoff, she saved the world." Yelena said, and Kate's got wide, "Stop pretending that you're not surprised. It does not look cool." 

"You're really Natasha's sister?" Kate asked, "Yes." Yelena nodded, "Wow. I did not see that coming. Thank God, I didn't kill you up there." the brunette spoke, "Iskra would've killed me." she more under her breath, Yelena stood up suddenly getting defensive, "Iskra Romanoff? You know Iskra?" Yelena demanded, "Uh...yeah, I met her like a week ago." Kate rushed out, "Clint Barton, that son of bitch, dragging my niece into this mess." Yelena mumbled, before sitting back down.

"Natasha and Clint were friends. Why are you after him?" Kate asked, "You are so fond of him." she paused tilting her head to the side, "It tells me you don't really know who he is." Kate just stared back at the woman, "He came out here to protect me." Yelena shook her head, "No. He came here to protect his reputation." Yelena paused, "Do you know how many people he killed?" Kate looked down, "The trail of blood that follows him, could wrap around the entire world." The blonde said lowly.

"Okay. Wow. That was very Russian." Kate said, and Yelena hummed, "He's still an Avenger." Kate defended, "What does that word even mean, huh?" Yelena said, "The Avengers, are they really even a thing anymore, they didn't even have a funeral for my sister, and I haven't seen that "family" by my niece's side once when she sits and cries at Natasha's grave." 

"You call him, Clint Barton, a hero no matter what he does?" Yelena asked, "It means that when you chose to spend your life trying to help people, there are going to be things that you lose. When you face the kinds of threats that he has, there's going to be collateral damage." Kate snapped, "MY SISTER IS GONE, BECAUSE OF HIM." Yelena shouted, "Iskra's mother!" 

"What? No...no. That is...no." Kate stuttered, "She's gone." Yelena said tears in her eyes, there was a long pause, "Is she collateral damage?" Yelena asked. "No, look, there is no way that is true." Kate said, "He would not let that happen."

"How long have you known Clint Barton?" Yelena asked, "uhh...about a week." Kate replied hesitantly. "It will not be difficult for me to complete this assignment." Yelena said lowly, "Wait a minute, somebody hired you to kill him?" Kate asked, Yelena, leaned back in her chair not responding, "All I'll say is that if there is someone out there that is telling you Clint is a bad guy, then maybe you should ask yourself what kind of person hired you." Kate said. 

"He is not perfect. Nobody is. But he is good." there was a long pause of Yelena just studying Kate, "However he convinced you about who he is. Or how many people think, or call him a hero. Truth is, it doesn't matter. We are defined by what we do. Not by nice words. Like it or not, there is no escaping this." she said, and there was a long pause after.

"So, Where is he?"