Chapter Text
(Flashback)
It was the stereotypical gloomy, overcast day that one would expect for a funeral. It was as if the sun itself knew its role on this day, and so it stayed out of view behind the grayscale clouds, the ground slightly damp from an early morning mist.
The ceremony had just wrapped up, and Eleanor Bishop was standing behind her daughter, whose head was at waist-level with her mother. The pair stood solemnly, silent tears falling as they looked upon the buried husband and father that neither were prepared to let go of just yet.
Eleanor placed a gentle hand on Kate’s shoulder, giving it a light squeeze of reassurance before uttering, “I’m going to go have a word with someone by the car…Let’s not dwell here too long, okay?” The restrained pain was evident behind the widow’s tone, trying to remain as strong as she could for her nine year old daughter.
Kate didn’t look back, but gave a slight nod. Eleanor could hear the raven-haired girl sniffle a few times as she headed over to the black vehicle on the paved cemetery path.
Kate came forward, kneeling upon the fresh, damp soil before the tombstone. Piles and piles of extravagant roses and other flowers of mourning surrounded them, something beautiful juxtaposing the forlorn expression on those big, sad blue eyes.
Staring intently at the name on the stone, Kate balled her hands into fists on either side of her, a rage filling her to the core. Through teary eyes and gritted teeth, she managed to utter, “I’m not going to let you be forgotten, dad. I promise.”
_____________________________________________________________________________________
“I’m not going to let you be forgotten, Bishop. Now, chin up. You’re killing the vibes of this place.” A drink was placed before the brunette.
Freshly 22, Kate certainly was not feeling the excitement she should be at her age whilst at a bumping bar on a Friday night. The raven-haired woman had been slumped over, head resting on her folded arms on the glossy black countertop, a miserable entity in stark contrast to the lively, boisterous chatter and music going on at this renown LGBTQ+ bar in downtown Manhattan.
“Hngh…Thanks, Marnie…” Kate looked up, her usually eager eyes appearing quite bummed out. She took the drink, a cranberry vodka, and brought it to her lips, still hunched over.
“That’s free of charge only if you stop moping. It’s nine dollars if you don’t.”
“Ughhh. Okay, okay, I get it.” At last, the brunette lifted herself into more of an upright posture, however still slightly slouched in a relaxed manner, one elbow on the counter now as she held her drink. She brought her other hand to rest in her pants pocket. She was sporting a black blazer with a band tee underneath, black pants with the ends cuffed over her combat boots.
“Now that’s more like it.”
“Look, I appreciate it, but, you know, getting stood up by a date you were looking forward to all week kinda’ lowkey sucks. Big time.”
“Bishop, I’ve had my fair share of dates, both shitty and not-so-shitty, and let me tell you, there is no point in getting all bent out of shape for someone who clearly doesn’t have the time for you. Take my advice and let them go. Move on. Besides, you really wanna’ be with someone who doesn’t value your time?”
“...No…” She sighed heavily. “...Why are you always so infuriatingly right?”
“I dunno’, but they sure as hell don’t pay me enough here to be as right as I am all the damn time.”
Kate couldn’t help but cock a smile at that. Marnie and Kate went way back. Well, as far back as Kate being freshly 21 and experiencing her first wild night at a gay bar together. She definitely was comforted that Marnie still worked here and gave her the time. That much was certain.
Kate was about to say something, mouth opening to speak, but Marnie cut her off and held up a finger. “Hold that thought; customer.” She quickly moved away from Kate to the other, far side of the bar to help a new patron.
Kate sighed once more, setting her drink down on the table. She began to idly twirl the black stirrer in the drink, likely looking quite pathetic once again, but she accepted that as her fate tonight.
********
Once at her destination, Yelena sauntered over to her preferred seat of any bar, the farthest corner that had the best view to observe. It was her first time at this particular establishment, and it’d been quite some time since she’d even been in New York City. The last time was close to half a century ago, and she marveled at how much the city had changed since then.
Naturally, she had changed very little, if at all. She still looked pristinely twenty-sevenish, her skin pale but given a bit more life with the addition of high-end makeup, a secret indulgence of hers these days. She thoroughly enjoyed taking the time to experiment with all the makeup industry had to offer these days, which was a stark juxtaposition to what was available, if anything, centuries ago.
One thing she did appreciate, as always, was the lively bar scene. It always made for the ideal hunting grounds. She was due to eat soon. You see, vampires had adapted with the ages to eat a large meal once or twice a week. If they could do that, they would typically be able to securely last for a few days with little hunger pain or desire. That is, so long as they were not a fiery fledgling. But, Yelena Belova was far, far beyond those fledging years, centuries behind her now. In fact, she’d even gone close to two weeks at one point without so much as a morsel of blood, and while she was quite cranky by the end of it, she managed just fine. She certainly exuded control and poise. But that wasn’t the case for all like her.
Society was well aware of the myth of vampires, although, like most cryptids, little evidence of them was ever really found. Some folks were more on the skeptical side of things, while others, like Kate, fully believed in their existence.
Alas, she removed her brown faux fur coat, hanging it over the back of her bar chair before sitting. She donned a simple, short black dress and heals, accessorized from fingertips to ears with jewelry, another pastime she enjoyed collecting over the years. Her long blonde hair was pulled up in intricate braids with a few wispy strands still present on her face. Her lips were perfectly painted with a deep red lipstick, and her black winged eyeliner was so sharp it could likely kill a man.
With one leg crossed elegantly over the other, she greeted the bartender, flashing a grin while still not revealing her semi-retractable fangs. A practiced pose.
“What can I get for you, hun’?” Marnie leaned against the counter, her curly blue hair shining in the dim party lights.
“I’ll have whatever she’s having,” she spoke smoothly, nodding in the direction of where Kate was moping on the other side of the counter. “...And she’ll have a second round.” She winked.
Marnie glanced from Yelena to Kate and back again with an amused little smirk. “You’ve got it. One vodka cran for you, and another for Ms. Mopey over there.” With that, Marnie went to fix the drinks.
Yelena had been studying the brunette the moment she herself sat down.
Target acquired.
Gods, she loved bars. The drinks, and the food, for that matter, always came easy here.
********
So, one shouldn’t play with their food, but who ever said one couldn’t flirt a little with their food?
When your life was as long as Yelena’s, you had to indulge in some fun every once in a while. And that’s exactly what she planned on doing this evening. She truly was the embodiment of classy chaos.
Is this what the phrase femme fatale really connoted?
Regardless, she slowly sipped her drink once it was received. She was watching as Marnie went over to the brunette and handed her the drink with a little exclamation and explanation.
Yelena watched the way the brunette’s posture shifted upon realization. She could sense the surprise in her demeanor and could see the curiosity in those big blue irises from where she was as Kate looked her way. Charming.
The pair locked eyes, and Yelena nodded with a little smirk, and took it as her cue to make her move.
*****
“Oh my gods, she’s coming over here. She’s coming over here, Marnie, what do I do?!” Kate was whisper-yelling to the bartender, the gay-panic evident in her tone. Little did Kate know that the approaching blond had some pretty keen ears that could hear her utterances from where she was. And so Yelena took her time sauntering over, not rushing as she took her jacket off of her chair, slung it over her arm and casually started towards the other side of the bar through the crowd.
“Get it together, Bishop. Just take it as your sign that tonight is lookin’ up. Relax.”
“How am I supposed to relax? She’s way out of my league!”
Marnie rolled her eyes. “Bishop, please. Don’t make me slap some sense into you. Now, shut up and get it together.” That was the last thing Marnie said to her as Yelena was just about here. Marnie shot her a knowing smile and moved to the back of the bar to tend to something or other, letting the two have their moment.
Kate was staring, mouth slightly open in a look of shock as the alluring blonde approached.
“...Hey,” was all her brain could muster as Yelena at last was near. The blonde held her drink in one hand, coat slung over the other arm.
“Hey. Hope you don’t mind if I join you? You looked like such a sad sap, I almost felt sorry for you,” she teased, her tone playful and flirtatious. Kate was instantly enthralled by the way the words sounded heavy yet smooth in her thick Russian accent. Raspy and deep. Her voice was hot. Gods, Kate was screwed.
She was momentarily so enwrapped by her enchanting voice that it took her a solid moment or two to process that she was just pity roasted by the blonde.
“Sad sap? Damn…Am I really that obvious?” Kate gestured for her to sit, but Yelena was already on it, stepping onto the little foot rest at the bottom of the bar to hoist herself up. She was notably shorter than Kate. And Kate thought that was adorable. She bit her bottom lip a tad.
“Well, you looked upset. I was hoping maybe I could perk you up a bit. No one deserves to look so pathetic in public. It’s embarrassing, really.”
“...Gee, thanks,” Kate muttered.
“Hard night?”
Kate couldn’t help but watch the way in which the blonde brought the glass to her lips. How her red lipstick managed to not leave any mark on the glass was well beyond Kate’s makeup knowledge.
“Uh…Hard night, yea, I um…” she cleared her throat. “...Well, I was stood up, so yeah.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah, ouch.”
“Well, can I take the place of your date tonight then?”
Kate was once again staring at Yelena in surprise, mouth hanging open slightly. “You…want to…what?”
“...Is this your first conversation with a woman you are attracted to?”
Kate could feel how hot her face was now, entirely flushed and flustered. The blonde was entirely confident, entirely bold. And Kate found that all the more attractive.
Sputtering, Kate finally managed, “No…but it may be the first time I’m rendered a little speechless by one.” Smooth.
Yelena looked amused, leaning back a bit, one arm resting on the edge of the countertop. “You are charming…What is your name?”
“Kate. Kate Bishop.” She held a hand out to shake.
Yelena found the hand shake equally as charming. “A pleasure to meet you, Kate Bishop.”
Yet when their hands met, Yelena gently turned Kate’s over. “Yelena,” she said with such casual assurance as she slowly dipped her head down, bringing the top of Kate’s hand to her lips.
Kate Bishop had experienced many things in her life at this point, but getting your hand kissed by a really hot woman at a nightclub? Definitely a new experience. But it really did it for her. Kate was a blushing fool at this point, dumbfounded by the chivalry of it all.
“Nice to meet you too…Yelena…” The last syllables hung in the air like fog.
******
By the time either of them took a moment to glance at their phone, neither had realized just how much time had passed. It’d been nearly five hours of drinking, sharing stories, jokes, laughing, and flirting, and yet the time felt both fast and slow. Time together was a whirlwind in the best way possible.
It was approaching midnight when Yelena chimed over the loud music, “...Do you want to dance?”
“What?”
“I said, do you want to dance?” Louder this time.
Kate usually wasn’t one to dance, but she was pretty tipsy, and incredibly happy right now, and so the vibes were just right. “You know what? Yeah.”
With that, the two were up on their feet, hand in hand as they went out to the crowded dance floor. Lost in the crowd for a while, the pair was a rhythmic mesh of fabric, their bodies pressing together, occasionally grinding.
Again, time consumed them, and Kate didn’t know at what point Yelena asked her to come home with her, but she knew it was an instantaneous yes from her.
*****
Yelena said her apartment wasn’t far from there, and so, arm-in-arm, the duo walked together the short distance from the club.
From a distance, the silhouette the pair created was something of a marvel: the blonde with her updo, the oversized fur coat poofing out along her upper body, yet her legs barren of any clothing. Kate, taller with an arm wrapped around the other now.
Kate remarked at how impressed she was by Yelena’s ability to still be functioning in heels at this point, and Yelena replied in some confident, flirty manner. Surely enticing Kate all the more.
By this point, Yelena was having a little too much fun. That was a hard challenge every once and a while; not forming attachments with your potential meals. Especially when you spent much of your time as a lone wanderer.
But, one night of fun couldn’t hurt, could it? She could suppress her needs for a while longer, couldn’t she?
******
Once they were in Yelena’s luxurious apartment, any notions of food slipped the blonde’s mind. She was entirely enthralled by the raven-haired charmer, enchanted by her bold and witty personality. And she wanted nothing more than to sink her teeth into Kate in an entirely different manner. At least for tonight. Was it wrong? Probably. Would she regret this? Debatable. But Yelena had an innate yearning for chaos, and so in some way this was justifiable. Besides, the way Kate was looking at her now with those big, beautiful eyes left a deep yearning burning within.
It wasn’t long before Kate had gently pushed Yelena against a wall, and the pair became a heavily breathing hot and steamy mesh of bodies, taking turns in position against the wall, until at last Yelena was nudging them into the direction of a door. Their desire for one another had slowly built up as the night went on, and by the time they were together on the dance floor, the pair surely knew what was to come next. It was what they both craved.