Cloudy With A Chance Of Assassination

PAIRING: Yelena Belova x Reader

SUMMARY: My new girlfriend takes meeting the relatives to a whole new level.

It’s cloudy up ahead, but patches of sunlight leak through certain gaps like chinks in the sky's armour, and a warm silver lines the clouds as the sun sets behind them. There are no pink or orange hues in the sunset this cloudy evening, just tinted blue and cream with grey mountains in the distance and muted coloured trees at their bases. I have one hand on the wheel of the car Yelena and I just bought together, a sleek black Fiesta, and the other on my partner in crime’s thigh. She has her window rolled down, the high speed we’re going at blowing her golden hair everywhere. I drum my fingertips along the wheel as an upbeat song starts to play.

She’s lost in the clouds, I can tell. I ask her if she’s imagining pictures out of the white puffs, but either the roaring wind at one ear or the song at her other is blocking her from hearing my words.

I squeeze her thigh. She smacks my hand and glances sideways at me, mossy green eyes playful. I allow myself a single glance before looking back at the road. “I asked what you’re seeing in the clouds.”

She turns the radio dial down. “What?”

I snort. “Nevermind.”

“You wanted attention?”

I flip her the bird, earning a boisterous laugh from her. “You were!”

I mimic her accent in a high-pitched voice. “You were totally like, give me attention! Because I’m Yelena Belova and I’m so special!”

“I don’t sound like that,” she objects. “You once said, and I quote, ‘your voice is deep and sexy, like if a dressage horse could speak.’”

I frown. “I don’t remember that. Was I drunk?”

“You were trying to outdrink me.”

“Oh. Were you cheating? I don’t black out that easily.”

“No, I wasn’t. And yes, you do.”

I grumble and turn the radio up again. She hums along to the song, Snap Out Of It by the Arctic Monkeys. We drive until the sun goes down, or at least until I notice her energetic nature die down like a used battery. I search up the nearest motel on my phone and by the time I’ve pulled in, she’s asleep.

I switch the engine off and relax into my seat. I allow myself a few seconds to admire the girl beside me.

I met her through a friend of mine, who lived in the apartment beside hers. I’d visit frequently, and she noticed and eventually grew tired of me oggling her everytime I passed her on the way out. So she coerced me into drinking too much red wine and then sent me over to her door, drunk and giggling.

I didn’t know much about her past. She’s from Russia, and she sometimes jokes that she’s actually a trained assassin. She grew up in a foster home, got close with a girl named Natalia, who ended up living in the Big Apple as a high school teacher with a husband who renovates houses. She calls her every other week before bed, I think, when I spend the night and she thinks I’m asleep. I never hear what they’re saying, but I enjoy falling into slumber listening to the soft hum of her voice through the plaster walls.

I admire her small, round, button nose, the even slope of her jawline, her long lashes that brush against her subtly tanned skin. We’ve only been dating for two months, but I’m positive I’m im love with her. We haven’t exchanged those words yet, though. The car is actually our first and only big step.

I gently shake her shoulders to wake her up, and she grumbles sleepily as she shifts and peeks up at me. “Where are we?”

“Motel. Didn’t feel like driving home. Come on, lazy bones, let’s get you a pillow.”

Once we’re settled in a room, stripped of jeans and bras so we’re just wearing shirts and underwear, I drift off with my head on her shoulder and my hand wrapped around her stomach.

When I wake up, the first thing I notice is the dried drool in the corner of my mouth. I don’t think much of it other than the teasing I’d endure in the morning when Yelena finds out I drooled on her.

I pull her closer and then frown.

I am holding a pillow.

My girlfriend is not said pillow.

I rub my eyes and sit up. It’s still dark outside, and the clock on my phone reads three in the morning. I scan the room for her figure, but I can’t see her silhouette lingering in any of the shadowed corners. I frown and push the duvet off of my body, shivering slightly as I maneuver around the bed and into the bathroom.

No sign of her.

I’m starting to get worried.

Quickly, I grab my jeans — at least I think they’re mine — and force my legs through them. I slip my phone in my pocket and head to the door.

It’s locked, which doesn’t make sense, because my current assumption that Yelena had gone out for a quick smoke would mean that she wouldn’t have gone far enough to warrant locking the door.

I swallow down the bad feeling in my gut and step outside.

The upper wrap-a-round level of the motel showed no people in sight. I head to the stairs and down to the front desk, where a young man with purple streaks in his hair sits, droopy-eyed and scrolling mindlessly through his phone.

“Um, excuse me, sir?” I ask tentatively, rubbing the goosebumps off my arms. I hadn’t brought my jacket.

His eyes flick up to meet mine. “Sir? You’re friendlier than your girlfriend.”

“I’m assuming you mean the blonde, very pretty, homicidal-looking woman I came in with?”

He sighs, turning his phone down. “Look, this is a motel. Things like this happen a lot. My advice is to run before the wife sees you.”

I stare at him blankly.

He stares back.

“Uh, what?”

“A tall redheaded woman came by, stole your girl for a talk. They were squabbling about you. I assumed … oh. You didn’t know. Well, who knows, could be a relative or something.”

My heart hammers against my ribcage wildly. I have to keep reminding myself that Yelena loves me, that she wouldn’t cheat on me, or cheat on anyone else with me, or … I feel myself becoming pale. Her scars, I’d never thought much of them, but with her mysterious past, and this mysterious paramour? She was running away from the woman who had now found her.

“Where did they go?” I demand, anger rushing through my veins.

He shakes his head, looking sympathetic. "I’ve seen this play out before, trust me when I say you don’t want to confront—"

“Tell me where they went or I will make you swallow your own fist.”

He recoils. "Christ, fine, they’re in the parking lot. For the record, I hope you get a good slappin’!“

I speed walk out of the motel and around the back, adrenaline rushing. I stop when I spot two figures under a streetlight by my car, one taller and waving her arms around as she speaks and the other, unmistakably my Yelena, glaring up with her arms crossed.

I march over to them. Their heads snap in my direction almost immediately. The redheaded woman pulls out a gun and aims it at me.

I yelp and freeze, hands up in surrender. Yelena yells something in Russian and smacks the weapon out of her hands before rushing towards me. ”(Y/N), what are you doing?“

"We’re leaving,” I say, completely freaked out. “Right now. You run, tell the guy in the office to call 911. I’ll fight her off.”

“What? No! (Y/N), this is my sister! She’s just paranoid.”

I gape at her. “I thought she was a science teacher!”

“I told you we should have met somewhere else,” the redhead hisses.

Yelena spits back in Russian.

“No, no Russian! Explanation, now!” I turn to the woman. “You’re Natalia?”

“Natasha.”

“Okay, Natasha the science teacher who owns a gun, what are you doing here?”

Her lips tighten into a fine line. “I’m not a science teacher, I’m an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., and I wasn’t expecting Yelena to have company when I came here to drag her back home.”

Yelena starts spurting more angry Russian words that mean nothing to me as I try to process what’s happening. The two sisters argue for a solid two minutes while I decide I must be dreaming.

The lies. The scars. The mystery. The jokes about being an assassin.

This is a living nightmare.

I turn and walk away.

Yelena calls out, "(Y/N)! Wait!“

I don’t stop until I’ve reached our room, where I promptly grab my jacket and bra and shove them in my bag.

”(Y/N), don’t leave,“ Yelena begs when she catches up, blocking the doorway with her body. "Let me explain, love, please.”

“Get out of my way,” I snap.

She doesn’t flinch, doesn’t turn around as she closes the door and backs up against it as if to provide another barrier between me and the world she’s trying to hide.

“Yelena,” I warn.

“Let me explain,” she pleads.

I stare her down, but she doesn’t seem to be budging any time soon. I drop my bag on the floor and sit on the bed with my arms crossed, glaring at her. “Fine. Enlighten me.”

She slowly eases away from the door. “I didn’t lie to you about everything. I’m one hundred percent Russian, and I consider Natalia to be my sister, and we did grow up together. But we were trained together, too. As assassins.”

“Fuck,” I mutter.

She kneels down in front of me. “I got away from that life, I swear. And I met you and everything after that was the realist thing I’d ever had. I really love video games, and I really love your pancakes, and I really, really love you.”

My glare softens.

“Even if you can’t cook,” she says.

I give her a semi-playful, semi-annoyed shove.

“You said be honest, don’t hit me!”

I stand up and pace the room nervously. This time, she sits down on the bed. I mutter under my breath, gnawing on my thumbnail, until, finally, I sit down beside her.

“Okay, deal breaker. Do you know Captain America?”

Just like Bruises - Yelena Belova

You find yourself sitting by Yelena after a long day, checking post-battle injuries. Some wounds run deeper than they seem.

BLACK WIDOW SPOILERS

It was only when the jet took off did you feel it. The ache of a battle well fought. It was a familiar, dull pain; you may have considered it an old friend. Certainly your travel companions did.

You studied their sullen faces as you teetered your way towards the back section of seating. Decked out in her suit combat garb was Yelena, attention fixed on the window. You felt your lips pull up a little at the sight, at your girl. The almost-smile lingered as you moved to take the seat beside her.

“Scoot over,” you muttered, limbs suddenly and cripplingly tired.

As you sat, you budged Yelena’s shoulder softly with your elbow. Her dark eyes met your gaze the second your arms collided. There was a warmth to her expression, despite the distant glint in her stare. It was then you saw the bruise that bathed her eye socket in a budding purple, framed it with finely carved cuts. Your mouth fell open at the sight and you quickly reached out to cup her jaw.

“What happened to your face?”

“It’s nothing,” Yelena murmured, trying to pull away from your touch. “I fell from the sky. Bruises are bound to happen, especially in our line of work.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that your eye will swell shut if we don’t ice it.”

“And you want to ask themif they have any ice?” Yelena asked, tipping her heads towards the other Widows sat around you. You frowned at them, the fear in their faces. It must be the first time they’ve felt a fear like that, a freedom too. When you looked back to Yelena, there was a bitter knowing set in her features.

“No,” you murmured, letting your hands fall from her jaw. “But as soon as we land-”

“As soon as we land we’ll find some ice.”

You frowned at her pursed lips but said nothing more. Instead, you watched as Yelena stared out of the jet’s window and watched the details of the Earth grow muddier and muddier. Trees blended into nondescript masses of green, broken up only by strips of grey and squares of farmed brown foliage. None of that held the attention of her dark eyes for very long.

Yelena was looking for her sister, despite how you both knew Melina had guided the jet far past the landing zone of the Red Room. Natasha was gone.

At the thought, your frown deepened and you could not help but lean towards Yelena again. Her body’s warmth eased the ache in your muscles, though, as soon as you nudged her and tilted away, the feeling fled. Yelena’s eyes flicked back to yours, set under heavy brows. There was a quiet question between her lips. What was that for?

“You’ll see her again, in time.”

“A lot can happen, in time,” Yelena countered, “a world could end, a secret base could fall from the sky, and a few dozen girls with it.”

“Well, those things are just bound to happen, especially in our line of work.”

Yelena’s lips quirked upwards slightly, for only a moment. “Just like bruises.”

You nodded and held your out, resting the back of it on your knee. Open and wanting, your palm waited for Yelena’s touch. The blonde eyed it before she let her gloved fingers intertwine with your bear ones. The fabric was rough against your skin, but the same warmth you felt emanating from Yelena’s body flowed through the weave and kissed your palm. As it did before, her heat melted away the lingering ache.

“Just like bruises, you’ll move past the end of the world, or whatever threat comes next. You always do. You’ll see her again.”

“Will you be with me?” At the soft timidness of Yelena’s voice, you, quickened by shock, lifted your eyes from your joined hands and to her eyes. All the distance that she once held in her gaze was gone, cut short. She was close to you, then, terribly so. It took every last bit of your strength to keep from leaning into her.

“Of course.”

Yelena’s posture straightened then, only slightly, and her expression lifted out of the firm-lined seriousness she wore moments before. “Good.”

It was all she said and all she had to say. There would be time for more later. Now was for taking care of wounds, old and new, and rest. Plenty of rest.

There was no need to tell Yelena that she should try to sleep. Years of training and missions had taught her to rest whenever possible. You couldn’t imagine the hardships she faced, the loneliness. She had been left behind after all, just as you all left Natasha behind. No wonder she spared one last glance out of the window before she turned herself inward again.

You both sat in silence, trying to coax your minds to give in to your bodies’ cries for sleep. Yelena’s caved first. Her head knocked against your shoulder before she settled in the crook of your neck. Her frame yielded and pressed warmly against yours, pushing you off the edge and into the dark behind your own eyelids.

The First Sleepover

Yelena Belova x Reader

A/N: Here’s me writing fanfic instead of writing my essay lmao also this is part of the “the first touch” world/universe? idk

“It is freezing!” The blonde exclaimed with wide eyes while trudging across the snow. You snorted at her as she continued to whine about the temperature.

What was supposed to be a simple missing turned disastrous when the base was full of hydra agents.

Like military level full.

Quickly running out of the base, Yelena hijacked a car and sped off. But of course, she was swerving and randomly pressing on the breaks.

She forgot to mention what a shit driver she was.

She somehow managed to flip the car.

The radio was still playing, cutting the thick silence as you were now upside down.

“Get out.”

She scurried out what was left of the door.

Which leads you to where you are now.

In the middle of a snowstorm. Great.

“Aren’t you Russian?” You questioned Yelena.

“I still get cold.” She fought back.

“We could have been in a heated car right now, but no. Someone just had to crash.” You sassily responded, spotting the safe house in the distance.

“I swear I saw a deer!” She desperately tried defending herself.

“Do you even have a license?” You asked her.

“Uh” She fumbled over her words. Yelena decided to stay quiet after that.

Quickly marching up the steps of the safe house, you picked the lock and entered. Looking around for any infiltrators or cameras, you spotted none and finally relaxed.

“I’ll start the fire.” You told Yelena, who flopped onto the couch. Giving you a thumbs up in response, you got to work.

After starting the fire, you sat on the couch next to her and closed you eyes. The weight of the day finally dragging you down. Slowly but surely you slumped down.

You head ended up on Yelena’s shoulder. At the contact, Yelena froze. Slowly turning her head, she stared at you limp form.

Her heart began racing as she admired every detail on you relaxed face.

No one has ever trusted her enough to sleep in the same room as her.

Gaining some courage, she gently placed her head onto yours and waited.

Waited for the smallest reaction that you would wake up. But you didn’t.

Yelena felt warm inside at the contact between you two. It all felt so intimate and she was loving every second of it. Soon enough, the Russian fell asleep with a small smile on her face.

The vest

Yelena belova x reader

For the first time in a while, Yelena was left stunned. Her eyes were wide, lips were parted, and legs were frozen.

The blonde ignored her sister and finally got the courage to walk up to you. But when she was a foot away from you, she froze again.

So many pockets.

There you were, minding your own business.

Wearing a vest.

But no no.

Not just a vest.

It had to have been the most beautiful vest she has ever laid her eyes on.

“What is wrong with you?!” Natasha hissed out as she dragged Yelena away from the common room and into her new room.

While being dragged away, her eyes never left your figure.

She was absolutely amazed.

“She had on a vest.” Yelena muttered out after a while.

Natasha was baffled.

“So do you?” She said, not understanding what was going though the blondes head.

“ You don’t understand. That was the best vest I have ever seen! It makes mine look like shit.” Her Russian accent got stronger and stronger by the second. She threw her hands in the air and began pacing around the room.

“There were so many pockets!” Yelena exclaimed.

Natasha just watched her sister obsess over your vest for a good hour, not knowing what to say or do.

Suddenly, Yelena faced Natasha with a determined face and whispered.

“я получу ее жилет”

Natashas eyes widened.

“Yelena no!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You were in the kitchen making pancakes and blasting music.

But you halted your movement when you heard a creak.

Coming from above you…

You slowly looked up and caught Yelena’s eye through the vent. Her eyes were trained on your vest, not aware that you were looking at her.

“So… whatcha doing up there?” You asked the blonde.

Her eyes widened as she finally realized her cover was blown.

“Nothing!” She squeaked out before she crawled through the vents as fast as her little body could.

Thought not as stealthy as before.

Every move she made was loud before it faded away as she got farther.

You chuckled and began to flip your pancakes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few weeks went by and you noticed that Yelena was constantly spying on you.

She was hiding in the vents, looking through windows, and hiding in the bushes when you went out for your daily run.

Hell, one time you saw the top of her head through the rear view mirror in your car.

She was hiding in the backseat for 5 hours!

You didn’t call her out though, not wanting it to be awkward.

So you would just “accidentally” drop snacks back there.

And pretend to not hear when she would mumble “tasty”.

But you did find something in common.

You were wearing your vest every time she would lurk on you.

So, in order to stop her from hiding under your bed, you did what had to be done.

After consulting with Natasha about what Yelena liked, you came to a conclusion.

She liked having lots of pockets.

So you ordered a few from different designers.

And by few, you meant at least 100.

Each vest was customized to fulfill her every need.

They had multiple pockets and came in different colors.

Now you just had to come up with a way to give her the gift.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yelena was walking around the compound when she noticed a dog.

And in it’s mouth was your vest.

Her heart began to beat faster.

This could be her only chance.

“Come here doggy.” She said, more like sang, to the dog and slowly walked towards it with open arms.

The dog looked at her curiously, before dashing out of there.

“NOO!” Yelena yelled out and ran after the dog.

It ran into a room and sat in the corner.

Yelena slowed her pace and crouched down.

“Listen here doggy, I just want the vest.” She talked to the dog as if it could understand her.

Before she could get any closer, a cough caught her attention.

A small yelp left her lips before hastily she stood up.

“Hi.” You smiled at her.

She’s beautiful.

“Uh hi” Yelena let out.

“So I noticed you like vest.”

“Yeah uh just a little bit.” She brought her hand to the back of her neck.

You hummed when she said a little bit.

“Well this package came in and it has a shit load amount of vest so I thought you might want it.” You explained the fake story.

Her eyes widened even more before she ripped the package open and dumped out all of its content.

She almost passed out.

It felt like she was in paradise.

“Pockets” She whispered out more to the vest in her hand than to you.

“I also kind of outgrew my old vest in case you wanted it?”

The dog walked up to you and dropped the vest. You scooped it up and tossed it to her.

“I- thank you.” She smiled at you.

“Yeah of course.” You ignored the way her smile sent butterflies down your stomach.

After a while of looking through the vest, you were called into a meeting.

You said your goodbyes and walked out.

Seconds later, Yelena peeked out the door and into the hall. When the coast was clear, she took off her vest and picked up yours.

She brought it to her nose and took a deep breath.

It smelt just like you.

She admired every single detail.

The awful sewing around the rips did bring a smile to her face.

Out of all the vest she received that day, yours was her favorite.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was yours.

The first touch

Yelena belova x reader

Yelena Belova was a lot of things.

But the one thing she would constantly deny, was being touch starved.

But you knew she was. Her actions proved it.

The first time you touched her, she was holding back tears.

Walking down the busy streets of New York was always overwhelming. Cars were beeping and pedestrians were shouting.

But at least you weren’t alone. Yelena was accompanying you. Tony bribed you with a new suit if you bought him shawarma. Of course you couldn’t say no.

Overhearing the conversation, Yelena asked what shawarma was. With a pointed look from Stark, you were walking out the tower with a tiny russian assassin in tow.

Right when you guys were about to cross the street, a cab ran the red light and almost hit Yelena. But you quickly wrapped your arm around her waist and pulled her back into you.

Yelena froze.

Not because she was almost hit, but because of how a warm feelings crept into her chest and was threatening to explode. Your arm tightened even more as you angrily yelled profanities at the driver. Your warmth almost made her melt against you.

And that terrified her.

Why weren’t her legs working? Why was she feeling so fuzzy? Why didn’t she want to move away from you?

Once she get out of her head, she quickly walked to the nearest shop. You followed her into the Starbucks and sat down. She must have had to use the restroom, you thought.

But once the bathroom door closed, she released a small whimper as her tears became present. She walked in front of the mirror and mimicked the same position you guys were in minutes ago.

She wrapped one arm around her waist tightly and closed her eyes. If she thought about it hard enough, Yelena could have felt your front being pressed against her back

She would never tell you, but she imagined it was your arm that was protectively holding her.

She dropped arm and wiped the remaining tears away. Taking a deep breath, she walked out the bathroom.

The first thing the blonde noticed, was you patiently sitting at one of the tables with two drinks in front of you.

“I remembered you saying something about wanting to try one of the refreshers sold here but I didn’t know what flavor so i’ll just let you pick which one you’d like.”

Once again, Yelena fought against the tears wanting to come out.

When you realized that she didn’t respond, you stopped your rambling and stared at her.

“Are you okay?”

And for the first time in her life, she genuinely felt good.

“I’m great.”

Yelena Belova Masterlist

Marvel Masterlist|Main Masterlist|Join my taglists 

SR - Sister!Reader | No letter - Platonic

ONE-SHOTS

Forever Running—When in trouble, Y/N is forced to turn to her ex-friend for help.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer—When Y/N is sick, Yelena has to call in some reinforcements.

Saving Each Other—Y/N and Yelena have to save each other.

Stuck Between two Sides [SR] — Grief proves to be a very powerful force, even against sisters.

The Party That Went Wrong [SR] — A party ends up leading to 5 years of regret.

The Tales of Sleeping Beauty—Different stories of Y/N falling asleep.

The Unknowns [SR] — Kate and Yelena are forced to get along when Y/N is hurt.

The War Against Night—Yelena helps Y/N deal with her nightmares.

To Find a Home [SR] — Y/N realizes that she has a home with Yelena.

We’ve Gotta Stop Meeting Like This —Yelena and Y/N keep reuniting on opposite sides of a fight.

HEADCANONS

Being Yelena’s Younger Sister Would Include …[SR]

How Marvel Characters Would React to Seeing you After the Blip …

home for christmas

marvel masterlist|marvel headcanons|navigation

yelena belova x reader

word count: 902

a/n: this was an (unofficial) request from @gigistylestomlinson…also, timeline wise, this occurs after black widow and before infinity war (like 2017). happy holidays everyone and enjoy :)

warnings: a tad bit of angst regarding yelena’s family, but otherwise, none :)

requests are open!

malysh - baby

You and Yelena were excited for the holidays this year for a multitude of reasons. First, it was the first Christmas you two would be spending together. Second, you both loved the holidays. And third, you were going to spend Christmas morning with Yelena’s family. Yelena wasn’t as excited as you were for that third reason though.

Sure, she loved her family so much, but as you knew, there was a long, complicated, and, most of all, painful history between them. You didn’t know every little intimate detail of the family’s history, especially not of how Alexei betrayed Nat and Yelena when they were little, but you knew enough to understand Yelena’s hesitation.

You two got up at the very crack of dawn on Christmas Eve, went to the airport for a flight at noon, and sat on a plane for 17 hours. Travelling actually took longer than that since you spent about 30 minutes in a taxi to the airport, then had a 4-hour layover in Istanbul. That totalled to two and a half hours shy of a full day of travel (21 hours and 30 minutes).

When you pulled up to the little homestead in St. Petersburg, you saw a flash of something on Yelena’s face. Maybe it was nervousness or fright or something else. It went away quickly as she saw Melina scolding Alexei outside the pigpen, presumably about something he did (or didn’t do) regarding the hogs.

Excitedly, you jumped out of the car, leaving Yelena no other choice but to follow suit. At first, she didn’t want to be there, but as soon as her boots hit the ground, she was so happy.

You watched as she ran to her mother and father, practically attacking them with a hug. You noticed the slightest hesitation from her mother, but it slipped away as soon as it had come.

As you watched the three Russians hug happily, you didn’t even notice a fourth, a redheaded one who you knew to be Natasha, run out of the house.

After a moment, the family broke away from their hug and small conversation that you couldn’t really hear. It was Alexei who noticed you first.

“Who is that?”

“Mama. Papa. This is…well, this is my partner.”

You noticed Natasha’s little smirk. She had already known since Yelena had called and told her ahead of time so the surprise wouldn’t be as big.

“Little one! You’re too young to be married,” Alexei exclaimed gently grabbing Yelena’s face in such a way that her lips and cheeks pushed out.

“Firsht of all,” she said, her words slurring together slightly because of how he was holding her face, “I am 28 yearsh old. Schecond, we are not married. And third, get off of me.” She swatted the man’s hands away from her face aggressively as she said so.

“Yelena, why didn’t you tell us,” her mother asked, her dark eyes darting between you and her daughter.

“Because,” she started before a pause. She honestly didn’t really know why she didn’t tell her family about you. “I-I don’t know.”

The family spoke in Russian for a few minutes, leaving you unaware of what they were saying. All good things you hoped, but you couldn’t be sure.

Soon after, you and Yelena were ushered into the house by her excited family and sat down before a tree. Taking a closer look, you saw little ornaments that had pictures of Yelena and Natasha when they were younger, around 6 and 11 respectively. You didn’t know this, but they were copies of the pictures from that old picture book Melina had saved.

You looked at the steady collection of ornaments that hung on the tree. Many seemed to be older, likely 20 years or so. Quite a few of them had little drawings that appeared to be in crayon with a name, mainly Yelena, written somewhere on it. One was a group of people, a tall dark-haired man, a dark-haired woman, and two young girls–one with blue hair and the other blonde. It took a moment to realize that it was a drawing of their family by a very young Yelena.

You were taken away from the ornaments and brought back to reality when Alexei began to give out the gifts he bought or made everyone. His gifts were followed by Melina’s, then Natasha’s, and finally Yelena’s. You were the only one without gifts. Well, that’s what you thought.

Yelena presented you with a squat box. It clearly had some kind of jewelery in it, likely a necklace or bracelet. You opened it carefully, expecting some kind of fragile and expensively jeweled necklace. You could not be more wrong.

Instead, you found a simple beaded bracelet with lettered beads. It looked like a friendship bracelet that little kids would make. Not that you minded, of course. You loved the thought behind it. Looking closer, the white beads said “I LOVE YOU” in blocky black letters and they were surrounded by beads of your favorite colors.

It was such a simple, yet meaningful gift. You put it on and immediately wrapped your arms around Yelena tightly. “I love it so much…thank you.”

“Of course, malysh. I’m glad you like it.”

And so, your present unwrapping in Yelena’s family home ended in a tight, loving hug. If Yelena was asked about it, she would’ve said that you were the real gift.