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

CHRISTMAS DAY

Everything around them was snowy as they pulled down the driveway to the house Iskra had been to so many times, Clint began unloading stuff from the trunk, Iskra following close behind, taking some of the presents from the back. "You coming?" Clint asked, "Yeah, come on Lucky." Kate said, "Hey, are you sure this is ok?" Kate asked, "I mean I'm crashing, your family tradition." she added.

"Kate, I'm telling you, they are very excited to meet you," Clint reassured, Iskra had still yet to get new hearing aids but figured she would chime in the conversation, "Plus," Iskra began, wrapping an arm around Kate's shoulder, "I am very happy to have you here, pretty eyes."

"Daddy!" Nathaniel yelled, launching out the front door at Clint, "You made it." Lila said with a smile, "Iskra!" he exclaimed, "Hi bud!" she said ruffling his hair, "What's your name?" he asked Kate, still holding on to Iskra's arm. "My name's Kate," she replied with a smile.

"Iskra, Hi." Lila said, letting them into the house, "You made it!" Laura said with a smile, "I made it." He replied, leaning in for a hug. The three kids played with Lucky and Kate stood kind of awkwardly to the side, "Brought home, a couple of strays." Clint told Laura, "Hi!" Kate said closing the door behind her, "This is Kate." Clint introduced, "Welcome, Kate. So good to have you." Laura said hugging Kate. 

The front door creaked open revealing Maria and Jessica, "Iskra!" Jessica yelled running up to her, and Kate quickly tapped her warning her of the child, "Hi, Jess!" she exclaimed leaning down to hug her baby sister. "I love you." Jess signed, "I love you too." Iskra signed back. "Hi, Mom." Iskra smiled giving Maria a hug, "Hi Iz, Who's this?" Maria asked, "This," she said tugging on Kate's arm, so that the brunette faced her, "Is Kate! Kate, this is my Mom, Maria."

"Nice to meet you...um" she started, "Maria is fine." the older brunette said with a smile, "Jess, this is my friend Kate," Iskra spoke, "Hi!" Jessica exclaimed, "Kate this is my little sister." Iskra smiled.

Everything was a bit overwhelming, she couldn't keep up with everything going on around her, so Kate pulled her to the side, "I have something for you." Kate smiled handing Iskra a small wrapped gift, and Iskra opened it revealing a now repaired hearing aid, she smiled switching it on, and putting it in, soon everything came into focus, all of the sounds around her, "Thank you." Iskra smiled, kissing Kate on the cheek, "Yeah, Clint helped since I know virtually nothing about them." Kate spoke, "I actually have something for you too, pretty eyes."  Kate smiled at her, and Kate opened the box to reveal a pin, "The world's greatest archer." Kate read, "I love it, thank you." the brunette said, with a smile.

"God, you're so pretty," Iskra whispered, Kate's eyes flickered down to Iskra's lip, and they met in another gentle kiss, pulling away with a small smile, "We should probably get back," Iskra suggested, "Yeah, you are totally definitely right," Kate said, "C'mon pretty eyes." the redhead interlocked her fingers with Kate's, and they walked back to the commotion, settling down on the couch next to Lila. 

Nathaniel, Cooper, and Jess were opening gifts, and Lila, Iskra, and Kate sat on the couch having a light conversation. "Kate, Iz. Will you help me with something real quick?" Clint asked the pair, "Yeah. Sure." Kate said standing up and Iskra followed. 

He dropped the Ronin suit on the grill, "I'd figured, you'd like to help me end what you started." Clint said, pouring some gas on the thing, Kate accepted the matches and set fire to the suit, the three of them stared at it for a moment, "So, should I say a few words, or..." Kate joked, and Iskra chuckled, then Kate turned to Clint, "Can I ask you something?" Clint nodded, "Yeah, sure." 
"What do you think of 'Lady Hawk' ?" she asked, "Yeah, that's terrible." Clint said, "I agree completely." Iskra chimed in. 

The three of them walked back towards the house, Kate continuing to throw out suggestions when a car pulled into the driveway, "Who's that?" Clint asked, "She actually came." Iskra breathed approaching the car, and the blonde Russian assassin stepped out of the car. 

"Is that?" Kate asked, "Yep." Clint replied, "Auntie 'Lena," Iskra said approaching her, "Hey Iz, thanks for the invite! Mama Melina and Alexie were being a pain the ass." Yelena said. "Kate Bishop." She greeted, "Hi, Yelena." Kate said offering the blonde a small smile, "Barton." she also greeted, and he nodded.

"C'mon Jess has been waiting on you." Iskra said leading all of them back into the house, "Auntie 'Lena!" Jessica exclaimed seeing the girl, "Hi, Jess!" She exclaimed picking her up into a hug, introductions went around, and then they all sat down, around the Christmas tree, Maria handed Iskra a box, she opened it with a smile, and revealed a necklace "Is this Mama's?" Iskra whispered, and Maria nodded, "Thank you," she said reaching over to hug, Maria. "Kate, can you help me put this on?" Iskra asked, "Sure," Kate said clasping the silver arrow necklace around Iskra's neck. 

Iskra then turned to Yelena, "So, while we were finding stuff from the Avengers Compound floating around in the black market, I found something you might like back," Iskra said, handing the blonde a gift bag. "My vest." Yelena said, "Mama wore it all the time," Iskra said, as Yelena pulled the vest on, "Now, you always have a piece of her with you." Iskra added, "Thank you," Yelena whispered.

-----

They all sat around the dinner table telling stories and having a good time, and Iskra really never thought she would make it this far, especially in the years after the blip. Iskra stood up from her chair to take a call, "I've got to take this," she said to Kate kissing her cheek briefly. 

Iskra accepted the face time call, "Iskra! It's about time you answered!" MJ greeted, "Hi MJ! Merry Christmas." Iskra replied, "So guess what?" MJ asked, "What?" Iskra replied, and MJ held up a letter, "Oh my God! You got in!?!?" Iskra exclaimed, "Yes!" MJ replied, "I just wish my best friend was coming with me," MJ noted staring Iskra down, "Hey, who knows, maybe this year I'll actually be able to," Iskra said, "Iz, your life is wild, No matter how much I wish I could share a college dorm room with my best friend, I completely understand the likelihood of this is basically zero." MJ said, she really always did state the facts.

"I am older than you, therefore wiser, and I say that we are definitely going to share a dorm." Iskra stated, and MJ rolled her eyes, "Actually by birth year, I'm the one older than you, it's not my fault I disintegrated into thin air." Iskra looked over to see Maria giving her the look, "Hey MJ, I've got to go, My Mom's already upset with me, but we will talk more about this later, byeeee." Iskra said, "Bye Iz!"

It was in fact a very Merry Christmas.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY, WHAT "THIS IS CRAAAZY"-YELENA BELOVA