#kybgaup

Rarely…and when she does, it’s never about whether the kids should be in school. It’s which school. How structured. How intense. Kate trusts Yelena’s judgment. Blindly. Especially on boundaries and real-world preparation. But she also grew up on sets, around tutors and flexibility, and that part of her always bristles when she sees her kids shoved into a system.

Kate’s the one who says shit like: “Do they REALLY need to learn calculus?”

They don’t fight about values, they fight about method. Kate thinks creativity is just as essential as discipline. Yelena thinks structure builds freedom. Kate wants the girls to have time for art, music, expression. Yelena wants them to be fluent in four languages by middle school and know how to talk to strangers without being fucking weird or coming across entitled/out of touch.

The compromise? Yelena picks the schools/takes point in everything education. Kate bribes the teachers/tutors with concert tickets and private screenings to make the curriculum less miserable.

-How many of Yelena’s team are utterly useless with the girls?

At least half. Probably more. These are men and women trained in evasive ops, hand in hand combat, surveillance. Ex-military, ex-intel, hardened as hell. And yet the second Ellie starts crying? Panic. The moment Mila so much as frowns? They’re scrambling like their earpieces just lit on fire. The only one who stands his ground 100% of the time is Alexei. Which is why he's the girls' fucking favorite. They do the craziest shit around him because they know they can. He once caught Ellie mid-air as she leapt off a chair yelling “SPIDERGIRL.”

Yelena knows. She knows exactly how many of her elite, stoic professionals would catch a bullet if it meant shielding one of her kids from a scraped knee. And she exploits it.

-Does Yelena know how many of them would die for the gremlins?

Absolutely. She clocks the way they rush to open doors with more urgency if even one of the girls is in tow. She hears the way they coo “Yes, Miss Mila” even as she’s launching blocks at their heads. Yelena just smirks.

-How do they react seeing their boss go full soft mode?

Yelena refuses to get whiny. It’s not in her DNA. She’s the type to have a 103-degree fever and still insist it's not big deal. Still try to unload the dishwasher while sweating through her hoodie. Say things like “I just need five minutes” while clearly on the verge of collapse.

Kate, meanwhile, has had it with that brand of stoicism. She doesn’t even argue anymore. She just confiscates her phone, wraps her in blankets, puts a cold compress on her head, and bosses her around.

“You’re benched, babe. Doctor’s orders. And by doctor, I mean me.”

Yelena tries to protest. Kate shoves a thermometer in her mouth to shut her up.

The kids learn early: when Mama’s sick, it’s a battle of wills. Mila starts copying Kate and scolding Yelena like a tiny nurse. Ellie brings her a juice box and tells her to “stop being a dummy.” Natasha just climbs onto her and falls asleep because Yelena is, no matter how ill, always and forever her preferred mattress.

“This is what you get for acting like you’re not dying.”

Every time, Yelena groans back: “I wasn’t dying. I'm fine.”

When they were married the first time, Yelena once got the flu so bad she couldn’t get out of bed for three days. Kate canceled three meetings, two interviews, and a dinner with someone she hated missing just to sit beside her and force-feed her soup.

Yelena finally admits: “You’re a better nurse than I expected.”

Kate smirks.

“I’m not a nurse. I’m your wife. And I hate watching you suffer.”

"So can I have my phone back.”

Ellie tying her own shoes.

No fanfare. No big lead-up. Just one quiet morning, Kate’s brushing Mila’s hair, Natasha's asleep on her little automatic rocking chair thing. Yelena’s half-dressed with coffee in hand.

“Look, Mama! I did it.” Ellie calls from the doorway.

And she has. Crooked little bunny ears. Laces uneven. Tongue all twisted.

Yelena freezes. Her chest caves in. She nods like she’s proud. Like it’s fine. Like it’s not shattering something foundational inside her.

She raises her phone to take a picture. Her hands shaking a bit. She lowers it. Can’t do it.

Walks into the other room. Silent sob. Doesn’t explain.

Kate finds her a minute later, hands on the vanity.

“She doesn’t need me to do it anymore.” Yelena whispers.