The Next Step
“I thought your arm was broken?” Karolina turned from her breakfast when Gert walked into the kitchen the next morning. Karolina had arrived at the Mansion ten minutes prior, still dressed in her DEO issued sweats and starving as she had fallen asleep before having anything to eat the night before. Lena had already been working on making breakfast and quickly fixed Karolina a stack on pancakes with a side of bacon and a bowl of fruit to go with it.
“It is.”
“What happened to your cast?” Gert took a seat opposite Karolina, pointing at her distinctly cast-free arm. She wore a simple black brace that covered most of her left forearm, from elbow to about halfway down her palm, leaving her fingers exposed but her thumb covered and immovable.
“I don’t need it anymore,” Karolina shrugged slightly, “I don’t know. I woke up and my arm just didn’t hurt anymore. Alex took some x-rays and the break from yesterday is almost completely healed. She said it’s closer to a hairline fracture now.”
“Who said what?” Nico stumbled into the room, still dressed in her sleep clothes and looking like she was barely awake. She still wore the sling Alex had outfitted her with the day before, though it sat slightly crooked across her body. Her expression brightened considerably when she noticed Karolina sitting at the table. “Karo, you’re back! Where’s your cast?” Nico took a seat on Karolina’s left, reaching across her own body to touch Karolina’s brace with her uninjured arm.
“I don’t need it, my arms almost completely healed.” Karolina set down her fork to brush her hand against Nico’s, gripping her fingers and leaning over to place a kiss on her forehead.
“What? How?” Karolina shrugged and Nico met her eyes, leaning forward slightly to press her lips against the corner of Karolina’s lips. “Good morning, by the way.”
“I’m not sure,” Karolina smiled, ignoring Gert’s gagging noises from the other side of the table, “Alex thinks it has something to do with my alien genes, since powering up sped up the healing process so much.”
“Were you powered up all night?” Gert asked curiously. “I mean, like could you sustain it that long?”
“I guess so, I was glowing when I fell asleep and when I woke up. I don’t know if I was doing it all night.”
“You were,” Maggie entered the kitchen, stealing a piece of bacon from the platter next to Lena on the kitchen counter and receiving a playful swat on her hand in return. “At least, that’s what Danvers said. She was there all night.”
“She was?” Karolina and Nico asked in tandem, surprised.
“Yeah, she said she didn’t want to leave you there alone. Just in case something happened. Didn’t want you to be alone.” Karolina nodded, smiling softly, and Nico felt a surge of affection for the adults taking care of them fill her being. She should have guessed that Alex wouldn’t leave Karolina alone, the agent had a protective streak a mile long, and they had spent almost an hour the day before discussing the fact they were a family now the day before. The Danvers women took care of their own, and the Runaways were included in that group.
“Is that why she looked ready to fall over when you guys got here?” Lena placed platters full of pancakes and bacon on the table between Karolina and Gert.
“She refused to sleep last night. She’s up in our room now, resting up a bit before we start training today.” Despite their original intention to spend all of their nights at their apartment in the city, Maggie and Alex had spent a good number of evenings sleeping at the Mansion, whether to help with extra training after dinner or just hang out with the kids in a non-combat focused way. The room next to Kara’s was unofficially set aside for Alex and Maggie.
“Training, right,” Nico looked down at her sling-wrapped arm sadly. There was no way she could train like normal. Her shoulder still had a throbbing ache, not as intense as the day before but still noticeably present.
“We’re not training today,” Karolina squeezed Nico’s hand gently before releasing her and continuing to eat. “Nico and I can’t, and we still need to talk about what we’re going to do now.”
“Okay, so no training today. Just heavy and depressing conversation. Joy.” Gert deadpans before biting into a strawberry, her eyes hard.
“What were you saying about mindset yesterday? Because I think you need to change yours Arsenic.” Kara swept into the room, dressed for work but without her glasses on and her hair falling in gentle waves around her shoulders instead of pulled into a bun or braid.
“I said ‘joy’ didn’t I?” Gert rolled her eyes.
Kara didn’t reply, simply moving to Lena’s side to get herself a cup of coffee. The group assembled in the kitchen shared a collective glance, amused and confused in equal amounts, when Kara brushed her hand against Lena’s, who proceeded to jump back as if shocked with a deep blush coloring her skin from her neck to the tips of her ears. Kara frowned at her reaction, grabbing her coffee and retreating to the table with a thoughtful frown gracing her lips. Lena cleared her throat awkwardly.
“Anyway,” Maggie continued after an uncomfortably long pause, during which Bruiser, Ratscrew, and Chase had entered the kitchen and started filling plates with food, “everyone eat up and we’ll meet up outside when we’re ready to start talking everything all over.”
“I’m going to do a quick sweep over the city and check in at CatCo,” Kara put her empty coffee mug in the kitchen sink. “I’ll be back in an hour or so,” she said before quickly leaving the Mansion without looking at Lena at all.
“What was all that about?” Chase asked softly, turning his head to whisper the words into Gert’s hair as she was leaning against his shoulder after finishing her own breakfast.
“No idea,” Gert shrugged, shifting and made herself comfortable against Chase before looking over at Karolina and Nico to find them smirking at her. “What?”
“When did you two figure out your shit?” Nico asked, gesturing between Gert and Chase with her fork.
“You do look pretty cozy over there,” Karolina remarked coyly.
“Yesterday,” Molly said at the same time as Gert, who tried to deny anything had changed. “I caught them making out in Chase’s workshop.”
“We were not making out!” Gert insisted, “Chase, tell them.”
“Well, I mean,” Chase sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck as a dark blush colored his cheeks, “we kinda were.”
“Chase!” Gert slapped his arm lightly.
“What? You were literally in my lap and we were kissing.”
“They don’t need to know that!”
“Does that mean I win?” Nico asked suddenly, interrupting the argument and pulling Gert’s annoyed glare to herself instead of Chase.
“You were off by a week.” Karolina informed her, “you said it would be last week, I said it would be next week.”
“It’s a tie then,” Nico sighed softly, before her eyes lit up with mischief. “I guess that means we both have to pay up.”
“You were betting on us?” Gert asked, torn between amusement and annoyance.
“Duh,” Nico rolled her eyes, returning in kind when Gert flipped her off across the table.
“What did you bet?” Chase asked, clearly curious. Karolina coughed slightly, meeting Nico’s eyes before quickly looking away, a furious blush lighting her cheeks.
“Nothing special,” she said and picked up another piece of bacon to keep herself from saying anything else. Beside her, Nico shook with silent laughter.
“Never mind,” Chase shook his head looking thoroughly grossed out, “I don’t want to know.”
“I don’t think any of us do, Hotshot.” Alex spoke up, a small smirk on his lips.
“Oh, Alex, you think I’m hot?” Chase covered his chest with his hand, right over his heart. “I’m flattered but you’re not exactly my type.”
“Ass,” Alex punched his shoulder, “I was trying to give you a cool nickname like the rest of us.”
“Why Hotshot?” Molly asked, her nose scrunched up. “Wait, do you actually think Chase is hot?”
“Of course he does. Have you seen me?”
“The fistigons,” Alex ignored Chase’s comment, “I noticed the first time he used them that it gets pretty hot around us when they go off.”
“Yeah it does,” Chase nodded. “I had to use all flame-resistant materials. The energy discharge is so strong so fast, it’s like a mini lightning bolt.”
“So, Hotshot,” Alex shrugged. “It’s not a great as Ratscrew, but…”
“Come on,” Molly scoffed. “Did anyone else get their nickname by leaving a bruise on the most powerful women alive? Nope. Just me. Bruiser is definitely the best.”
“I don’t know, I’ve got an appreciation for the classics,” Gert shrugged. “There’s just something about Arsenic that makes it special.”
“Except Arsenic isn’t a literal goddess, like Nyx.”
“I mean you’re pretty cool Nico, but I wouldn’t say you’re a goddess.” Chase stuck his tongue out at Nico when she flicked a grape at him. “I can appreciate the whole light and dark thing you two have got going on. Nyx and Rainbow.” Karolina and Nico smiled at one another.
“Still not as good as Arsenic and Old Lace.” Gert sing-songed lightly.
“O.L. is pretty great.” Alex conceded.
“At least someone here has some sense.”
Maggie chuckled from her place leaning against the door frame. The Runaways had been so involved in their conversation, none of them had noticed Lena slip out a few minutes ago. Maggie had followed after, lingering in the doorway for a moment to make sure things stayed civil between the teenagers before following Lena. It took Maggie a moment to find her, but she eventually stumbled across Lena in the small library tucked into the far back corner of the Mansion’s bottom floor.
“Lena?” Maggie asked when the other woman seemed to not notice her presence. She had never known Lena to not notice when someone entered a room she was in. Maggie suspected it was a result of the multiple attempts on Lena’s life she’s had to deal with, but she had the good grace not to mention it. “Is everything okay?”
“Of course,” Lena coughed, hoping her voice sounded stronger than she felt. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Well, you just practically ran out of the kitchen instead of staying to listen to the kids’ banter, which you and I both know is very amusing.” Maggie took a cautious step closer. “And you sound like you’re about to cry.”
Lena doesn’t know how to react, to laugh or cry or scream at Maggie to leave her alone. She knows Maggie won’t go. They’ve spent every day of the last month and half together. Despite her generally hard to break down walls, Maggie and Alex, like Kara, had become close friends of Lena’s. It was impossible for them not too, despite Lena’s last name Alex and Maggie were so genuinely nice and real. Lena couldn’t help but befriend them. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s obviously something.” Maggie took a step, then another and another when it seemed clear Lena wasn’t going to stop her until she was right next to Lena. They stood at the window together, looking out over the front lawn where Old Lace was enthusiastically running after a stick Molly threw for her. “You don’t have to tell me, but I’m here for you. Whatever it is.”
“I-“ Lena hesitated, watching Molly chase Old Lace around the house and into the backyard. “I kissed Kara yesterday.” She blurted out before she could stop herself.
“Okay,” Maggie drew out the last syllable, “what happened?”
“We we’re just talking, she was trying to reassure me that everything would be okay. I couldn’t handle it, seeing Karolina and Nico like that, hurt and distraught and clinging to each other. I don’t know what it is about them but they’ve managed to awaken maternal instincts I didn’t even know I had.” Maggie could relate to that. “And seeing them like that, I thought it would break me. Especially knowing that it was their parents who did that to them.”
“But Kara, she calmed me down, just like she always does. She promised we’d be there for them, all of us, the next time they had to face their parents. She looked so earnest and her eyes were so blue and I just-“
“What did Kara do?” Maggie asked slowly after Lena cut herself off. Lena’s eyes were brimming with tears, happy or sad, or just plain overwhelmed with emotion Maggie couldn’t tell.
“She kissed me back.”
“Lena, that’s great,” Maggie couldn’t help the smile that grew on her face.
“Is it? I’m not really sure.” Lena’s voice sounded far away, like she was lost in her own mind. “Why would she kiss me back? She knows the history between our families. A Luthor and a Super. We could never work.” Her words sounded rehearsed, hollow, as if Lena had repeated them so often, they stopped meaning anything.
“You know Kara doesn’t care about your last name, Lena. None of us do.”
“I know.” Lena nodded slightly, a smile that didn’t look or feel real painted on her lips, “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know where we go from here.”
“Have you talked to Kara about it?”
“No,” Lena swallowed thickly. “Kara tried to bring it up when we got home last night, but I was scared. I don’t know what she’s going to say, and I’m terrified it will be a rejection.”
Maggie highly doubted that, but she didn’t vocalize it. “Maybe you should just let her talk. She promised not to keep any secrets from you, right?” Maggie waited until Lena nodded before continuing. “Talk to her. I think you’ll be surprised by what she has to say.”
“There you are,” Alex entered the room, looking far more rested than she did when she and Maggie had arrived at the Mansion almost an hour before. “The Runaways are gathering in the yard, said they were waiting for you.”
“Guess they’re ready to start talking things over.” Maggie wrapped her arm around Alex’s waist once her fiancée was close enough, leaning up to press a short kiss to her cheek.
“Sooner than I expected honestly,” Alex noted. “I figured they’d want some more time to recover.”
“They don’t think they have time. Remember, the know when Jonah’s going to make his big move.” Lena reminded them as they started walking out. “They’ve got that weighing on them.”
“Are we sure their parents told the truth? Given what we know about them, that doesn’t seem very likely.”
“I think they did.” Lena’s voice changed, a hint of an emotion Alex couldn’t identify making her voice shake. “Despite what they’ve done, they seem to care for their kids, at least enough to try and get them away from danger.”
“We won’t know for sure until we get there.” Maggie interjected with a frown. “Still nothing from the DEO surveillance?”
“Nothing out of the ordinary.” Alex confirmed, “except Leslie Dean’s absence from the Gibborim church. She has been seen at PRIDE HQ, but she hasn’t been to the church in over a month. Whatever they’re working on, they’re doing it in a supremely secure location. Somewhere we can’t enter without just cause.” Alex frowned. “Unfortunately, six teenagers claiming their parents are evil isn’t something we can use for a warrant.”
“Too bad.” Maggie mumbled as the trio entered the backyard. The Runaways had assembled around the bench press. Nico and Karolina sat side by side on the bench, the others sitting in a semi-circle in front of them. Maggie could hear snippets of their conversation, teasing one another and joking about something. Despite their easy banter, Maggie could see the tension in their shoulders, the nerves in their posture. It reminded her of the night she and Alex found them in that abandoned warehouse. It felt like a life time ago, even though only a month and half had passed since that night.
“Should we wait for Kara?” Karolina asked as the three adults approached the group. Her and Nico’s hands rested on her thigh, fingers intertwined and Nico rubbing her thumb along the back of Karolina’s hand.
“I think so,” Gert said softly, “I don’t think we should leave anyone out of our planning sessions, or whatever this is.”
“Are you three doing okay?” Alex asked, looking at Karolina, Nico, and Alex in turn.
“Yeah, I mean, as good as I can be.” Ratscrew shrugged slightly. “So much happened yesterday, I can’t really process it.”
“I’ve been trying not to think about it,” Karolina murmured. Nico squeezed her hand. “It’s easier that way.”
“Nyx?” Alex asked after Nico remained silent, seeming to intend on not answering Alex’s questioned. “Are you okay?”
“I don’t know,” Nico refused to meet anyone’s eyes and shifted in her seat uncomfortably. “I really don’t.”
“It’s okay to feel that way.” Lena moved to crouch between Alex and Nico, resting her hand on Nico’s arm both to help her balance and to offer comfort. “There’s no right way to feel about everything that’s happened, and everything that’s still coming. Whatever you feel right now, it’s okay. It’s normal.”
Nico nodded slightly, raising her head to meet Lena’s eyes. Lena offered a small, understanding smile. She figured Nico was feeling so many conflicting emotions, especially now, after the adrenaline from yesterday had faded and Nico didn’t have worrying about Karolina weighing on her mind. She had the night to process everything, as much as she could, and she had been alone for most of that time. Lena could only imagine what Nico was feeling, even if she had a better understanding that most adults would having been raised by neglected and borderline abusive parents herself. Lena squeezed Nico’s arm gently before standing up and returning to the other adults.
Alex, Maggie, and Lena integrated themselves into the conversation, which had been directed back to lighter topics, after Alex and Maggie pulled up chairs for the three of them.
“Please, Super Trooper is clearly the best ABBA song.”
“Molls, nothing compares to the genius that is Mamma Mia.”
“A song doesn’t have to inspire a move franchise to be great, Gert.” Alex rolled his eyes. “What about Dancing Queen?”
“You listen to ABBA?” Nico questioned with raised eyebrows.
“I have layers, Nico.”
“Oh my god, like Shrek?”
“I personally enjoy Does Your Mother Know, but that’s just me.” Karolina ignored Chase’s Shrek comment. “Or Why Did It Have to be Me.”
“I think they’re gonna use that one in Mamma Mia 2.” Maggie said, “I saw a clip of it somewhere.”
“We should totally have a movie night when that one comes out. We could watch both of them!”
“We’ll add it to the list, Bruiser.” Lena smiled at her. “I don’t think that one will be happening for a while, though. It won’t be out for another few months.”
“We still have The Greatest Showman and all the Harry Potter movies to get through first.” Nico reminded Molly, looking less than excited for either option. Karolina turned to Nico and winked at her, knowing that Nico had developed a secret love for movie musicals and that her distaste was purely meant to protect her reputation. Nico smiled back at her.
“Didn’t we say we might add TV shows in to our movie nights?” Chase asked, “I know someone said something about that.” Chase looked around, trying to remember who had suggested watching TV shows together after they made it through their list of movies. He wasn’t pretty sure it was one of the girls, but that didn’t narrow things down for him seeing as at least six women could be found in the Mansion at any given time. Chase frowned slightly, realizing he and Alex were hopelessly outnumbered.
“That would take a long time.” Alex said from her chair. “Especially if we watch something like Supernatural, or anything else that has more than four seasons.”
“It could be fun. We could watch like, FRIENDS. That one’s a classic.” Maggie suggested. “And it doesn’t take all that long to watch since the episodes are pretty short.”
“I have literally never heard of that show.” Molly laughed as the three adults released shocked gasps. “But that sounds good.”
“We’ll see what happens,” Lena’s voice changed slightly, “for now we have bigger things to focus on.”
Kara, hearing the change in Lena’s voice, knew she had been spotted and landed softly in the backyard. She had been hovering just out of sight, so she thought, and listening to the conversation below. Knowing that they were waiting for her before talking about anything serious, Kara had decided to stay out of sight for a little while. The Runaways so rarely got a chance to just be, to talk about things that didn’t really matter, and Kara didn’t want to take that away from them by forcing them into a serious conversation. Kara shouldn’t have been surprised that Lena knew she was there. They’d always had a sort of awareness of one another, Kara had never been able to sneak up on Lena.
“Anything happen on your sweep?” Maggie asked as Kara joined the kids on the ground instead of pulling up another chair.
“Got a cat out of a tree.” Kara said, continuing when Alex raised an eyebrow at her, “Yes, it was actually a cat this time.”
“Was it not a cat last time?” Nico asked, her voice falling somewhere between confused and amused.
“You’d be surprised what people name pet snakes.”
“Speaking of snakes,” Gert cleared her throat, both embarrassed and proud of her segway into the real topic of conversation, “our parents. Do we actually believe anything they said yesterday?”
“I think we have to,” Alex said, “at least partially.”
“He’s right,” Karolina agreed, “even if what they said about Jonah’s ship was a lie, we can’t dismiss it.”
“Even if Jonah did come here alone, getting the ship out will still trigger a giant earthquake.”
“That may or may not knock California into the ocean.” Nico reminded them. “We have to stop him.”
“Can we stop him?” Gert, ever the pessimist, asked. “I mean, last time we only got away because Karolina sacrificed herself.” Nico squeezed Karolina’s hand at the reminder. “Even then, we barely escaped.”
“Things are different now,” Karolina returned Nico’s squeeze with one of her own, “we had no idea what we we’re getting into last time. We’re more prepared now.”
“She’s right,” Chase nodded. “With Karo’s powers, the Staff and the Fistigons, we have a good chance of winning.”
“Don’t forget Molly,” Nico smiled at the youngest member of the team. “Now that she can use her powers without falling asleep right after, and she was no slouch before then.”
“And we aren’t alone this time.” Molly pointed out, looking over her shoulder at Alex, Maggie, Lena, and then to her left where Kara sat beside her.
“Right,” Nico nodded at Kara, “but powers and abilities don’t matter. Not yet, at least.”
“Before talking about all of that, we need to make a choice.” Karolina looked at each of her friends in turn. “Are we really going to fight against Jonah? Are you willing to go all in?”
“Don’t answer right away,” Kara said suddenly when Molly opened her mouth to respond. “Nico and Karolina are right, you have a decision to make here and it isn’t an easy choice. This is dangerous, you guys have already faced Jonah and lost, and payed the price for that. No one will be angry if you decide not to fight.”
The Runaways remained silent, contemplating what Kara said. They had faced Jonah and lost, and it nearly cost them Karolina. They had lost so much already, their parents, their homes. They lost the last years of their childhood, Molly more than anyone. Nico lost Amy.
“I’m fighting.” Karolina was the first to answer, which did not come as a surprise to any of the adults. “He’s already torn apart my family, I won’t lose anything else to him.” Karolina looked at Nico, “or anyone else.”
“We’re all fighting,” Nico spoke up several moments later, reading the expressions on her friend’s faces and seeing the determination there.
“Hell yeah we are.” Chase agreed quickly. “We’re a family remember? All of us.” He waved his arm in a wide circle, including his friends and the four adults in his statement. “We decided yesterday that this is what we are going to do. I haven’t changed my mind.”
“Me neither,” Gert turned her head as Old Lace approached the group from the garden, sitting behind her and Chase and resting her head on Gert’s shoulder. “O.L. is in, too.”
“Okay,” Alex nodded at the six teenagers. “If this is what you really want to do, we’ll help you however we can.” She rose from her chair. “I know you guys are ready to get started training again, but I need you to take the rest of the day off. Rest, relax as much as you can.”
“Where are you going?” Gert asked curiously as she stroked Old Lace’s snout.
“Kara and I are going to the DEO.”
“We are?” Kara corrected herself after her sister sent her a piercing glare. “We are.”
“We need to see if we have any new intel on your parents, if anything has changed now that Nico has the Staff.” Maggie eyed Alex, knowing there was something she had left out but not saying anything. The Runaways nodded and waved to Alex as she left. Kara got up a second later, leaning over and whispering something in Lena’s ear before taking to the sky again.
“So,” Alex said after a beat of silence. “Anyone up for Egyptian Ratscrew?”
“Not against you,” Gert scoffed as they began to get up and disperse. “There’s a reason we call you Ratscrew.”
“Oh come on, just one game.”
“What about Cards Against Humanity?” Chase suggested. “We could all use a laugh.”
“YES!” Molly cheered, looking at Gert with clear excitement written all over her face.
“Fine,” Gert agreed after poking her sister’s cheek. “You guys in?”
“Sure,” Nico shrugged slightly.
“You guys start without me,” Karolina said. “I’ll join up after I’ve had a shower. I smell like chlorine and the DEO.” Her nose crinkled in disgust as she looked at her rumbled sweatpants and t-shirt.
“Sounds good.” Lena and Maggie moved their chairs back to the porch like patio by the door as the Runaways headed inside.
“Alex is going to talk to J’onn about making this an official DEO operation, isn’t she?” Lena asked once she was sure the Runaways were out of earshot.
“I think so.” Maggie nodded. “Off the books, mostly for transportation and backup. Just in case things take a turn for the worse.”
“Do you think they will?”
“I’m not sure, based on what we know about their parents, I don’t think it will be any worse than it was yesterday. But we don’t know anything about Jonah, other than he’s related to Rainbow.” Maggie rubbed her hands on her jeans anxiously. “I’ve got to get to work but call me if anything happens.” Lena nodded, moving to the kitchen to clean up the breakfast dishes as Maggie continued through the rest of the Mansion to the front door. A chorus of ‘good-bye’ was shouted from the dinning room before the door closed.
“I thought you were going to play cards?” Karolina asked after Nico followed her up the stairs to their bedroom.
“I am, I just wanted to change out of my pajamas first.” Nico looked down at her clothes, blushing slightly when Karolina approached her and tugged lightly on the bottom of the shirt she wore.
“I thought I recognized this,” Karo said, leaning down to kiss Nico’s cheek and whisper in her ear, “you look good in my clothes.”
“I just wanted to feel close to you last night,” Nico admitted sheepishly, “I could barely sleep without you, but wearing this helped.”
“I’m glad,” Karolina slipped her arms around Nico’s waist, pulling her close. “How’s your arm?”
“It’s okay,” Nico’s words were mumbled against Karolina’s shoulder, “doesn’t really hurt anymore. I’ll check with Danvers tonight before taking off the sling.” Nico reached for Karolina’s arm, brushing a hand along her brace. “How long do you have to keep this on?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t really know how this whole accelerated healing thing works.” Karolina shrugged. “I’ll probably be okay by tonight.” Nico nodded against Karolina’s shoulder, feeling her arms flex around her and pulling her impossibly closer.
“I thought you were going to shower,” Nico said after Karolina held their embrace for a few moments longer than normal.
“I will,” Karolina rested her head against Nico’s. “Just, in a minute.” Nico pulled back slightly, looking up at Karolina.
“I’m really glad you’re okay.” Karolina smiled at her, leaning down and connecting their lips. Nico’s good arm rose so she could cup the back of Karolina’s neck with her hand. She pressed closer, feeling Karolina’s hand spread across the small of her back to hold her in place. This kiss was different than the one they shared the day before, at the DEO. That one was meant to comfort each other, to help one another breathe and process what had happened. This kiss was deeper, an expression of devotion to one another and relief that they were both safe and together in the same breath.
They stayed close together after pulling their lips apart, eyes closed and foreheads resting together. Karolina could feel Nico’s fingers twisting in her hair and couldn’t help the smile that spread across her lips. Nico kissed her again before pulling back completely.
“I’ll see you downstairs in a bit?” She asked while the two rummaged through their shared closet for something to wear that wasn’t pajamas or sweat pants.
“Of course.” Karolina kissed Nico’s nose once they were face to face again. “Don’t play the good cards until I get there.”
“I make no promises.” Nico chuckled, undoing the strap on her sling to take it off so she could change tops. “Go shower before I start complaining about how you smell.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” Karolina teased but did as told after brushing her lips against Nico’s again. Nico watched her go with a fond smile, shaking herself out of her daze and changing into her chosen outfit after she heard the shower come on. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail but decided to not wear her usual makeup and left the room feeling much lighter than she had that morning.
Karolina joined the card game soon after Nico, wet hair pulled into a side braid and dressed comfortably in jeans and simple tank-top. She greeted Nico with a kiss as she sat down beside her, accepting the handful of cards Alex slid her way and easily integrating herself into the conversation. Lena listened from the kitchen where she was fixing a small lunch for everyone.
“I’m glad they’re relaxing,” Kara said as she entered. “I wasn’t sure they’d listen to Alex.” Lena wasn’t surprised by her presence.
“I’m not sure relaxing is what they’re doing,” Lena didn’t turn from the vegetables she was cutting, “more like distracting themselves.”
“Whatever works I guess.” Kara waited until Lena had set the knife she was using to chop vegetables back onto the counter before stepping closer. “Lena?”
Lena felt Kara coming closer, the hand placed gently on her arm. She turned, pausing as she caught sight of Kara. Kara wasn’t wearing her suit like Lena expected, instead she was dressed for her day job, just absent her glasses and with her hair down instead of half-up. “Lena, I know there’s something wrong. Please, talk to me.”
For a second, Lena hates how well Kara knows her. Kara’s been able to see right through Lena since they day they met, and it’s only gotten easier for Kara they better they’ve gotten know each other. Lena’s never been good at lying to Kara.
“It’s nothing.”
“I know that’s not true.” Kara takes a step back, her eyes widening slightly. “Is it me?” She looks so hurt, destroyed at the thought that she’s the one causing Lena any pain.
“No, Kara, of course not.” Lena can’t stop herself from closing the distance between the two of them, gripping Kara’s arms.
“Then what is it?” Kara’s hands clenched at her sides. “You’ve been distant since we got home last night. I can’t help but think that I did something wrong.”
“No, you didn’t. I promise, Kara.” Lena’s hands found Kara’s, uncurling her fingers and linking them together with her own. “If anyone did something wrong it’s me. I kissed you, after all.”
“Why would that be wrong?” Kara’s brow furrowed in confusion. “I kissed you back.”
“I know, I know you did.” The memory of Kara’s lips against hers had kept Lena awake for most of the night. “Kara, we can’t, this can’t change anything between us.” Her conversation with Maggie earlier rings in her ears, telling her to let things between her and Kara happen as they may but Lena can’t let go of her fear that she’s going to ruin anything.
“What do you mean?”
“I can’t be more than friends with you Kara. Not right now.” Maybe not ever.
“I don’t understand, I thought we could – that you wanted too,” Kara cuts herself off, pulling her hand out of Lena’s and taking a step back. She swallows against the emotion in her throat, moving her hands out of the way when Lena tries to take them again.
“Kara, I’m sorry.” There’s so much more Lena wants to say, thousands of declarations balancing in the tip of her tongue. You’re right. I want too. I want you, more than anything. But it isn’t that simple. Lena can feel her heart breaking in tandem with Kara’s. “We can’t.” I can’t. There’s too much at risk.
“Can’t or won’t?” Kara’s question is harsh, but her voice is the opposite. She’s fighting against the tears that want to fall from her eyes, a deep understanding brewing behind the blue of her eyes. “I know you, Lena. I know when you want something but you’re too afraid to reach for it.”
“Kara,” Lena breaks off, unsure what she even wanted to say. Kara’s back in her personal space, hands lifting to cup Lena’s cheeks as tears stream down her own. Lena wants to tell her that she is scared, and not brave enough to reach for what she wants. She wants to explain how she’s terrified to lose Kara, that thought of not having Kara in her life is worse than having Kara there, just out of reach. That she’s gained so much since she met Kara, more than Lena thought she deserved. That Lena’s terrified she’s going to lose her family and she can’t go through that again.
“I’m here, Lena. I’m not going anywhere.” Kara’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Whenever you’re ready, I’ll be here.”
The sob Lena can feel rising in her chest is silenced by Kara’s lips pressing gently against her forehead. Lena swallows thickly as Kara’s lips linger, her eyes falling shut and hands that desperately want to hold onto Kara and never let her go staying stationary at her sides.
“I promise.” Kara’s words are whispered against Lena’s skin before the pressure disappears.
When Lena opens her eyes, she’s alone in the kitchen. She can hear the laughter of the Runaways drifting in from the dining room. The back door is open, Lena catches a glimpse of Old Lace as she looks up from whatever she had been chasing through the bushes. Lena jumps slightly when she hears the sonic boom Kara releases as she flies away from the Mansion. The conversation in the dining room stalls, the teenagers wondering what made Kara rush off so quickly. They seem to shrug it off, Lena can hear Gert teasing Chase about a card.
Lena returns to the meal she had been preparing, feeling as if the world was tilted sideways without the hope of things ever looking right again.