Family Dynamics
“Okay, does anyone know what happened between Kara and Lena?” Gert asked softly as the Runaways gathered around the table in the Mansion’s backyard for a water break. They’d officially been training to face Jonah for three days, after taking a day off to recover from what happened in LA and the decision to face off against Jonah again. “They’ve been weird for days.”
“I have no idea,” Chase looked over Gert’s shoulder at the two women in question, who were standing on the other end of the yard with two feet of space between them, completely silent. “It’s weird right?”
“They’ve never been like this,” Nico remarked, moving her shoulder experimentally. Karolina sent her a concerned frown. Nico had only been cleared for training that morning, Alex wanted to make sure her shoulder was healed before letting Nico join the others. Thanks to Karolina’s speed healing abilities, she had been able to start training right away. “It’s almost like they…”
“Almost like they what?” Alex asked. Nico’s eyes had widened slightly, a smirk forming on her lips.
“Nothing, don’t worry about it.” Nico pointedly ignored her friend’s stares by taking a long drink of her water. She caught Karolina’s eye as she set her bottle down, answering her unspoken question with a promise to tell her later. “We’re working with powers next, right?”
“Yeah,” Karolina took Nico’s hand and tangled their fingers together. “Kara said something about expecting rain later day, otherwise we’d wait until this evening after Kara does her last sweep of the city.”
“I think Lena’s excited to see what the Staff can do.” Alex noted, glancing over to where the Staff of One rested with Chase’s Fistigons on one of the chairs. “As a scientist, I bet her curiosity is driving her up the wall.”
“Except it’s not science. It’s magic.”
“Magic isn’t real, Nico.”
“Yeah, well aliens aren’t supposed to be real either, and I sleep with one of those every night.”
“That explains the lights,” Gert mumbled softly as Karolina blushed at the implications of Nico’s statement.
“TMI, dude.” Alex coughed. “I know we’re good and best friends and all, but I draw the line at hearing about your sex life.” He added a repulsed shiver for dramatic effect.
“It’s not like we can’t all see it.” Chase said, already bracing himself for the elbow to the side he’s going to receive from Gert when he continues, “Karolina’s not exactly subtle when she’s powered up. I’ve always assumed the brighter the lights, the more fun they’re having.”
“Think about their sex life a lot, do you?” Gert smiled satisfied when Chase winced from her elbow impacting his ribs.
“Hard to avoid when it looks like there’s a rave going on at the end of the hall every night.”
“Is that what you guys are doing down there?” Molly asked, receiving a mortified gasp from Karolina. “I guess that’s why you chose the room farthest away from all of us.”
“Okay, I don’t know what you guys are talking about, but I think you should stop before Rainbow over there spontaneously combusts.” Maggie’s voice interrupted the conversation as she and Alex entered the backyard.
As one, the Runaways turned their heads to look at the obviously flustered Karolina who refused to look any of them in the eyes.
“Aw, babe,” Nico pulled her closer by their joined hands. Karolina felt Nico lean against her and wrapped an arm around her waist, still looking away from the group. Nico stifled her laugh against Karolina’s shoulder. She loved it when Karolina got all flustered, especially when she was powered up and the lights around her face would grow brighter with her embarrassment. As if she could feel Karolina’s eyes on her, Old Lace lifted her head and moved her tail in the dinosaur’s approximation of a wave.
“How bright do you think she’d be glowing if she wasn’t wearing her bracelet?” Gert whispered to Chase. Chase took a moment to observe Karolina’s full-face blush before answering.
“Still not as bright as behind closed doors.”
“I heard that, asshole.” Karolina flipped Chase off as her skin tone finally returned to normal. Nico sent the group a short glare that silently told them to back off. She knew the teasing was all in good fun but she didn’t want anyone to take it too far, especially since she and Karolina hadn’t gotten any further than taking shirts off and skirting beneath bras. “Anyway, since Alex and Maggie are here, I guess we’re stopping for lunch now.”
“Great, I’m starving.” Molly wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand.
“You guys head into the kitchen, I’ll get Kara and Lena,” Alex directed the kids into the kitchen with Maggie as she walked over to her sister.
“Do you know what happened between them?” Chase asked Maggie as they walked.
“Who said anything happened?” Maggie evaded the question, but she had a feeling she wouldn’t get away with that for long.
“No one, it’s just something we noticed. They’ve been weird for a few days now. Not really talking and Kara keeps bolting out of here after we leave her with Lena, like she doesn’t want to be alone around her.”
“Maybe they had an argument.” Karolina suggested. “Friends fight all the time. It’s normal.”
“You don’t think it’s about us, do you? Did we do something wrong?”
“No, absolutely not.” Maggie’s tone left no room for argument, but the Runaways still looked worried. “Bruiser, I promise. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Are you sure?” Chase asked nervously. He had picked up on the tension between Kara and Lena, how they were trying to act like nothing was wrong and walking on eggshells around one another. Chase hated to admit it, but the atmosphere was similar to how it felt when he was with his parents, when he and his mom were trying their best to not set Victor off.
“I’m positive.” Maggie saw how troubled the kids were, especially the nervous lilt in Chase’s voice that told Maggie there was something Chase was hiding, and made a silent vow to talk to Kara and Lena. The teenagers didn’t need to suffer because Kara and Lena couldn’t figure their shit out. “Now, Danvers and I brought pizza for lunch. Thought you guys could use a break from sandwiches.”
“Yes!” Molly cheered and made a beeline for the large stack of pizza boxes sitting on the island in the kitchen. Maggie chuckled and settled in a chair at the table towards the back of the kitchen to wait for her turn at the pizza buffet. Karolina grabbed plates for everyone and set the remaining plates down next to the first box once the other five teenagers had theirs.
“Yes, pizza!” Kara echoed Molly’s cheer as she entered the kitchen with her sister and Lena. Kara started to move towards the pizza, stopped, and then gestured for the other three women to go before her. Kara had gotten in the habit of serving herself last, since she needed so much more food than everyone else – although Karolina came closer and closer the more she used her powers, same with Molly. Plates stacked high with pizza, the large group moved into the dining room and claimed seats around the table.
Conversation flowed easily through the group, moving from one topic to another and back with a kind of ease and comfort that can only come from spending lots of time together. There’s occasionally breaks in the flow when two or three people carry on with one conversation while the rest of the table moves on to another. Bits of cheese and crust are flicked across the table in response to a teasing remark and the whole table groans at every cheesy comment made. Gert pretends to gag when Nico steals a kiss from Karolina, Nico returns the favor when Chase kisses Gert’s cheek. Molly and Alex roll their eyes at both couples and keep talking about video games. The four adults at the table try to keep too much food from being thrown and discuss Maggie and Alex’s upcoming wedding. It’s unlike anything Lena had ever experienced until these six kids came into her life, in the best way, but she can’t really enjoy it. She knows the smile she has painted across her lips doesn’t reach her eyes and she prays no one has noticed. Maggie catches her eye, and Lena knows she’s caught from the look in her eyes.
“Lena, Kara can I talk to you for a sec? We should discuss how power training is going to go today since we have to test Nico.” Maggie watches as Kara and Lena stand from the table, directing them into the kitchen with a wave of her hand. Alex looks at her fiancée curiously, but Maggie doesn’t say anything.
“Mags?” Alex asks when Maggie turns to leave as well. Maggie turns back to her and shakes her head slightly, indicating that Alex should stay with the kids. Alex frowns but doesn’t make a move to get out of her seat. Instead she turns back to the Runaways and tries to get the conversation back on track.
“Outside, now.” Maggie can see that both Kara and Lena are confused at the tone she uses with them, but Maggie can’t find it in herself to care. She pointedly raises her eyebrows when neither woman makes an effort to leave the kitchen which prompts them to move. Maggie doesn’t want to have this conversation where they can be overheard.
“Maggie, what’s going on?” Kara asks, her tone matching the one Maggie had used before. Kara’s never been fond of taking orders from anyone other than her sister, especially when such hostility seems to come out of the blue.
“Don’t.” Maggie holds her hand up to stop Kara from speaking. “I don’t care what you have to say. There’s something we need to talk about and both of you are going to shut up and listen to me. Don’t try it, Kara.” Maggie crosses her arms over her chest and glares at Kara when she opens her mouth to speak.
“What’s this about?” Lena asks in a plactating tone. She doesn’t appreciate Maggie’s tone either, but she knows her well enough to know she wouldn’t have pulled them all the way outside if it wasn’t important.
“This is about the Runaways, and the two of you,” Maggie waits for a second to gauge their reactions before continuing. “I don’t know what happened between the two of you, but I know that something did. Don’t try to deny it. You two have been walking on eggshells around each other since we brought Karolina home from the DEO. Normally, I wouldn’t care. You’re adults and you can figure your own shit out in your own time.”
Maggie can see the question forming in Lena’s eyes and continues before she can voice it, “but whatever happened between you, whatever is causing this issue, it’s affecting the kids. They know you’re being weird around each other and it’s making them nervous. They think you’re fighting about them. Molly asked me if they had done something wrong.”
“Of course not! Why would they think that?” Kara looks appalled at the notion of any of those kids thinking she or Lena are upset with them.
“Because they came here already confused and emotional about the adults in their lives, and now you guys might be acting the same way?” The question is rhetorical and Maggie continues before Lena or Kara can speak. “You saw how scared they were when they got here. Don’t you remember how they didn’t want to trust us? Karolina was so scared she lost control of her powers and almost hurt herself. Nico and Alex were constantly at each other’s throats, Gert had several anxiety attacks our first few days here, and Molly was scared to sleep alone for the first two weeks. Don’t even get me started on Chase flinching away from Kara when he broke a coffee mug. Do I need to remind you that we decided to wait to bring Winn here or even tell James about the Runaways for more than just safety reasons?”
“I know you’re not doing it intentionally, but you’re hurting these kids. And I know that’s the last thing either of you want to do.” Maggie uncrossed her arms and took a deep breath. “We promised to help them, and we can’t do that if they don’t trust us. They’re already terrified and they have the weight of the world on their shoulders. They don’t need to worry about whatever is going between the two of you on top of everything else.”
“Maggie, we…” Kara trailed off, unsure how to continue as she and Lena made eye contact for the first time in days. “We had no idea. We’re sorry.”
“I’m not the one you need to apologize too.” Maggie shook her head. “And they don’t want to hear it unless you truly mean it. I don’t care how long it takes, but don’t come back inside until the two of you have come to some sort of understanding. You don’t have to work everything out, but you can’t bring this tense atmosphere around the kids.” Maggie entered the Mansion, leaving Kara and Lena in the backyard in stunned silence.
“She’s right,” Lena said softly after a silence that lingered uncomfortably around them. She hated this disconnect between her and Kara, and she hated even more that it was her fault. If only she was braver, brave enough to love Kara the way she so desperately wanted to. Brave enough to risk this new family that she didn’t know was possible, risk the walls around her heart crashing down under the weight of happily ever after.
“I know.” Kara agrees as she watches the emotion play out in Lena’s eyes. She sees the heartbreak there, the fear and the longing all of which Kara knows are mirrored in her own eyes. “Lena,” Kara reaches for her hand slowly, not certain that Lena will let her take it. She’s surprised and pleased when Lena’s fingers curl around her own.
“It’s my fault, Kara. It’s all my fault.” Lena can feel the tears filling her eyes but she doesn’t have the will to blink them away. She feels Kara’s thumb rub against her knuckles.
“It’s our fault, both of us.” Kara sighed, “mine, really. I said I understood that you didn’t want this to go anywhere, and I do. I didn’t want you to feel like I was pressuring you into being with you when you don’t want too. I - I wasn’t sure where the line was so I decided to draw it myself, in the wrong place evidently.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to be with you, Kara.” Lena shook her head as she squeezed Kara’s hand. Taking a deep breath, Lena led Kara to the bench they had placed next to the sparring mats and they both sat. Lena angled her body to face Kara, their knees touching and hands still locked together.
“Then what is it?” Kara’s face was honest and open, just as it had always been when Lena looked at her. It was part of why Lena couldn’t look her in the eye last few days, she couldn’t bear to see such tenderness in Kara’s eyes while denying herself the chance to be with Kara.
“It’s that I do want to be with you, Kara, more than anything. This, what we have here,” Lena gestures vaguely around them, “it feels like a dream come true. This is the family I always wanted but that I know I don’t deserve.”
“Wait, why would you not deserve a family?” Kara asks, but fears she already knows the answer.
“What do I have to pass on but a life full of lies a deceit? A legacy of hate and a home built on manipulation, that’s what comes from loving a Luthor. Why would I be any different?” Not for the first time, Kara curses Lillian Luthor for poisoning the mind of the woman sitting beside her. Lena looks away from Kara and lets go of her hand.
“Lena,” Kara shifts so she’s straddling the bench with one hand on Lena’s back and the other on her thigh, “you are so different. You’re so much more than a Luthor. Look at everything you’ve done!”
“I haven’t done anything.”
“Lena you have saved the entire alien population of National City, not to mention the literal world. You gave six helpless kids a place to stay and food to eat and clothes to wear. You donate billions of dollars to children’s hospitals and cancer research. You trusted me and let me stay here even after I lied to you for an entire year.” Kara waited for some kind of reaction from Lena and, when none came, lifted her hand to cup Lena’s face so she could look in her eyes. “Lena, you are open and loving and have the biggest heart of anyone I know. You deserve to be loved.”
“No, Kara, I don’t.”
“If you don’t believe me, ask the kids.” Kara stated. “They know what it feels like to be around adults that they aren’t sure really care for them, and I can guarantee they have never felt that way when you’re around.”
“I’m so scared, Kara. If something happens, if something goes wrong, I’ll lose everything.” Lena closed her eyes as Kara’s thumb brushed across her cheek, gently wiping her tears away.
“You won’t lose anything, certainly not me.” Kara assured her. “I’m not going anywhere Lena, I promise and I won’t give up this family without a fight. I don’t care who or what tries to come between us. This is the family life I had to give up when I left Krypton. I won’t give it up again.”
“It won’t be easy,” Lena says softly and Kara can’t help but smile.
“No, but nothing that’s worth it ever is.” Kara strokes Lena’s cheek. “I want this, Lena, I want you. Even when things get tough and we have bad days. I want everything with you Lena, and I can wait until you’re ready for everything too.”
For the second time, Lena lurches forward and presses her lips against Kara’s, harder than she did at the DEO, desperate but soft. Kara kisses back, using the hand on Lena’s back to bring her closer. Lena tangles her fingers in Kara’s hair, stroking behind her ear when they separate and rest their foreheads together.
“I want everything, too.”
~
Maggie was happy to see conversation had returned to normal when she returned to the dining room. Ratscrew was trying to convince the other kids to add Star Wars to their ever-growing list of movies to watch, with some success. Molly didn’t get why they had to start with the fourth movie.
“Because it’s the first movie, Molls.”
“But it’s episode four. I haven’t even seen it and this series already makes no sense.”
“You’ve never seen Star Wars?” Chase asked, clearly surprised.
“Neither has Rainbow.”
“Yeah, well, she grew up in a cult so we won’t hold it against her.” Gert smiled playfully when Karo flicked a piece of crust at her. “But I know I’ve watched Star Wars with you before.”
“Maybe she fell asleep,” Nico shrugged slightly as she shifted in her seat to lean further into Karolina, using their joined hands to wrap Karolina’s arm around her shoulders and resting her head on Karo’s shoulder. Karolina smiled slightly and kissed the top of Nico’s head.
“So not only does it make no sense, it’s boring too.” Molly cheered, clearly thinking the argument over as Alex groaned, his head dropping onto the table with a loud thunk.
“Just wait until we watch Harry Potter and they start debating Hogwarts houses.” Maggie whispered in her fiance's ear as she reclaimed her seat. Alex turned to her as she snorted a laugh.
“Everything okay?” She kept her voice low so the kids wouldn’t notice.
“They’re working on it.” Maggie swooped in and stole a kiss. “Don’t worry.”
“You know, it’s super hot when you get all protective.” Alex whispered with a wink, chuckling against Maggie’s mouth as they kissed again. They only broke apart when the Runaways noticed them and started making a range of sounds, from fake retching to groans to coos, all directed at the engaged couple.
“I’m going to start throwing things at people making out around me.” Molly proclaimed loudly.
“I’ll help.” Wilder agreed as the rest of the table laughed.
“We should probably clean up. Kara wanted to work with our powers before the storm hit.” Karolina said, untangling her fingers from Nicos to gather up their plates. Nico grumbled as her pillow moved away but dutifully stood to help clean up. The others joined and the teasing conversation moved into the kitchen, where flicking bits of food at one another became Chase and Alex using a pizza box as a frisbee while Gert flicked water at anyone who put more dishes in the sink.
“Chase! Get over here and help! I’m not doing the dished just because I’m a woman.”
“Yes, dear.” Chase called, tossing the pizza box to Karolina as he moved over to his girlfriend. They continued in the same manner until Karolina missed the box thrown her way because she was looking out the backdoor.
“Babe?” Nico came up behind her and peaked over her shoulder to see what she was looking at. “Oh my god.”
“What? What’s going on?” Gert asked as she joined the girls with Chase close on her heels. “Molly, are you ready to throw something at people making out?”
“Who’s making out?” Molly asked, seeing all couples in the house currently standing close together but thankfully keeping the PDA to minimum.
“Kara and Lena.”
“What?” Alex rushed over the kids and looked out the door only to see her sister and Lena sitting on the bench next to the mats, lips locked together. “Someone please throw something at them.”
“Wait, hold on a second.” Gert closed her eyes for a moment, searching for her link with Old Lace. Feeling her companion agree with her plan and get into position, Gert motioned for her sister to come closer. Karolina silently pulled the door open as Molly stepped up, pizza box in one hand and awaiting her sister’s signal. “LACE, FETCH!”
Lena pulled away from Kara as she heard Gert’s yell, turing to see Molly, eyes glowing, hurl a pizza box directly at them. Kara stood from the bench and caught the box in one hand.
“What is happ - oof!” Kara’s sentence was cut off as Old Lace came barreling out of the garden behind the bench, leaping over the wooden platform and gracefully tackling Kara without hitting Lena at all. “Gert, call her off!” Kara called out over the laughter of everyone else as Old Lace proceeded to lap at Kara’s face like an overgrown, scaly, golden retriever.
“Good girl, Lace!” Gert cheered, telling Lace to let Kara go whenever she wanted. Lace continued to lick at Kara’s face but allowed the Kryptonian to push her off of her body. Kara huffed as she climbed to her knees, laughing as Lace rolled over like a puppy wanting a belly rub.
“Yeah, good girl, Lace,” Kara chuckled, looking up at Lena. “You okay?”
“I’m perfect.” Lena smiled back as the rest of the family walked over.
“So,” Molly started as Kara offered Lena her hand once she was done petting Lace, “is this officially happening?”
“Yeah, it is.” Lena answered, squeezing Kara’s hand.
“Does that mean I win?” Chase asked with a shit-eating grin.
“What’s today’s date?” Karolina asked, frowning when Maggie answered. “You weren’t exactly on but you’re closer than the rest of us.”
“So I do win,” Chase smirked, “no more dishes for me.”
“Lace, get him!” Everyone laughed as Old Lace obediently chased Chase through the garden until he managed to distract her with an indestructible frisbee.
~
There was noticeably less tension in the air once they started training again, and noticeably more heart eyes, and all the kids breathed a sigh of relief. Kara and Lena apologized for making them feel uncomfortable and promised that they had never been upset with them. Molly repeated her threat to throw something at any couple she caught making out, Alex again offering his assistance, before they finally got back to work.
“Okay, Nico, let’s see what this thing can do,” Lena directed Nico to extend the Staff and watched closely as it activated. “You said it’s blood activated?”
“It pricks my finger every time I use it.” Nico supplied, holding the Staff of One out from her body so Lena could see it.
“May I?”
“I’m actually not sure,” Nico continued after seeing Lena’s curious frown, “Ratscrew tried to grab it from me once and it burned him. I’m not sure it likes it when other people touch it.”
“Okay,” Lena blinked, “so what have you been able to do with it?”
“I made it snow in my mom’s office the first time I used it, but I don’t know how.”
“What was happening at the time?” Lena asked.
“I was looking for something and I found a snowflake, you know, like the ones kids make by cutting shapes out of paper. It was one that Amy had made, years ago.” Nico’s eyes took on a glazed quality as she thought back to that day. Her joy of finding Amy’s diary, her sorrow as she remembered all that she had lost, and the melancholy feeling of looking back on the good times she shared with her sister knowing there would never be another.
Lena watched as the black ring perched atop the Staff started to glow golden, a faint buzzing noise reaching her ears. Nico appeared to have not noticed, her eyes still looking far away, as small flurries of white landed in her and Lena’s shoulders. Lena watched, transfixed, as snow fell from seemingly nowhere and covered the ground around them in neat circle.
“Nico?” She questioned softly and watched closely for any change to the Staff of the snow around them.
“What? Sorry,” Nico apologized as she came back to the present, “I did it again?”
“It looks that way.” Lena smiled at her reassuringly. “You said before that Tina worked with you a little. What did she say?”
“Not much, really, just the Staff is powerful and I could do great things with it if I can control it.” Nico shrugged. “She told me I could make anything I want happen, so I made it so she couldn’t speak.”
“Nicely done,” Lena chuckled lightly. “So it reacts to what you’re feeling? Or thinking about?”
“I guess so,” Nico frowned thoughtfully as she recalled the events that transpired in LA four days ago. “My mom used commands, verbal ones. That’s how she made the pool freeze over.”
“Have you tried any of those?” Lena nodded when Nico indicated that she hadn’t. “Ratscrew said you used it in LA to help you guys escape.”
“I made them freeze in place, all of our parents, but I don’t know how. I don’t remember saying or thinking anything like that.”
“Okay, don’t worry,” Lena touched her shoulder reassuringly. “The great thing about science is we can test it. We’ll figure out how the Staff works, Nico, I promise.”
“Even though it’s magic and not science?” Nico smirked.
Lena shrugged, “magic is just science we can’t explain.” Lena looked up to the sky, watching the great dark clouds in the distance inch closer. “We still have some time, let’s test verbal commands.”
“Great. How?”
“First, do you think you can make it stop snowing?”
“Oh, uh…” Nico looked at the half-inch of snow that had gathered around them. “Stop snowing!” The Staff pulsed once in her hand and the snow stopped falling at the same time the Staff stopped glowing. “Now what?”
“Well…” Lena hummed and then let out a sharp whistle. Around the backyard, the others paused in their movements. Molly and Wilder looked up from where they were discussing adding more weight to Molly’s bench press, Maggie and Danvers paused in their efforts to show Gert how to flip someone over their shoulder, Karolina dropped down from the pull up bar next to Chase who had been counting her reps for her and Kara handed her the tank top Karolina had discarded earlier when she had done crunches hanging upside down. They all looked at Lena expectantly.
“We’re gonna test Nico’s Staff, so let’s make some room.” Lena directed the group to move out the way, just in case. She didn’t expect the Staff to react badly to what she had planned, but it was better safe than sorry. Considering they were dealing with an unknown possibly mystical item with what could possibly be unlimited power, Lena felt it was appropriate to err of the side of caution. “Bruiser, can you grab some empty pizza boxes for me?”
“What are we doing?” Nico asked, making a conscious effort to keep focused on the task at hand and not on the still shirtless Karolina making her way over to them.
“Field test,” Lena answered, “you stopped your parents from moving without using a command, so we’re going to see if you can do the same verbally. Thanks, Molls.” Lena asked Molly if she’d like to throw the boxes for Nico to freeze, since she seemed to enjoy throwing things so much.
“Let’s do this.” Molly agreed easily and stepped up, box in hand, awaiting the signal from Lena.
Lena made sure the group was assembled behind her, Nico and Molly before signaling for Molly to toss the box.
“Freeze!” Nico commanded as the box soared through the air. It landed with a dull thunk. Lena looked at the ring of the Staff, noting that it was no longer glowing. “Well, that was exciting.” Nico deadpanned but Lena could hear the disappointment in her voice.
“That’s why we have more than one box. Try again.” Nico did so, same result. Nico shoulders tensed and she clenched her jaw at her second failure. Karolina looked like she wanted to move closer to Nico, but Kara stopped her after seeing Lena shake her head. “One more time. Don’t think, just feel.”
Nico closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She could hear the wind pick up as the storm moved closer. She could feel Karolina’s presence, a hair closer than the rest of the group, behind her. Karolina reminded her of what happened the last time Nico tried to use the Staff, the sound of Karolina’s arm snapping in half and her pain-filled whimpers. Nico never wanted to hear that again.
Steeling herself, Nico opened her eyes and nodded to Lena. Molly threw the box in the air.
“STOP!” The Staff lit up at Nico’s command and the box froze in mid-air, immovable even in the rising winds. A cheer rose up from behind Nico and she couldn’t help but feel a little bit of pride. She hadn’t done anything impressive, it was just a pizza box, but her family cheered her on anyway.
“Great job,” Lena told her, pulling Nico into a hug which Nico returned warmly. They’d come so far in such little time.
“Thank you.” Nico said into Lena’s ear, her tone giving away more than the words. Lena nodded and squeezed Nico again before releasing her.
“Still say magic doesn’t exist, Wilder?” Nico turned to her friends with a wide smile.
“Bite me, Nyx.” Alex rolled his eyes at his best friend and then frowned as the wind picked up again.
“I think we should head inside before the rain hits.” Maggie said, a rumble of thunder in the distance echoing her sentiment. The group voiced their agreement and started to head for the door until only Nico and Karolina remained in the backyard.
Nico looked up at the still frozen pizza box, her smile growing wider as familiar arms slipped around her waist and pulled her into a warm, slightly sweaty body. Karolina kissed her temple softly.
“You okay?”
Nico hummed in response, turning in the circle of Karolina’s arms and lifting one hand to grip Karolina’s waist. “Yeah, just kinda proud of myself, for getting the Staff to work.”
“You should be,” Karolina kissed her nose, “I’m proud of you.” Nico smiled against Karolina’s lips as they pressed against her own. Her ears registered another rumble of thunder, louder than the last one and indicating that the storm would start at any moment but Nico didn’t care. She had Karolina in her arms, safe and sound. Her family was waiting for them in the house. They were one step closer to stopping Jonah.
Karolina pulled back as the rain started to fall around them, laughing as she tipped her head back and the water splashed against her skin. Nico could feel the three words she desperately wanted to say burning the tip of her tongue with the desire to be said. She almost said them, had just started to open her mouth when an extraordinary thunderclap shook her to the core as the bottom dropped out of the storm. They were both soaked in seconds, Karolina giggling as Nico’s makeup smeared slightly under the heavy torrent.
“We should probably head inside.” Karolina said, kissing Nico again before ending their embrace and reaching for Nico’s hand. Nico powered the Staff down, the pizza box getting lost in the wind as the spell ended and allowed Kara to lead her inside.
“You two look like a pair of drowned rats.” Maggie laughed as the young couple entered the kitchen, soaking wet but looking happier than they had in awhile. “Go change before you make an even bigger puddle. We’ll start Harry Potter when you get back.”
Karolina and Nico walked out of the kitchen hand in hand as Maggie turned back to making enough popcorn for six teenagers, three adults and a Kryptonian. Laughing to herself, Maggie figured Karolina and Nico would be changed and settled in the den with the others long before she finished the popcorn.
“What’s so funny?” Alex asked as she joined Maggie after helping Lena and the kids pull out extra blankets and pillows for their semi-impromptu movie day. Alex wrapped her arms around Maggie’s waist from behind, pressing a kiss to her shoulder.
“Nothing, just thinking about how much popcorn we have to make.”
“You know,” Alex hummed, “there are ways to pass time while the popcorn cooks.” She punctuated her statement with a kiss behind Maggie’s ear, in a spot Alex knew made Maggie weak at the knees.
“That there are,” Maggie turned her head and connected their lips. She felt Alex’s smile as she kissed back, gently holding her waist. “I love you.”
“I love you.”
~
Karolina and Nico joined the others in the living room several minutes before Alex and Maggie came in with the popcorn, snuggling up together on of several large bean bags Lena had purchased for their movie nights. Chase tossed them a blanket before settling back into the bean bag he shared with Gert. Molly had claimed the third bean bag for herself so Wilder took one of the three couches in the room.
Kara and Lena curled together on the second couch, feeling strangely shy. It wasn’t the first time they had cuddled together for a movie, but it was the first time they did so as a couple. Kara found herself wondering where she should put her hands until Lena solved the problem by maneuvering Kara’s arm to wrap around her shoulders, lacing their fingers together and resting them against her stomach.
Once Maggie and Alex finished passing out popcorn they settled on third couch, Maggie using Alex’s thigh as a pillow while her fiance played with her hair as the movie began. Maggie made herself comfortable, knowing that if Alex kept playing with her hair she would fall asleep soon.
They watched the movie in almost silence, only breaking when Molly threw kernels of popcorn at any couple she felt was getting a little to comfortable during the movie. To no one’s surprise, Gert and Chase had the most popcorn thrown at them, at least until Nico gently nipped Karolina’s neck, her squeal and resulting blush making her skin glow, literally. They had to pause the movie to get their laughter under control.
They settle down after that and watch the movie without any more interruptions. It reminds Nico so much of the life she had before Amy passed. When a PRIDE meeting meant seeing her friends without having to worry about parental supervision, not witnessing a murder. The life she wants back, the easy friendship and family she lost with the death of her sister. Not for the first time, Nico realizes how much she cares about the other people in the room, and vows to do everything in her power to make sure they never lose each other again.