Next of Kin - SuperCorp

Next of Kin Part 15 -It Never Hurts Less, But It Hurts Less Often

Supergirl's first instinct was to disappear out of the room before Lena could even open her eyes again. Lena had blinked, looked at her through half-veiled eyes, smiled, closed those eyes again, and then called her Kara. Because Lena held her hand trapped, and moving would hurt the other woman, Kara/Supergirl couldn't flee. All she could do was lean back a bit and try to ignore the sound of blood rushing through her body, a lump in her throat so large that it must be her heart trying to escape the situation, and in her mind say the words, 'Oh, Rao. Oh, Rao. Oh, Rao.'

Finally screwing up her courage, and remembering this was an inevitable conclusion anyway, Supergirl said, "...ah... ah... Lena?"

Okay, so maybe there wasn't as much courage there as she'd hoped there would be. This last week plus had shown Kara she definitely preferred intergalactic invasions to interpersonal relationships. Perhaps it was more about experience. It was a sad commentary on her life that she'd had more intergalactic invasion experience than dating experience. She didn't think that fact would help her on a job resume or on match.com.

"Hmmm?" Those lazy blinks came again, lashes of jet and skin like fallen snow. As the fluttering increased to be replaced by a steady blink, and then open eyes, smiling lips curled under the hand pressed above them. Perfectly arched eyebrows shifted, pressing together as a fine crease appeared between them. Green eyes moved unceasingly, scanning the face across from her, both the familiarity and the unfamiliarity melded together in this instance as Lena's waking mind struggled to make sense of the image before her. Then that gaze slid away from the face and down the body of the person she was seeing. She took in the blue sleeves and that unique... no, the symbol on this person's chest wasn't singular as there was one other who flew through the sky while emblazoned with this crest. So it was a rare motif that was embossed upon her torso. "Oh."

"Lena, you said—"

"Supergirl," Lena said, abruptly letting go of the blonde's hand as she turned her face away. "I... apologize. I fear I'm getting rather used to seeing someone else in that chair when I open my eyes. I hadn't meant to be so familiar with you."

Supergirl's smile never reached her eyes, and she was surprised that instead of feeling relief, she felt disappointment. Were Lena to come to this realization on her own, then it would be one fewer lie between them, one fewer anything between them. Kara had been using Lena's injury as an excuse not to reveal this truth, but this moment could have eliminated Kara's guilt at Lena's knowing.

Supergirl kicked the footrest down and pulled up the back of the chair, turning it so that she faced Lena. Reaching out and taking the other woman's hand in her own, Supergirl tugged it gently until Lena met her gaze again. "How are you?"

"I'm well and you?" Lena replied

The formality surprised Supergirl. It was something that hadn't been present in days, but then again, neither had she been. Perhaps nothing had changed here. Perhaps what had changed was Lena's behavior around Kara.

"You're well? Lena, you've been shot. You're..." Supergirl paused, looking for the best way to put the information she should have. "You're recovering."

"I am," Lena agreed. "I understand you were responsible for laying the smack down on those responsible for my condition."

"I'm sorry." Pulling back her hand and placing her elbows on her knees, Supergirl leaned forward. "Did you just say, 'laying the smack down?'"

"Hmmm. I've heard it in use, and I was trying it out. Perhaps never again?"

"Please no," Supergirl agreed, this time her smile real. "You frightened a lot of people, you know."