Next of Kin - SuperCorp

Next of Kin Part 28 - You Are My Moon

  Sitting side-by-side on Lena's hospital bed, Kara explored each of the knuckles on one of Lena's hands with one careful fingertip. She traced gentle circles; just enough pressure applied not to tickle, enough to say 'I'm here. You're not alone. Connect with me.' It's meant to be comforting, and it is to an extent, though Lena's countenance still seems to radiate an aura like pricks on a cactus, unwelcoming and dangerous. It's something the CEO generally saves for boardrooms and less welcome members of the press.

"You're sure you're up for doing this right now?" Kara asked Lena, watching the tension around the other woman's eyes, around the other woman's everything.

"Apparently, I was fine, never in any danger. Why am I more upset to find out my mother had no intention of killing me than that she was trying to kill me?" It was the kind of thing she couldn't have said to anyone else in this world, an unfiltered truth, but Kara knew Lena at this point. Lena didn't share other thoughts. She didn't share how Lillian would likely mock her for being upset. After all, Lena had finally done something right, had finally made herself useful. She was a pawn to be used against one of the most powerful beings on the planet. Lillian probably thought they should celebrate.

"Hey, come here," Kara said seeming to sense Lena's unease and gently urging the other woman's head onto her shoulder. "Maybe you're upset because you think your mother is messing with you?"

"Definitely," Lena agreed. "Well, more so because I'm worried she's messing with you."

"With me?"

Lena nodded into blonde hair, soft and oddly warm. "You'll think I'm not in any danger. My mother loves me and wouldn't kill me. So perhaps the next time you have people in danger and can't save everyone, you leave me off the list of those to save. Then when you find my body, what would that do to you, Kara?"

Kara pulled away, a tremble beginning to travel through her body as she stared Lena, unable to respond.

"I probably shouldn't have said anything. Just forget I said that," Lena said, patting Kara's hand. "Would you like to make that call now?"

"No, I'd like to eat a gallon of ice cream, curl up with a nice musical, and cry myself to sleep," Kara replied, trying to curl into Lena's lap.

Gentling Kara into an upright position again because there was no way she could force the blonde to do anything, Lena kissed Kara's cheek and replied, "You're welcome to go home and do that if you'd like. I'll be fine, and we can do this tomorrow."

Curling into Lena's shoulder with a nuzzle, Kara said, "No. If we're always hiding from your mother, we'll always be hiding. There will always be someone or something trying to kill one of us. You get that, right?"

"I do. This thing, this us, it will be incredibly difficult. Us in a relationship is one of the...it's hard, Kara. Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"Uh, am I ready for it?" Kara asked mockingly. "I carried Ft. Roz into space. That's a giant spaceship, more like a space station. You ever carry an entire space station, Ms. Luthor?"

"No, but I did create another life. I expect that was just as difficult."

Kara smiled, kissing Lena gently. "Well then, it sounds like we're qualified."

"Eminently qualified," Lena agreed.

Grabbing the tablet, Kara handed it over to Lena. "I'm glad you're vertical for this now. It makes things better."

"Don't like me horizontal?" Lena asked, one eyebrow raised and a curve to her lips. She caught Kara's stare, and the smile fell from her lips. "Sorry. That was—"