Hurts Like Heaven

Chapter 13 - Gotta Kiss Myself, I'm So Pretty

***CONNER***

As fun as it is to see Barry meet up with his family again, I wind up having to leave the room for some air after a while. Anxiety hits me hard sometimes when I'm meeting new people, and I guess after this many new people in a day or two, more than any I've ever met in my entire life, it's a little overwhelming. Even for an alien, supposedly better than any old human. But mental health issues aren't limited to humans. Something a lot of people are quick to forget. Like the Luthors, say. People quick to dehumanize others.

Okay, let me get the Luthors off my mind. Think instead of how beautiful all my new friends are. Beautiful not just in body, but in soul as well. A beauty that, maybe, just maybe, can rub off a bit on me. Not that I'm not a handsome guy, but having a support system for the first time in my life, there's nothing like that feeling.

I'm still thinking about that moment when I saw Barry and Diana coming to bust me out of that Luthor truck on Earth-2. That was the first moment I realized I had people on my side to help me out when the going got rough. Even knowing that I was with friends on the whole mission up to that point, that was the point of realization for me. And now that I've had a moment or two to process it, I think I can take on a hell of a lot worse than incompetent Luthor lackeys. They only would've beaten me because of the kryptonite they had on hand, because they're afraid of a fair fight. A fight in which I would've demolished them singlehandedly.

But seriously, why is it taking this long for me to talk about this? And at length. And not out loud with anyone, even Clark or Kara. Especially Kara.

"Something wrong?"

It's as if Kara read my thoughts, the way she comes up to me with a look of concern on her face. Like she always does. Except when she's smiling at me with pride in her blood. But this isn't one of those times.

"Just..." I search my mind for a good excuse. "Trying to get my bearings again. I mean, it's like walking into a mirror, going between the Earths. Except-"

"Except you can't tell which is real and which is the mirror 'cause they both look exactly the same?" Kara supplies.

"I got that problem too," Clark says. "Probably because it's my first time crossing through...what did Cisco call them? Breaches?"

Diana snickers into her hand. "Sorry," she says. "I just...when I was first learning English, I learned the homophone for that one first-"

"You learned English?" Clark asks, bemused. "I thought you were blessed with the gift of tongues or something."

"English," Diana says huffily, "isn't a tongue so much as a language spoken through gritted teeth. Unless we're using my tongue to speak it." She winks at him. "Where was I before you...oh yes. Breech. Or, more accurately, 'breeches.' My first experience with that word, so when I first heard of military types giving the orders to 'breach' a wall..." She snickers again, not even trying to hide it behind her hand this time. "Let's just say I almost tanked that particular mission and leave it at that."

"I'd hate to be there for your first time hearing about a 'debriefing,'" I say.

"I may be long-lived," Diana says, "but when much of that life was spent not leaving home...well, you can't blame me for having a certain immature streak."

Clark opens his mouth like he's about to contradict her, but he doesn't, in the end. Thinking better of it, I'm guessing. As he should. I know this how again? Given my lack of relationship experience and all.

As for Diana, she looks like she's ready to say a little more, but then her phone rings. "I'm sorry," she says, backing away slowly as she picks her phone out of her bag. "This is...yeah, I have to take this."

"Who is it?" I ask Clark as Diana walks away.

He cocks his head so he can listen to her better. I do the same, but I can't catch much I can understand, because Diana's not speaking English. One word, however, jumps out to me. A name: "Donna."

"Oh," Clark says. "Her sister."

"She has a sister?" I turn to Kara. "Did you know she had a sister?"

"Well, yeah, but only 'cause I've known her longer."

"True." I muse on the thought of Diana's sister joining us, then ask if that could happen. In response, Clark and Kara both guffaw loudly enough to shake the roof. "What?" I ask, feeling more than a bit stung.

"You don't even know her and you wanna ask her out?" Kara asks.

"What makes you say that?"

"The way you're blushing!"

"Yeah," Clark says, wiping joyful tears from his eyes. "Plus, I was a Kryptonian boy once too. I know how we operate."

"Were you a bi kryptonian boy?" I ask.

Clark wipes more tears, then shakes his head. "Touché."

"Humans are so screwed up about sexuality," Kara says.

"Oh, don't act more enlightened just 'cause your sister's gay," Clark counters.

I wander off for a bit, leaving them to their argument. Instead of hearing that, I put on my music again, noting as I do so that the battery's running a little bit low. Note to self: as soon as I get back to National City, I'll have to give this back to Alex.

Huh. Didn't know she was gay. But that's cool. Another great thing about getting to play with the big boys and girls of my cousin's team - there's room for a wide range of sexual and gender identities around here. Not like with the Luthors, who would've had me believe that queerness just plain didn't exist.

Yeah, no, there won't be any more Luthor intrusions in my mind today.

Just the music.

And thoughts of how much Diana's sister must be as awesome as Diana herself.

And, yes, how silly I am that in my head, I'm already planning a double wedding between the two El brothers and the two Themysciran sisters.