[SuperCorp] Ascendio [Finished]

The golden boy

Are you guys liking the book so far? Plus I fell today because I saw this really cute girl I'm so dumb💕😂

Lex's fever didn't break for six days.

Madame M'orzz tried every potion in her store cabinet, but his temperature refused to come down. The healer's diagnosis was that he was overworked and under-rested, and it probably wouldn't hurt for him to eat some vegetables. Rest, relaxation, and time were prescribed for his recovery.

Lena was at his bedside whenever she had a spare moment. Between classes, before mealtimes, and every evening right up until visiting hours were over. She'd bring her homework, or sometimes she would just sit by him, looking him over with her hand tentatively slipped into his.

As Lex gradually healed, so did their relationship. Slowly, tentatively. Kara was happy for Lena, she really was, but still. She wasn't ready to speak to him. When she thought of Lex, she thought of the boy who had put her under the full body bind curse in a store closet, the boy who spat venomous words at her and her friend's in a drunken haze, the boy who thought she wasn't good enough for his sister. She didn't know the caring version of Lex Lena spoke about, so she kept her distance. Let Lena navigate how she was going to rebuild a relationship with him as she saw best.

When Lex was properly awake, Lena and Lex played chess together, and Lena would coax him into eating hearty soups with plenty of vegetables.

"Honestly, he's worse than you, Kara," Lena commiserated one night at dinner.

"I guess our mutual dislike of healthy food is one thing we have in common," Kara mused as she dug into an overflowing bowl of spaghetti. "Is he doing any better?"

Lena sighed wearily, rubbing at her eye. Worrying about Lex was exhausting her, and it was starting to show.

"His temperature is still high, but he's awake more and eating, so...that's a good sign," Lena said with a smile that flitted and faded, like it took too much energy to maintain. "I can't help but feel like this is my fault. He's been getting worse since I pushed him away, and I saw it happening, but I didn't do anything. Defying Lillian like he did at the lake...that's not something I thought he would ever do, but he did it for me. I think that's what pushed him over the edge."

"Hey." Kara put her fork down so she could find Lena's hand under the table and interlock their fingers. "Don't do that. Don't blame yourself for putting your needs first. You're here for him now, and he will get better. That's what matters, okay?"

Lena sagged a little, allowing herself to lean into Kara's side. "Okay. You're right, I just...old habits, I suppose."

Kara smiled with affection and gave Lena's hand a squeeze. Kara looked Lena over, taking in the slouch in her spine, the wisps of hair flying free from her ponytail, the way she rubbed at her temples where Kara knew a headache was burrowing its way into her brain. "Lena, don't take this the wrong way, but you look terrible."

Lena ducked her head, eyes widening. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"Hey, I didn't mean it like that," Kara apologised quickly and tucked a piece of Lena's hair behind her ear. "I'm worried about you, is all."

Lena sighed, closing her eyes as she dropped her head down onto Kara's shoulder. "With all that's happening, I haven't really been sleeping well. Or...at all, for that matter."

Kara's heart ached at the weariness in Lena's voice and she rubbed her thumb in small circles over the back of her palm. "Would it help if you stayed with me tonight?" she asked, a hopeful lilt in her voice.

"I suppose...it couldn't hurt," Lena said, smiling faintly.

***

Sneaking Lena out of her quarters and into Kara's Hufflepuff dormitory was a matter of taking two secret passageways, hiding behind three suits of armour, and bribing Peeves with the promise of revealing the location of Maggie's secret stash of stink bombs. With the journey completed, Lena pulled Kara's quidditch hoodie over her head from where she sat in Kara's bed, smiling like she was incredibly pleased with herself as her head popped out.