Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Time can go fuck itself.

That’s just a truthful statement, nothing more. Some people might say that he was exaggerating but those people hadn’t been through what he had lived through. And sometimes certain events just warrant some strong as fuck cursing. Because what the fuck? How did he get to be so god damn unlucky? His aunt would try and soothe him; to say that it wasn’t his fault and that he should be more calm and look at the situation objectively but his aunt had never lived through this occurrence of events, did she?

So no, Leo felt that his anger, frustration and fear were all very much warranted. To feel so much at once was… well, to say it wasn’t great would be a bit of an understatement but you get the point. He was standing in the middle of the street, the shirt on his back was ripped across the shoulder and there were tiny specks of blood trickling down his nose and his skin felt dusty. That disgusting, sticky feeling that only a two hour long shower would be able to remedy. But that wasn’t really an option for him right now, was it? Because as he was staring up at the poster in front of him, something very very very strange made itself known to him.

He was used to posters, the electric ones that changed every few seconds. The most advanced ones even had sound effects, although he disliked those very strongly and had told his older sister so when she’d tried to glue one of those into her room a few years ago. But he’d seen them everywhere. Hell, his parents could be seen on a few of those posters themselves and he knew that at least two of his classmates had a big enough crush on his mom to actually ask him to get his mom to sign a few of their posters. (he had been asked not to return to school for a few days afterwards. It hadn’t been a great day but one of his aunts had taken the time to high five him, and that did ultimately make it better).

So looking at a poster truly shouldn’t be anything special, especially if it was just Cat Grant. The media mogul was quite the icon, after all and seeing her face plastered across the city wasn’t an unusual thing, especially when it was that time of the year when she kept on throwing galas and expecting people to donate ungodly sums. Nothing out of the ordinary, not at all. There was just one small hang up with that situation- Cat Grant was about seventy years old. And that…. version of her was, well, not that. She looked like she was maybe in her early fifties, it was difficult to tell with all the photoshop that was still being used to smooth out her wrinkles (a habit that she would break away from in the future) but that was definitely not the woman he had gotten to know.

His eyes travelled downwards, the headline read: “Grant reinvents the magazine for the fifteenth time- will men finally start to listen?” He frowned. That was… unusual as well. Not that the world didn’t have those issues but they were… less. Everyone listened to Cat Grant, most of all after she’d been elected president, so again, this seemed off.

“Why the fuck are you standing in the way?” Someone pushed past him, obviously in a hurry. Leo startled at that, but he quickly apologized and gathered his wits enough to hobble towards the sidewalk so that he wouldn’t bother any more pedestrians on their way. He hung out here quite a lot, the town middle was pretty popular with teens all over National City and he knew all of the good spots.

So now looking at the very grey facades that did not sprout the familiar logos of his favourite bakeries, restaurants and museums, he felt even more confused. Leo found a small magazine stand a few feet away from him. On wobbly legs, he walked over and tried to get a closer look at one of the bylines. If his suspicions were correct, this would prove him right. “13th of may, 2019”. It felt as though the air had been knocked out of his lungs. Jupp, he’d been correct and if Leo was being entirely honest with himself, he did not like it one bit. Why did he always have to be right? And how did he always manage to get into trouble?

Hadn’t the kidnapping been fucking enough? This honestly felt like overkill. And he could make do without that. The seller, an older woman, looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Are you alright, kid?” He probably wasn’t a vision right now. His curls would be untamed on the top of his head and his eyes were frantically searching for something behind a pair of broken frames. His breaths came out in raves, Leo was desperately trying to refill his lungs in a manner that would actually give him the ability to breathe calmly but somehow it wasn’t working.

“Sorry,” he managed to get out while he continued to hyperventilate.

The lady came out from behind her magazine stand and grabbed him by the shoulders. “No dying here, would be bad for business.” She applied pressure to his muscles, basically forcing them to relax. “Calm down!”

Leo slumped into himself meanwhile the city continued to be far too loud and not at all like the place that he liked to call him. “Sorry,” he repeated his earlier utterance, meanwhile his lead laced glasses refused to do their fucking job.

“What’s wrong, kid?”

“Trust me, you wouldn’t believe me,” Leo barked out. After all, time travel wasn’t an everyday thing.

Chapter Text

Leo liked rules. He wasn’t a stickler or a snitch but overall, he believed that laws and rules existed for a reason. Some of them were outdated and quite honestly, should be amended but for the most part, he believed that they ensured a safe society in which all beings could live peacefully together. So being stuck in a different time wasn’t his ideal idea of a Tuesday.

As far as he was aware, there was no centre for lost time travellers yet. Which sucked for him because in his time, there were sometimes people who’d been accidentally misplaced but could be easily send back if only they notified the authorities.

That was obviously something that Leo had taken for granted.

So, he had travelled about twenty-six years into the past. Which meant that he didn’t exist yet. And despite being seventeen, he knew that he only passed as an adult on very random occasions. He’d call the police but how do you even begin to explain that the ID in your wallet is made from a material that hasn’t even been discovered yet? Or that his birthday would first occur in about a decade.

It wasn’t ideal and whenever something wasn’t ideal, Leo started to panic. He liked the feeling of control, liked for the world to actually make sense- which is already a difficult thing when you live in a world that’s filled with mutant, aliens and so on.

But he usually managed to make it work, his mom had taught him a great tactic to ground himself and his aunt Kelly was always ready to talk to him about his issues adjusting to change. But right now talking to them wasn’t an option. And the only person that seemed to care was a stranger with a magazine stand.

“Can you hear me?”

Leo nodded absentmindedly. “Yeah.”

“Good,” the woman let go of him. “What got you into that state?” Her eyes roamed over him with obvious concern. Leo looked like a hot mess, he knew as much. “Is someone after you?”

The teenager laughed. The notion wasn’t at all funny but it was ridiculous. Because a few decades from now? The answer would be yes, with a capital Y but right now? Right now Leo didn’t even exist so the answer would be… probably no? But if he remembered it correctly, there were a few people up and about who liked to measure strange energy occurrences. So if he was lucky, the answer was no. And if he was unlucky? Which Leo usually was, despite all of his best efforts, the answer would still be yes.

He sighed. Telling this random lady the truth would probably not be for the best. He had already made a fool of himself, there was no need to make matters worse. “No, just fell down the stairs earlier.” He pointed at his ripped shirt and his blood stained face. “Probably hit my head a bit. Thanks for asking.”

The woman didn’t seem too eager to ask more questions but she did pull out a cheap jacket from behind a shelf. “At least put this on so you don’t catch a cold or something.”

It was warm enough so that people were walking around without jackets on but Leo appreciated not having to endure people’s stares because of his clothes. “Thank you,” he exclaimed and put it on. It was a bit too large length wise but so were most things. Leo wasn’t necessarily the tallest guy. 5’8 on a good day, he took after his parents that way. “And please wipe your face off,” the woman said while holding out a tissue box to him.

After getting an almost concerning amount of blood off his face, Leo thanked the kind stranger and then began to walk away. He didn’t exactly know where to. The people he knew already partially existed but it would be difficult to explain his own existence in all that. But his parents would kill him if they found out that they hadn’t tried to contact them at all during his (hopefully brief) stay in the past.

So the boy slowly began to make his way towards a familiar building. It looked different now, his mother had clearly expanded since then but the huge letters on the front of the skyscraper were enough to tell him that he’d probably find his mom there.

“L-Corp”

The streets to get there were similar. Well, similar enough not to completely get lost. The teen found himself quite appalled at the amount of littering that was going on during that time. Now he understood why exactly his mom had been so adamant about her green policies. The planet definitely looked better now.

He rolled his eyes when he saw someone spitting chewing gum onto the sidewalk. Seriously? Was that guy five?

Eventually, Leo made it to the huge glass doors of the L-Corp building. These had changed as well, nowadays that they looked far more welcoming, meanwhile this seemed more like walking into a prison. He gulped, now for the difficult part. How does a teenager gain a meeting with the infamous Lena Luthor?

If it had been any other day, Leo would have flown up to stand on the CEO’s balcony but that was currently impossible. His dead kidnappers had, of course, thought of his possible power usage and had used kryptonite to subdue his powers. So now Leo had solarflared, freeing himself of his cuffs and would at the earliest, start to regain his powers in a few days.

Still, Leo Luthor-Danvers was anything but a coward. He may be a bit of a scaredy cat but when it mattered, he always pushed through. The doors were tall and as the insides of the building swallowed him whole, the sheer reality of Lena Luthor’s earlier worklife came into view. Dark, long corridors that stretched out through the entire building. Businessmen in badly fabricated suits, scientists in lab coats and coffees in their hands and papers which kept on being dragged across someone’s desk.

Leo walked in and hoped that nobody would pay attention to him. The doorman seemed to be lost in conversation, so the teenager managed to slip by unnoticed. Once inside, he kept to the wall. The biggest mistake he could make right now, would be to walk in like he owned the place. On the other side, he could see the lift section of the building. A row of about seven lifts which continuously went up and down. The people working here had cards dangling around their necks. A closer look, which was more difficult now that Leo didn’t have his powers and it appeared that he genuinely needed functioning glasses, revealed that there was a code printed onto them. A security clearance to open doors and use the elevator.

“Well fuck,” the teen cursed between his teeth. Of course his mother wasn’t eager to let random people into the building, the amounts of attempts on her life should have given him a hint. But now the question was, how would he get up to her floor?

He looked around, frantically searching for a solution when he noticed that one of the scientists had his card not hanging from his neck. No, instead it greeted Leo from out of his labcoat like a siren call. His brown lowered. Now, how to get to that thing without being noticed. This was one of those times that he was grateful for Esme. The older girl had taught him how to do a bit of pickpocketing. Leo still didn’t know where she’d picked up that skill but he wouldn’t complain.

Keeping himself close enough to the darker aspects of the building, Leo kept on inching closer towards his target. It was a middle aged man with slicked back hair and an unshaven look. It seemed that he was rather confused, which would work to the teens advantage.

While the scientist was looking through a file, Leo crouched down behind the desk, praying that no one was currently looking at him. Then he lunged forward, reaching for the card. His fingers were rather quick, so Leo actually got hold and stole away the key.

He crouched back down, silently grinning at the success of his endeavour. Taking a deep breath, Leo stood back up and walked towards the row of elevators. There were about ten people waiting with him, luckily all of them were lost in their own worlds and didn’t notice the very much out of place teenager amongst them. Finally, the door dinged open and all of them walked in, holding up their key cards which warranted a green light to beep for each of them.

The keys were pressed and everything seemed like it was going well, right until Leo pressed in the number forty-six. That seemed to make several of the other people suspicious. A young woman with flaming red hair looked at him with narrowed eyes. “I haven’t seen you before.”

“Well, it’s a big building.” The great thing about having very much famous parents is that despite all of your moral objections to it, you become quite apt at lying.

“what would you be doing in Luthor’s office?” The woman’s tone was hostile and it seemed like she hadn’t appreciated his flippant answer.

Leo bit his tongue. “I’m one of the interns.” He smiled broadly and hopefully, convincingly. “Didn’t Cassie tell you? We’re from the city’s outreach program, I’m supposed to shadow Miss Luthor’s secretary for a few weeks.” Leo might have appeared calm on the outside but truthfully, he was having a full blown panic attack on the inside. He could remember none of the initiatives that had taken place before 2023 and even those were hazy. L-Corp would write itself into the history books with their cure for cancer in 2030 but before that, it had mostly been a tech company and apparently, there were some things that his parents didn’t want Leo to know just yet. That was fucking him over now though.

“I think I’ve heard about that,” a different woman chimed in and Leo was about ready to kiss her. “Luthor wants to get the kids away from just roaming around. I have no idea if this is gonna work.” She gave them all a conspiring smile. “I’m just grateful that I didn’t get one of those buggers to take care of for a month.”

The redhead chuckled. “Fair enough.” She gave Leo a once over. “A bit of advice, find some more appropriate clothes.”

Leo nodded, thankful to not have been caught and continued to wait until all of the other people had gotten out of the elevator. He fumbled with the top of his jacket. What would he say? Lena Luthor was not a gullible woman. But even he would struggle to believe that a time traveller had just shown up all of a sudden.

The elevator doors sprung open with a bright “ding” and Leo got out. His legs felt soar and he was pretty sure that there were a few cuts on his back that were still bleeding. The teen was still trying to figure out what to say, when someone clearing their throat made him stop in his tracks.

He looked up, to find a familiar figure standing there, arms crossed and with her secretary standing behind her pointing a gun at him.

“So you’re Jess’ supposed intern?” Lena asked, her voice dangerously cold.

Leo sighed and pinched his nose. Everything had been going so well so far, he should have known that that couldn’t last. “Well fuck me.”

Chapter Text

So… There is a chance that standing in front of your mother that’s give or take, about twenty five years younger than the woman you know, and whose employee is also pointing a gun at you, isn’t the best of situations to be in. It was weird to see her like this. Lena was in her fifties now and while she still worked a lot, she always looked calm and relaxed. She had gray hair and wore glasses and only got angry when one of her kids managed to get themselves into danger.

That was a few decades from now though. This version of Lena Luthor was furious. She looked younger, with her dark hair up in a pony tail and the missing lines on her face. But she seemed exhausted. Her skin was pale, not the irish sort of pale but almost as if she was sick. Like she hadn’t been outside in days and presumed that sleep was something optional. Objectively, Lena Luthor looked absolutely terrible right now.

“Jeez, what the fuck happened here.” That quiet utterance was apparently enough to cause his mother to start speaking.

“I have the same question.” Her eyebrows were raised in a similar way to when he and his best friend would steal snacks from the pantry. “Who are you?”

Leo’s head tilted to the side. “How about an easier question?”

The gun in Jess’ hand was far from being lowered. The teen gulped. “Uhm… I’m Tyler.” Lying seemed like a good idea, right? The less information Lena got about him, the better.

The CEO did not seem to be pleased with his answer. “No last name?”

He just barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Tyler… Gilmore.”

“And what are you doing here, Tyler Gilmore? Because I surely would remember assigning Jess an intern. And more so,” she pointed at the key card around his neck, “Your name wouldn’t be Dr. Cole Hansen.”

…so… about that lying thing.

“I don’t like it when people lie to me.” Her eyes were intense. Suddenly Leo understood why so many people spoke of his mother in a manner that spoke of both a deep respect and a bit of fear. She was terrifying, like a woman that had been sharpened to carry words like a weapon.

Leo sighed, putting up his hands in defeat. “Alright, I’ll tell you but you won’t believe me and I am telling you right now, you won’t believe me.”

Lena motioned for Jess to put down the gun. “We’ll see.” She looked at him expectantly.

The teen nervously rubbed his hand against the back of his neck. “Could we maybe talk in your office? It seems that you have security cameras out here and I would like for the following information not to get back to anybody.” He saw her hesitancy. “It’s in your best interest as well. You can keep having Jess point a gun at me if you want to but this conversion requires a bit of privacy.”

Still hesitant to follow the demands of a teenager, Lena slowly walked back into her office where she beckoned for Leo to sit down on one of the rather uncomfortable chairs in front of her desk. He looked around, taking in the office that his mother had once had. It left him feeling rather conflicted. This did not seem like his mother. Everything was either black or white and minimalistic. Nowadays, everything was yellow and filled with flowers and pictures of their family. It looked like some noir-movie version of his mother had come to life.

“So?” Lena had sat down and was staring at him with folded hands. “What do you want?”

Leo cleared his throat. “I’m a time traveller.”

What followed was about half a minute of silence.

“You’re a time traveller?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re here?”

"Yes."

“In my office?”

“Yes.”

Lena seemed to be flabbergasted. “Why?”

“Now here’s where it gets a bit dicy.” Leo’s hands were waving around, he had always been someone that couldn’t sit still very well when he was nervous. “I can’t really tell you much? Because I’m from the future and you’re… very well known and you just have to know that I’m pretty sure that you’re the only person that can get me back to the present.” He paused. “Well, my present, your future.” He cringed at his own explanation.

Green eyes were blinking at him. “You know what, I’ve heard worse.” She threw her hands into the air. “What could go wrong?”

Leo’s lips pursed. “Technically, the entire existence of our world as my present knows it.”

“Tyler?”

“Yes?”

“Maybe don’t bring that up.”

“Okay.” Leo fiddled with his hands. “So you’ll help me?”

Lena nodded. “Sure, why not.” She was smiling but something seemed to be off. Leo knew his mother’s smile like his own, in fact, he had been told on several occasions that they mirrored each other. So when his mother’s cheeks didn’t dimple and her eyes refused to hold that glimmer of something more gentle, he was pretty sure that something was incredibly wrong.

“This was a lot easier than I thought it would be.”

“I am always happy to help people in need.” She paused. “Just one thing, I need to be sure that you’re actually from the future.”

Leo frowned. “And how will you prove that?”

The elder Luthor sighed heavily before pulling out her phone. “I know someone that can help.”

About half an hour later, a young man came walking in. His dark hair reached down to his shoulders and his posture was straight. Way too straight to be human.

At first, he didn't pay attention to Leo, which he was grateful for because right now, he couldn't quite figure out where he knew that guy from. Because he was damn familiar.

“Lena,” the guy greeted his mother. “I was surprised to hear from you.”

Lena in her stead, remained cool. “Just because I am no longer friends with you or yours, that doesn't mean that I can't ask for help when it's needed.”

“Of course.” His features seemed to sadden at that, even if it was difficult to tell. “What is it that you need help with?”

The CEO pointed at Leo. “The kid over there, I need you to tell me whether or not he is telling the truth.”

The man turned around to inspect Leo. Leo’s eyes widened when he finally managed to recognize the man. “Brainy?”

The 12th-level intellect tilted his head at the sight of the teenager. “You know me?”

Lena seemed to be just as surprised.

“Yeah,” Leo admitted.

Brainy took a step closer, his brows narrowing as he surveyed the half human more closely. “You seem familiar.”

“That makes sense.”

“You’re from the future?”

Leo nodded. “Not from your current future.” Leo grimaced. “Well, not from your original future? I’m from your future from now?”

Brainy squinted at him. “I think I know who you are.” He sighed. “The future has changed quite a bit since I first came here. But if I have it right, your parents are quite infamous, aren't they?” He offered the boy a sly smile.

“Yes.” Leo chuckled. “So infamous that they can't know who I am.”

Brainy nodded in understanding. “Of course. I suppose that I shall be calling you Tyler?”

“It would be appreciated.”

The older man hesitated for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly as if weighing whether to speak or remain silent. After a brief pause, he finally looked at the other person with a mixture of curiosity and subtle disappointment. His voice was thoughtful, tinged with a hint of vulnerability. “Just tell me,” he asked, his eyes searching for an answer. “Why did you not recognize me when I came in?”

“You don't wear this disguise a lot in the future,” Leo explained with a smile. Brainy had always been an interesting guy. His mother's best friend and his godfather. But truly, his human disguise wasn't something he’d seen a lot after he had turned about five. And Brainy tended to be a little more emotional in the future. Sure, still decidedly not human but a little less robotic.

“Ah, that is good,” Brainy said with a satisfied nod, a faint smile forming on his face as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. His eyes shone with a touch of relief and genuine contentment, and there was a sense of hope lingering in his tone. “So, things will get better,” he added softly, almost to himself, as if reassuring both himself and the person he was speaking to. His posture relaxed slightly, and he seemed to hold onto that optimistic thought.

That comment alone made Leo assume that things had gone haywire here. It also didn't help that Lena apparently wasn't part of the super friends. That was one of those situations, where Leo wished that his mothers had told him more about.

Brainy had turned around again, his posture tensing up again, as if trying to hide some underlying nervousness. “He isn't dangerous,” he said softly, though his fingers twitched involuntarily—a nervous habit that seemed to have become ingrained over time. There was a flicker of sincerity in his voice, a desperate hope that the words would reassure his former friend. “You know, I could help you,” he continued, voice slightly trembling with urgency. “I understand that you probably don’t want to forgive me, and I get that. But I do know the kind of technology that is needed to get him home. I might be able to find a way, if you'd just give me a chance. I want to make things right, I really do.” His eyes searched hers’ for any sign of understanding or trust, revealing the weight of his remorse and the hope that he might still be able to make amends.

The CEO appeared conflicted by the offer. She still seemed exhausted and Leo could all but see the wheels in her head turning. Finally, her eyes closed for a second before she looked at them again. “Fine. But you can't tell the DEO. I don't want any people named Danvers crawling around here and I don't need Supergirl telling me that I am dangerous.”

Leo could feel his stomach constructing. Oh this was definitely not good. This was the opposite of good. This was really really bad. What the hell had happened before his mothers had gotten their shit together? And how the hell had they gotten their shit together when Lena seemed to hate the other woman?

“I will follow your conditions.” Brainy folded his hands in front of his body. “May I insist that you take Tyler home with you though? It’s quite dangerous out there and if anybody realizes that he isn't from now…”

The CEO rolled her eyes. “Then there will be a bounty on both his head and mine.” She looked at him, seeming to notice his disheveled state for the first time. “I suppose a warm meal and new clothes aren't too much to ask of me.”

Leo smiled thankfully. “Thanks.” His nose wrinkled. “If I could also take a shower…”

“If I can take a look at your injuries, sure.” She looked concerned now. “Whatever happened to you, we don't want any wounds to get infected.”

“Right.” The thing is, Leo hadn't gotten all of his mother's powers. Sure, he could fly and he was super strong but the invincible skin seemed to have skipped him. His sister wasn't super strong but at least she could use freeze breath and laser beams without seriously injuring herself.

Leo was more durable than regular people but using any of those internal powers would usually result in him being sick for the next few weeks, so he tried his best not to use them unless it was absolutely necessary. But in his time, Lena had already come up with an easy construction that would help clean his wounds. He healed a lot faster than regular humans as well, a broken arm would be gone after about three days but the immediate injury would hurt him almost as much as a regular person.

Brainy seemed to be very careful with how he talked to Lena. It was very different to what Leo was used to. They had a very strange relationship but they reminded him more of a calmer (and more neurodivergent) version of his Yeyu and Alex. So seeing Brainy carefully stand around, as if any sudden movement might break whatever relationship they had, was terrifying to witness.

“I’ll meet you here tomorrow at nine?” Brainy seemed to be hopeful as he looked at Lena.

The CEO’s jaw tightened. “I suppose so.” She didn't dignify his goodbye with a response but instead kept her eyes on the seventeen year old.

“I don't suppose you can tell me how that mess is going to play out?”

Leo shrugged. “I can honestly say that I have absolutely no clue what's going on with you and your friends.”

Chapter Text

Leo could feel the adrenaline slowly leaving his body. The last few hours had been basically survived on just adrenalin and now that he was sitting in the back of the car, next to his mother (to be fair, a younger and definitely more depressed version), he was starting to come down from his high. His cheek was pressed against the car window, which soothed the hollow ache that had started to bother him there.

His head hurt. He had gotten drunk once before, the night after his sister had graduated and he had snuck out with her. As it turned out, a possible concussion could feel very similar to a hangover. The streetlights were still bright; far too bright for his blurry vision. So instead of continuing to bother holding his eyes open, Leo closed his eyes and did his best to focus on the breathing patterns of his mother.

One of the superpowers that were strongest with him, was his superhearing. It was something that Leo liked to rely on much more than the teen would ever admit. Being without it felt… strange. You can make do without super-strength but if the thing that keeps you calm has all but vanished, that’s a pretty big deal. Leo had the heartbeats of all his family members and friends committed to memory. Now, the teen liked to check in with his best friend above other people because which teenager likes to listen to their parents when that’s the age when they are decidedly not cool. But right about now, he would give anything to have a clear soundbite of his mom’s heartbeat. But her breathing would have to make do.

“Are you tired?” The voice that sounded from beside him was gentle but tinged with genuine concern. Leo could hear the soft inflection, the way Lena’s words carried a careful warmth that made him feel a little less alone in the overwhelming fatigue. Despite everything he’d been through today- the chaos, the confusion, the pain—he found himself smiling faintly against the car window, grateful that, even in this strange, uncertain moment, Lena still cared. Her voice, so unexpectedly tender amid the chaos, was a small anchor in his storm of exhaustion.

“Yeah,” he whispered, keeping his eyes closed, trying to will away the pounding in his head. “It’s been a long day,” he added softly, his voice barely audible over the hum of the engine and the muffled sounds of the city rushing past outside. Every word felt like a small victory, a moment of calm he desperately needed, even as his body begged him to surrender to sleep. His mind was foggy, and the ache in his skull from the concussion was a dull, persistent throb that threatened to drown out everything else.

The response was a muffled chuckle, warm and reassuring. “I believe that,” Lena replied with a hint of amusement, followed by a rustling of fabric—probably her adjusting her seat or reaching for something in the glove compartment. “Despite that, I would like to do a quick check-up on you when we get to my department. Any injuries, especially that concussion, need to be thoroughly examined. You’re not exactly in a position to ignore it, Tyler.” Her tone was firm but caring, the kind of parental concern that made Leo feel both comforted and annoyed at the same time.

“Sure thing,” Leo mumbled, his voice thick with sleepiness. Deep down, all he wanted was to close his eyes and drift off into the oblivion of sleep, to forget the headache, the confusion, and the exhaustion that was dragging him down. He silently prayed Lena would forget about the check-up altogether because all he truly cared about was collapsing into a bed and letting his body finally rest. Having solar-flared earlier hadn’t helped-the aftermath always left his immune system weakened, and he knew that a cold could easily turn into a fever that would stick around for days. All he wanted was a few hours of peace, free from worry or pain.

Suddenly, he felt a gentle tap against his shoulder, light but insistent. Leo tried to shake it off, hoping to ignore it and sink deeper into sleep, but the tap persisted and even grew a little more insistent. His eyelids fluttered open reluctantly, and he turned his head slightly, eyes still heavy with fatigue. “Don’t fall asleep just now,” Lena’s voice echoed softly, almost like a command wrapped in that caring tone. The words hung in the air, both a warning and a plea.

Leo sighed heavily, feeling the weight of his exhaustion pressing down on him. His thoughts were slowing to a crawl, the edges blurring as his mind struggled to stay connected to the world around him. Everything was a struggle now—every moment a battle to keep his eyelids from shutting completely. “I wanna though,” he muttered, voice trembling with the effort it took to keep his eyes open.

“You can't,” Lena replied calmly but with a firmness that brooked no argument. Her tone was serious, almost like a parent speaking to a stubborn child.

“Why?” Leo asked, his voice a faint whimper. The question felt so simple, yet the answer was anything but.

“Because you might die, Tyler,” Lena said bluntly, her voice steady but carrying an undeniable weight. That phrase snapped Leo back into awareness, his mind rushing to process the gravity of her words. It wasn’t just a threat or a warning- right now, he was vulnerable and exhausted. He was in no headspace to truly keep his identity a secret for very long. That single sentence sent a jolt through him, stirring him from the fog just enough to realize that, no, this wasn’t just any car ride. It was a race against time, a battle to stay alive long enough to fix whatever was wrong.

He blinked, his eyelids heavy but his mind sharper now. As soon as he had enough strength to focus, he looked over at Lena, who continued to stare at him with those intense, piercing eyes that still shone brightly in the dim interior of the car. Despite her tired appearance, her expression was unwavering, filled with that fierce resolve he had always admired. “As soon as I’ve checked everything,” she said softly but firmly, “you can go to sleep. I promise.”

Leo nodded slowly, too drained to argue, his body already slipping toward unconsciousness. “I guess,” he murmured, voice trailing off, knowing he didn’t have much fight left in him. All he could do now was cling to the faint hope that they’d arrive soon—at her apartment, her parking garage, whatever it was—so he could finally collapse into a bed. The car slowed, coming to a stop, and Lena’s driver helped Leo out with a steady hand, even as Leo’s smaller stature and broad shoulders made it clear that he wasn’t the easiest to move. His muscles were tense from the day’s chaos, and despite his age, Leo’s frame was more solid than most seventeen-year-olds he knew, shoulders broad and strong, a testament to his unusual genetics.

As Lena bid her driver good night, Leo took a deep breath, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle over him like a heavy blanket. His mind was clouded with fatigue, and all he could think about now was the promise of sleep- real, uninterrupted sleep- and the hope that tomorrow, somehow, everything would make a little more sense.

They walked over to the elevator. It wasn't quiet, there was chatter and car noises coming from the street but Leo was too tired to truly pay any attention to that.

“Sit down there,” Lena said after she'd opened the door to her penthouse. She was pointing at a somewhat comfortable looking couch. “And take off that shirt and any clothing that might hide some injuries.”

Leo sat down and tried off his shirt after having carefully folded the jacket. It wasn't comfortable, the fabric had started to stick to his skin and there were a few wounds ripping slightly open once more. “Shit,” Leo gritted through his teeth as he waited for Lena to return.

When Lena returned, she looked at him with surprise. “I said take off anything that might restrict your injuries.”

“Didn't I?”

Her eyebrow quirked up. “I think that binder might count under that.”

“Oh,” Leo’s face scrunched up in discomfort. “I don't want to take that off though. Makes me feel icky not to wear it in front of people.”

Lena set down a washcloth on a side table and put her hands onto her hips. “Okay, I get that. But You have several injuries and I have to check if you have any broken ribs. So,” she scratched at her chin. “Would it help you if I get you a towel and a lose tank top? It won't be the most comfortable but you can shift everything around so I won't see anything. Would that work?”

The teenager hadn't been scared how his mother would react to the news that he was trans. His parents had always been massive allies. But that didn't mean that he liked them to see the parts of him that he wasn't comfortable with. “That works.” He smiled gratefully when she turned around to let him put on the loose fabric. “Ready.”

Lena sat down beside him, her movements careful and deliberate as she reached into her bag to retrieve a small antiseptic wipe and some bandages. Her eyes, sharp and focused, never left his back as she gently began to clean out the cuts- small scrapes, some deeper gashes- each one leaving behind a faint, dark stain on his skin. Her brow kept narrowing, a sign of her growing concern and frustration. When she finally reached his wrists, she paused for a moment, her fingers brushing over the burn-shaped scars left by the cuffs. The faint, angry lines etched into his skin seemed to draw her in, and he could hear her murmur under her breath, almost like a curse: “What the hell happened to you?” Her voice was low, but the weight behind it made Leo feel like she was asking more than just about the physical wounds.

Leo shrugged, trying to play it off with a nonchalant air. “Just stuff,” he muttered, voice barely above a whisper, as if saying it aloud might make it less real. The words hung in the air, vague and unhelpful, but Lena’s gaze didn’t waver. She knew better than to accept simple answers.

“You can't tell me?” she pressed gently, her eyes narrowing even further as she carefully dabbed at one of his deeper cuts. Her tone was patient but insistent, hinting at a deeper concern beneath her words.

Leo hesitated, then offered a small, reluctant shrug. “Spoilers,” he said with a faint smirk, trying to deflect the question with humor, though it was obvious he was holding something back.

The CEO rolled her eyes good-naturedly, a gesture that reminded Leo of the Lena he knew- calm, composed, but always with that underlying warmth. It was strange to see her current living quarters; sure, it was a bit more comfortable than her office, but Lena had clearly gone to great lengths to erase all traces of Kara Danvers’ involvement in her life. The space was sleek, minimalist, almost like she was trying to forget her past entirely.

After a moment of silence, Lena looked at him, her expression softening just a little. “Can I ask you something?” she finally said, voice quieter now, more tentative.

Lena hesitated, her hand still hovering over one of Leo’s cuts, deep and fresh, showing signs of recent injury. She seemed to weigh her words carefully before speaking again. “Sure. I can’t promise that the answer is going to satisfy you,” she added with a small, wry smile, lips pressing together in thought. Her gaze flickered with concern. “Shouldn’t you know everything, though?”

Leo’s voice was barely a whisper, tinged with a hint of resignation. “Not everything,” he admitted softly. “Can’t ever know everything, no matter how much I try.” The words hung heavily between them, a quiet acknowledgment of the limits to what he could understand- limits imposed by circumstances, by secrets, by the nature of what he was caught up in.

His mother chuckled at his joking frustration, a gentle, knowing sound that seemed to carry a thousand shared memories. “Don’t I know it,” she said softly. “What’s your question?”

Leo hesitated again, then took a breath, gathering his courage. “Why aren’t you friends with Brainy anymore?” The words felt strange, almost like a betrayal to voice them aloud, but they had been weighing on him for a while now.

He could hear her sigh, a long, tired exhalation that hinted she had expected this question. It seemed he had hit a nerve.

“You obviously know him,” Lena replied carefully, her voice quiet but edged with emotion. “And I’m guessing you also know me, and perhaps a few of our other friends?”

Leo paused, considering how much to reveal. He knew it might be dangerous to push further, but his curiosity, and maybe a little frustration- got the better of him. He wagered in his mind whether or not it was safe to dig deeper.

Finally, he nodded slowly, voice cautious. “Yeah,” he said softly, waiting for her response.

“I’d guessed so,” Lena replied softly, her tone gentle but firm as she carefully squeezed the damp cloth to remove excess moisture. Her focus was absolute as she resumed cleaning out Leo’s wounds, her movements deliberate and precise. The air between them was thick with unspoken questions and lingering tension, but Lena’s voice broke through that silence with a quiet but serious statement. “I don’t know what the future has in store for us, but if I am anything like myself in the future, you should know that I hate liars.” Her words carried a weight, a warning wrapped in a promise. It was clear she valued honesty above all else, and her conviction made Leo feel both seen and slightly apprehensive.

“They lied to you?” Leo’s voice was desperate, almost pleading, as he desperately tried to sift through his memories, to recall any detail that might shed light on what Lena was referring to. His mind was a whirlwind of fragmented thoughts, struggling to piece together the truth. Lena had always been unwavering about the importance of truth, but he and his siblings had simply assumed that her strict honesty stemmed from her dealings with Lex Luthor- that her distrust of lies was rooted in her past with him. But now, hearing her say it so plainly, Leo wondered if there was more to it than that.

Lena’s expression darkened into a scowl. “They did,” she confirmed with quiet conviction, her tone icy. In her focus on Leo’s injuries, she inadvertently pressed a little harder on one of the cuts, causing him to wince. She immediately took a deep breath, trying to compose herself, as if the act of cleaning wounds was a small distraction from her rising frustration. “I have no idea what is public knowledge in the future,” she admitted, her voice tinged with uncertainty. “Do you know us well?”

Leo was grateful that she couldn’t see his face, because he was barely holding back a grin. Despite the seriousness of the moment, he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of amusement. “Yeah,” he said softly, voice warm with affection. “You guys and my parents are very close. You’re basically family.” The words came easily, and he meant every syllable.

“Interesting,” Lena murmured, her brow raising slightly as she processed his words.

“Is it?” Leo asked, genuinely curious.

“Am I actually friends with Kara?” Lena’s voice was quiet but filled with a hint of hope, almost as if she was asking herself more than him.

Leo smiled earnestly, the warmth in his expression genuine. “Best friends. Always. You always say that you’re stronger together,” he replied confidently, a small smile tugging at his lips. His voice carried a sincere conviction, a reminder of the bond they shared despite everything.

Lena barked out a laugh, a genuine sound that seemed to momentarily lighten the tension in the room. “I find that difficult to believe,” she teased, shaking her head.

“Because she lied to you?” Leo guessed, his brow furrowing slightly as he tried to understand.

“Yes,” Lena admitted without hesitation, a trace of frustration flickering across her face. Her tone was firm, unwavering.

“Was the lie that bad?” Leo asked cautiously, genuinely curious. He couldn’t fathom what Kara might have lied about that could make Lena so mad- she seemed so open, so trustworthy. “Did she destroy your balcony and not tell you?” he joked lightly, trying to lighten the mood with a bit of humor.

“No,” Lena replied, her voice a little softer now, but with a seriousness that made Leo sit up straighter. “She lied to me about who she is.”

That revelation hit Leo like a shockwave. It was something he hadn’t expected at all. His mind raced, trying to process the implications. He hadn’t realized that Kara’s secrets went so deep, that her true identity was something Lena hadn’t known or hadn’t been told. His parents had always presented themselves as a united front, a picture-perfect family that fell in love and built their life together. Nothing else had ever been mentioned, no cracks or shadows in their story. This new piece of information was like a door opening to a hidden room he’d never seen before.

“She did?” Leo asked, voice slightly hoarse with surprise. His fingers twitched instinctively, as if reaching out to grasp the truth more firmly.

“Yes,” Lena confirmed, her voice steady but laced with a hint of regret. Leo could feel the damp cloth being lifted against a particularly sensitive spot on his skin. He winced at the sting, grimacing slightly.

“I’m assuming,” Lena continued, her tone cautious but inquisitive, “that you know who she is?”

Leo shrugged, a bit defensively. “Sure. But everyone does,” he said simply, trying to downplay the significance. Still, the words hung in the air, heavy with implications.

The cloth paused. “Everyone does? Everyone knows that she’s Supergirl?”

“Yeah, she came out… I guess I shouldn’t say any more.” He pinched his nose. “I probably shouldn’t have said anything in the first place.”

“Just to recap, everyone knows that Kara Danvers is Supergirl in the future?”

“I want to say yes but your tone really makes me want to say no.”

Her breaths were coming out fast. “You mean to tell me, that Kara Danvers got to lie to me for years without blinking an eye and then suddenly makes a one eighty and I’m apparently just cool with that? I forgive her? Just like that?” He could hear her hysterically laughing. “What the fuck is my life? Kara betrayed me. She betrayed our friendship. She did the one thing, I asked her not to do. How do I fucking forgive that?”

Leo wanted to tell her, wanted to give her some comfort but the issue was, he didn’t know. He had absolutely no idea. He hadn’t even known that any of this had happened in the first place. His parents were always so adamant about the truth; honesty was one of their highest virtues. His Yeyu having betrayed that, it seemed massively wrong. As if the world had been turned on its head.

“I don’t understand this,” Lena finally said at the end of her rant. Leo had tuned most of it out, he had to think. And thinking was difficult when your furious mother was talking off your ear. “How could she do this?”

“Have you asked her?” Leo tried his best to approach her gently. He was starting to understand why Brainy had been so hesitant to approach her. Lena Luthor, was like a wounded animal. And wounded animals bite when someone gets too close. She looked at him, seemingly having forgotten that she wasn’t alone. “Doesn’t Kara usually have a reason for the things she does?”

Lena’s jaw clenched tightly, her expression hardening. “Kara Danvers usually does,” she said, her voice low and strained, “but that’s not all she is.” She looked off into the distance, her eyes unfocused as if trying to see beyond the horizon. “There’s so much to her that I don’t know. Meanwhile, she knows everything about me—every dirty secret, every single fear.” Her voice wavered slightly, and she shook her head in disbelief. “I barely even know her. And who’s to say she wasn’t just friends with the Luthor family for the sake of it? After all, evil runs in the family.”

Leo’s gaze softened as he observed her pain- her struggle to reconcile the person she thought she knew with the truth beneath. Carefully, he reached out his hand, his fingers brushing lightly against hers. His voice was gentle but firm. “It does not.”

He looked at her, studying her face, and then, almost involuntarily, he reached out his hand. Small, sturdy, and undeniably handsome- Leo had his mother’s strong jawline and his Yeyu’s light curls. His nose bore Lena Luthor’s sharp, defined shape, while his lips echoed Kara Danvers’s gentle, inviting smile. But it was his eyes that held the most weight.

His Yeyu had light blue eyes- so bright, so luminous that they seemed to glow even in the dark, reminiscent of lightning flashing through a stormy sky (probably a Kryptonian trait). Those eyes had always symbolized power and mystery. Leo’s own eyes, however, were darker, almost grey; like the overcast sea on a gloomy day. His Yeyu’s eyes mirrored the sky, vast, light and full of joy, but Leo’s looked more like the overcast sea- calm on the surface but deep and unknowable beneath. Despite the differences, Leo carried his uncle’s eyes- those piercing, stormy orbs that had been the end of so many people.

And perhaps, just perhaps, Lena saw a flicker of recognition somewhere deep within herself. As she looked at him, her breathing slowed, and the tension in her body eased just a little. In that moment, she stopped hyperventilating, and her gaze softened, as if she was seeing something familiar in his gaze- something that transcended time itself.

Leo’s voice was quiet but resolute as he reaffirmed, “Luthor’s are not and have not ever been inherently bad.” His words carried a quiet conviction- an assertion that morality was a matter of choice, not inheritance, and that even those from the darkest past could forge a different path.

“How do you know?”

“Spoilers,” Leo smirked. “But what I can tell you is that you were raised in such a hostile environment by an alcoholic narcissist and a woman that was so desperate for his approval that she went along with everything that was done to you. Hate isn’t something you’re born into, it’s taught and it gets nurtured until you have no choice but to believe it to be the only possible truth.” His hand clenched around his mother’s shoulder, desperate to make her see. “You are not your brother. His actions were of his own accord. It doesn’t matter what family you are born into, it matters what you do. So, Lena Luthor, what will you do?”

She was looking at him with wide, curious eyes. “Aren’t you a bit young to know all of that?”

Leo adjusted his broken frames on the bridge of his nose, a small, self-deprecating smile tugging at his lips. “My aunt’s a therapist and very keen on self-awareness,” he replied matter-of-factly.

Lena let out a small, amused sigh. “Good to know.” She reached up and wiped at her nose, trying to compose herself. After a moment, she said, “Okay, I think you’re good to go. You can sleep in the guest bedroom, but be warned, I’m going to wake you every two hours to check on you.”

“Sounds good,” Leo replied with a nod, a hint of relief in his voice. Before he headed off to bed, he gently draped his arms around her shoulders, careful of his injuries, and gave her a reassuring hug.

“Thank you, Lena,” he murmured.

She waved him off with a small smile. “Don’t mention it.”

Leo looked up at her, a playful glint in his eyes. “See? You’re not bad at all.”

Chapter Text

When Leo opened his eyes, the first thing that hit him was just how intensely sore his muscles were. It was almost as if he had run an entire triathlon, every limb protesting in unison. A deep groan escaped him as he slowly sat up, his body protesting every movement. He stretched his tired muscles above his head, trying to relieve some of the stiffness, all the while silently hoping that the streaks along his back wouldn’t rupture open again. The ache was persistent, a dull throb that seemed to settle into his bones.

The room he found himself in was unfamiliar, sterile, clinical, and strangely impersonal. Walls painted in a muted white with accents of pale blue, the sort of decor you might find in a corporate office or a hospital room. A single piece of art hung on the wall, a very basic, almost cliché picture of a flower, adding a touch of softness to the otherwise stark environment. Yet, despite the blandness, the bed was more than comfortable, with plush, inviting linens that beckoned him to rest. Sometimes Leo couldn’t help but thank Rao for blessing his mother with wealth- these high thread counts and luxurious surroundings were to die for. But all the money in the world isn’t worth a lot if you don’t have anyone to spend it on and it seemed that this version of Lena, was quite miserable in that aspect. At least at the current time.

Leo laid back down on the bed, crossing his arms beneath his head as he stared up at the plain white ceiling, lost in thought. Why hadn’t his parents ever been truthful about the past? They were so adamant about honesty, about treating their children with respect and handling life’s hardships head-on. Yet, they were also so talented at lies by omission. It hurt; and deeply so. It felt like betrayal, a burn that refused to fade. The two women he looked up to, who always raved about integrity and facing the world with courage, had gone and hidden things that mattered. And that sting was compounded by the weight of their hypocrisy, the way their actions clashed with their words. It wasn’t fair, and it wasn’t kind. Leo’s jaw clenched as a surge of frustration and disappointment washed over him, threatening to tighten into a silent snarl.

His gaze drifted toward the clock hanging on one of the plain, boring walls. Seven a.m., his usual wake-up time. Most days, he’d be out for a quick run before school, clearing his mind and starting the day on a strong note. But today, that would have to wait. He hesitated, feeling the exhaustion still heavy in his limbs.

Eventually, the boy decided to get up. Carefully, Leo walked towards the bathroom to get himself ready for the day. He was thankful that Lena had already laid out some clothes for him. The jeans were a bit big on him, forcing him to cuff up the legs. He presumed that these must have been James’. Despite everything, for some reason, his parents had indeed been honest about their dating history within the group. Finding out that his uncle had dated both of his mothers had been… very strange, especially as he got older. The sweatshirt, which was dark, green and surprisingly comfortable, was also a bit too big, which very much worked in the boys favour, as wearing a binder for the next few days would probably not be the best of ideas. Once he returned to the present and his mom found out, she would kill him. Well, possibly not kill but the disappointed look in her eyes wasn’t something to look forward to either.

When Leo stepped out of the bathroom, the faint hum of the radio filled the space, and he could hear Lena moving around in the kitchen. There was the sharp clack of iron against iron, followed by a muffled curse- an unmistakable “Fuck.” That was the moment Leo decided to take matters into his own hands.

“Need help?” he called out, stepping into the doorway with a raised brow.

Lena was on the floor, her backside pressed against the tile, her gaze fixed upward as a few eggs dripped down the counter behind her. Her brows pinched together in a mixture of frustration and stubbornness. “I’m a member of Mensa. I don’t need help making breakfast,” she shot back, her tone defensive but tinged with annoyance.

Leo simply smirked, crossing his arms as he leaned against the doorframe. “You’re forgetting something,” he said casually. “I know you in the future.” He clicked his tongue playfully. “And, honestly, you’re a shit cook.”

“I am not!” Lena retorted, pushing herself up from the floor with a dramatic sigh.

Leo chuckled. “You’re literally banned from the kitchen. I don’t know how you’re a successful scientist, but you almost set the kitchen on fire every time you’re near it.”

Lena rolled her eyes, brushing her hair back. “Your parents should teach you more respect for your elders,” she muttered, wiping her hands on her pants and glancing at the mess she’d made.

Leo let out a bemused snort, air escaping through his teeth. “Pffht. You’re what, twenty-eight? That’s barely ten years older than me. That doesn’t qualify you as an elder.”

Lena got to her feet, carefully wiping her hands on her pants before smirking triumphantly. “Says the literal teenager?”

Leo laughed, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Sure, grandma.”

She playfully swatted at his shoulder. “Be careful what you say,” she warned, her tone light but firm. Then she looked at the chaotic mess of eggs and utensils. “As punishment, you have to make breakfast.”

Leo raised an eyebrow. “Oh, do I now?”

Lena nodded confidently. “Yes. That’s the only way you youngsters will learn.”

He sighed exaggeratedly, then started to slowly clean the stove and counter, still grinning. “Just do me a favor?”

“What is it?”

“Stay in the living room while I’m cooking? I’d rather not have to call the fire department,” he said with a playful smirk.

Lena rolled her eyes but nodded, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips. “Fine. But if the house burns down, I’m blaming you.”

Leo chuckled as he continued tidying up, already planning to make a decent breakfast- preferably one that wouldn’t set off any alarms or emergency calls.

Getting to L-Corp was easier this time; of course, Leo was also standing beside its CEO, but walking past the striking redhead from the day before, she still raised an eyebrow at the sight of him. The familiarity of the place was starting to feel less intimidating, though it still carried that faint hum of power and prestige that made Leo feel like an outsider peering into a world he was only beginning to understand.

“Have you actually been here before?” Lena asked casually as they stepped into the elevator, her tone light but curious. She had just handed him an actual door key that the other interns had been fumbling with a few seconds earlier. Leo took it, pocketing it carefully, and shot her a half-smile. “Do I still run L-Corp?” she teased, raising an eyebrow, a mischievous glint flickering in her eyes.

Leo chuckled softly, leaning slightly against the elevator wall as the CEO pressed the button to go up. “Spoilers,” he replied, a teasing pout on his lips. Leo pressed a finger to his lips, mimicking a shushing gesture.

“What’s the fun in having a tile traveler come by if I can’t even know the details about my own future?”

The teenager’s grin widened, and he crossed his arms over his chest, clearly enjoying the moment. “You already know way too much, Lena. I really shouldn’t have told you all that last night.” His tone was playful but edged with a hint of guilt. “Oh well, I’m blaming the post-time travel fatigue. That’s a real thing, right?”

Lena tilted her head slightly, her brow raising in genuine curiosity. “Is that a thing?” she asked, her eyes glinting with intrigue as the wires behind her eyes started to turn. “Is that something that’s curable? Are people working on that?” She absentmindedly scratched the spot on her arm where a sophisticated-looking watch sat snugly. “That seems like a fantastic business idea.”

Leo sighed softly, knowing exactly where this train of thought was headed. Of course, his mother would be thinking about that- her mind always racing toward the next big opportunity. After all, she was still a CEO, and one who made a huge profit each year. That was bound to happen. He chose to ignore her musings and not lecture her on her rather capitalistic mindset. Instead, he examined the watch on Lena’s wrist more closely. It looked metallic, much more robust and utilitarian than the jewelry his mother often wore. Narrowing his eyes, he tried to decipher the tiny writing on the display, but his blurry eyesight and failed him once again.

Meanwhile, Lena had stopped talking and was now watching him with an amused expression, her lips curling into a subtle, knowing smile. “Is something wrong?”

“My eyes are bullshit, and I can’t make out what your watch is saying,” Leo admitted, squinting as if that would help.

Lena playfully chastised him. “Language, Tyler,” she said with a mock scold. “You’re wearing your glasses—are they broken?”

Leo tilted his head, shrugging. “A bit scratched up, but that’s not the issue.” He waved dismissively. “This happens sometimes. It’ll be back to normal in a couple of days.” With a little more focus, he reached out and gently took Lena’s wrist, ignoring her slight flinch. He squinted again, trying to decipher the tiny script on her watch.

El Mayarah

A short burst of laughter escaped him. “So you’re mad, but you’re still wearing the watch she gave you?” he teased, a grin spreading across his face.

Lena pulled her arm back defensively, a bit awkward but with a hint of pride. “You made some good points last night,” she admitted softly. “I can’t deny that.” She tugged her sleeve down over her wrist, hiding the watch from view. “And honestly, being with a time traveler- especially one who was apparently kidnapped before he even got here- is probably not the safest thing in the world for me. So having a superhero on call might not be the worst idea.”

Leo nodded understandingly, finally starting to hear the echoes of his mother’s practical side in her words. “Very responsible,” he said with a small smile.

Lena rolled her eyes but smiled back. “You’re a strange teenager,” she commented, a little affection hidden in her tone.

Leo chuckled, a warm laugh that came easily. “Not the first time I’ve been told that,” he replied, a twinkle in his eye. The elevator dinged softly as it reached their destination, and the doors slid open, revealing the sleek, bustling interior of L-Corp’s upper floors.

Leo was lounging on the couch, twiddling his thumbs absentmindedly, while Lena was busy at her desk, answering emails and returning phone calls with focused efficiency. The CEO didn’t seem particularly fulfilled by the endless stream of tasks, but as both of them knew all too well, it was simply part of the job. Leo couldn’t help but feel a twinge of nostalgia- he missed the days when he could just wander into the office and bother some of the employees he’d known his entire life. Sometimes a doctor would take the time to explain something to him, or the people in accounting would make him run up and down the halls to grab copies from the copier. It was simple, familiar, and comforting. Now, those days felt far away. Instead, Leo was consumed with preparing for his finals, studying late into the night, and obsessively applying to universities, trying to keep his future options open.

In contrast to some of his friends, Leo considered himself pretty lucky in that regard. He maintained top marks, and with the Luthor name behind him, no university dared to deny the son of the power couple entry.

“God, some of these people,” Lena had just finished typing an email, her voice tinged with exasperation. She spun her monitor around to face Leo, her expression a mix of frustration and amusement. “Take a look at this and tell me if it’s too passive-aggressive, please.”

Leo pushed himself up from the cushions, leaning over her desk to get a better look at the screen. He squinted, reading the lengthy message carefully. Once he finished, he smirked and looked up at her with a mix of amusement and mock seriousness.

“Maybe take out the ‘if you are able to use your brain’ part that you put in brackets?” he suggested teasingly.

“Shit, I thought I’d deleted that,” Lena frowned, pinching the bridge of her nose with a resigned sigh. “This company is driving me crazy.”

“Oh, really?” Leo drawled, raising an eyebrow.

“Save the sarcasm for whoever’s responsible for you in the future, young man,” Lena shot back, though her eyes twinkled with mischief. Despite her words, Leo could tell she was amused- despite everything, she enjoyed these moments of banter.

Leo sat back down on the sofa, theatrically flopping against the cushions and stretching out dramatically. “You’re way more fun where I come from,” he finally said, pouting at her while giving her his best puppy eyes.

Lena rolled her eyes, a small smile curling at her lips. “Well, the future isn’t here now, and my company’s in a tiny bit of a crisis.”

Leo tilted his head, genuinely curious. “What kind of crisis?”

Lena leaned back in her chair, letting out a heavy sigh. “The world still doesn’t trust us. Lex Luthor’s little sister is trying to turn his corrupt policies around, and somehow, everyone’s still on high alert.” She paused, her expression growing more serious. “I didn’t even go through with the one plan I had that was genuinely evil.”

Leo’s eyes widened. “Your what?”

“Yeah,” Lena admitted quietly, a hint of vulnerability flickering across her face. “I had a… weak moment a few months ago, shortly after Kara revealed the truth to me. And I just felt so- used. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got- not just at her, but at myself. That’s when I started to think about fixing all that. Fixing human emotion.” She crossed her arms, staring thoughtfully at her screen, avoiding Leo’s gaze. “Sometimes I still think the idea has merit,” she whispered softly.

Leo bit his lip, processing her words. His mind reeled at the realization. His mother, the brilliant and seemingly unstoppable Lena Luthor, had once entertained the idea of manipulating human feelings, of eradicating what made them human in the first place. The hurt in her eyes was palpable, deep enough that Leo wondered how she hadn’t fallen into despair or worse. How had no one ever told him about this?

“Fixing human emotions?” he echoed, leaning forward.

Lena glanced at him, the blush rising in her cheeks. “I just felt so much- too much. I thought that maybe if I could stop those feelings…”

“-that you could fix whatever is causing humans to keep hurting each other,” Leo finished for her, his voice thoughtful. “The theory isn’t bad. But you can’t take away what makes us human.”

“I know,” Lena replied quietly, a flicker of sadness passing over her face.

They fell into a contemplative silence, each lost in their own thoughts, when the door swung open and Brainy stepped into the room. His hair was disheveled, and he looked a little out of breath- uncharacteristic for him. Without preamble, he set a stack of files down on Lena’s desk and muttered, “You really have to reinstate my security clearance. Your security was not happy to see me get through without an official appointment.”

Lena offered an apologetic smile. “Right. I forgot to put you on the roster. Won’t happen again.”

“I hope not,” Brainy said, pushing his hair back and then turning to look at Tyler with a small smile. “Hello again, Time Traveller. Want to get started on sending you back?”

Leo nodded vigorously, his enthusiasm clear. “Abso-fucking-lutely.”

Chapter Text

Kyle was undeniably smart. Lena could see that much plainly. She was peering at her screen, her brow slightly furrowed as she absorbed the information flashing before her, while Brainy remained absorbed in tinkering with a device he’d built years ago- an intricate piece of tech that still fascinated her. And Kyle? Kyle was off on his own separate journey, engrossed in his research. Lena had glanced at his search bar earlier- university-level essays, complex scientific theories, and philosophical debates. Her eyebrows had gone up in surprise.

This kid was seventeen, right? Seventeen years old, and already delving into topics most adults struggled to comprehend.

The day before, Lena had begun to wonder if this young man was a little… strange. But surprisingly, he seemed remarkably well-adjusted given his circumstances. Considering everything he’d been through, if she were in his shoes, she suspected she’d have already had a breakdown by now. It was fortunate, perhaps, that his aunt was so conscious of mental health- a protective factor she didn’t take for granted. Maybe at some point, she should ask him about his coping mechanisms, see how he managed to stay so steady.

“Lena?”

She snapped out of her thoughts and looked to the side. “What is it?” The Luthor’s voice was tinged with irritation- almost a defensive edge—though she quickly masked it. She’d always found Brainy to be a clever, dependable friend in many ways. But the betrayal still stung. He had known. He knew something she didn’t.

He. Had. Known.

It seemed no one else in the group had deemed her worthy enough to be in the loop. Lena could only appreciate that Brainy was one of the few intelligent enough not to push her away or keep secrets. Yet, everyone else had come to her, pleading their case, insisting she was overreacting, that her anger was unjustified. It made her want to laugh bitterly. Because, honestly? She already knew that. She knew her own limits, her own feelings. Pointing a laser beam at Kara had been outrageously out of line. Trapping her in Kryptonite? Cruel beyond words. But those around her- those who’d come to argue her down- didn’t seem to understand that appealing to her rational side in that moment was pointless. Lena’s plan wasn’t about rationality anymore; it was about revenge. Slow, deliberate. To inflict pain upon those that had caused her own. To make them beg for mercy.

By now, Lena had managed to calm herself somewhat. She knew she had overstepped, but at that moment, a dense fog of rage still clouded her mind. Her blood was still pounding, her fingers twitching with the urge to cause harm, to lash out at the world that had betrayed her. Her hands- those same hands that had fought so hard to build something new, something good- yearned violently to test the limits of her fury, to channel it into action.

“What has he told you?”

Lena kept her focus on her screen, fingers still moving over the keyboard. “Why, afraid that he spilled that I’m in prison?” Her sarcasm dripped from her words like acid, sharp and bitter. She watched as Brainy’s expression faltered, his face falling just slightly, and for a fleeting moment, she almost felt guilty. Hadn’t her conversation with Kyle made her reconsider her stance? Hadn’t it sparked a flicker of hope that perhaps she could find a different way? But her rational mind knew better- her heart, however, still needed more time to process the anger that festered beneath the surface.

“No,” Brainy replied softly, almost hesitantly. “We all know that that won’t happen.” His voice carried conviction- so clear and unwavering that it almost took Lena aback. “You’re still one of us, even if you don’t believe it.”

Lena offered him a thin, tight-lipped smile. “You’re right about one thing- I don’t believe it. Not anymore. You made sure of that.”

He exhaled heavily, a sigh that carried a mixture of frustration and compassion. His brows furrowed as he looked at her, studying her face as if trying to read the storm inside her. “It would be easier if you could tell me what I can do to make you believe us- me.”

Lena truly didn’t know. For someone who was usually lead by her brain, this was rather unfamiliar territory and she wasn’t sure that she’d be able to grow fond of it. Yeah, letting her emotions breathe was surely good for future-her but a big part of her just wanted to close herself off and work on whatever came across her desk. Compartmentalizing. She was a champion at that. Medal worthy. Her voice softened, but her jaw clenched. “Maybe just give me some time. Everyone keeps coming here, telling me I’m wrong, calling me a villain. No one owns up to it- no one just lets me be angry.” Her voice lowered, almost a growl. “Just… let me be angry.”

Brainy nodded, though she could see the hesitance lingering in his expression. He was a good friend- Lena wouldn’t deny that. But she wasn’t sure she was ready to let him back in fully. Too many secrets, too many wounds, sometimes made her feel as if she was suffocating beneath the weight of it all. The shadows of her past still wrapped around her, making it hard to breathe.

“But for the record,” Brainy said softly, “I was just wondering because anything he told you could change the future.” His gaze shifted toward the teenager scribbling diligently on a notepad. “He’s got a good life- we have a good life. Changing anything now could cause irreversible damage.”

Lena’s eyes drifted to the boy’s messy blond curls and the glasses perched askew on his straight nose. She understood what Brainy was saying. She understood the stakes. “I get it,” she replied quietly. “He didn’t tell me much- just that he knows the group, and that I’d end up forgiving you. That’s all. And believe me, I asked. I tried to get more out of him. But he didn’t tell me anything more.”

His hand moved instinctively as if to rest on her shoulder, then paused midair, correcting himself. “I’m glad,” he said softly. “I know it might take a while until you trust me again, but I’m willing to wait- to prove that I can be worthy of that trust, Lena.”

Lena looked at him, her expression guarded but not entirely unkind. “I’m still not sure I believe everything he’s told me,” she admitted. “But… who knows? Maybe the future still has some surprises in store.”
A faint chuckle escaped her lips at that, and she saw the slight smile that formed on Brainy’s face. “Sorry,” he said softly, “but you have no idea how right you are.”

They were talking about him. Without his powers, Leo couldn’t be certain of every word, but the way their glances kept flicking his way- furtive, deliberate- was enough to piece together what was being said. They muttered in low voices, and from time to time, Leo was almost sure he saw the corners of his mother’s mouth curve into a faint smile. But then she would catch herself, instantly straightening her expression and correcting what appeared to be an almost friendly gesture. It made Leo want to throw something.

His mother was warm, funny, and she wasn’t one to get angry unless it was justified. She never sought revenge- well, unless it was during game night- and she usually wore her emotions openly, without hiding her true feelings behind layers of cynicism or concealment. This version of her, though- so calculated, so guarded- felt almost alien.

Despite his best efforts, Leo couldn’t find any recent information on time travel that was relevant or trustworthy. The internet still seemed stuck in the era of celebrity photoshop edits and conspiracy theories. No credible scientific breakthroughs had been published, at least not publicly. If Leo really thought about it, he could recall that several people had traveled through time-he just had no way of contacting them.

He flicked his fingers against the screen in frustration. This wasn’t helping his aching back, either; the cuts that had started drying out last night itched terribly now. With a sigh, he set his laptop aside and pushed himself up from the couch. Walking toward the window, Leo stretched until he heard a satisfying pop in his back. Better. Much better.

He looked out at the cityscape-a sprawling maze of buildings, streets, and distant smoke rising in the air. This city. One day, it would be his home. Strange to see it now, with the pollution tinting the air a dull gray and the distant hum of voices and car horns echoing in the streets. Sure, his own time wasn’t a utopia. Superheroes still needed to save the day, and some problems persisted. But there had been progress. Some issues, at least, had been addressed.

In the distance, a dark cloud of smoke billowed upward, breaking through the skyline. Leo’s brow furrowed as he squinted at the sight, his instincts prickling at the edge of his mind. Turning back to the room, he called out, “Can you two take a look at this? I’m not entirely sure what’s happening.”

Within moments, Lena and Brainy had halted their conversation and approached him. They stood side by side, gazing out at the city’s silhouette. Suddenly, Lena gasped, her face draining of color. “It’s the hospital,” she said, voice trembling. “Shit. This isn’t good.” Her hand instinctively brushed loose strands of hair back from her face, as if trying to steel herself. “I have to get there.”

Leo was still trying to process what he was seeing, but Brainy nodded without hesitation. “I’ll figure out what’s going on,” he said calmly, voice steady. “While you get your driver. Stay safe.”

Lena hesitated for a moment, then reached for her phone with trembling fingers, just as Brainy was inputting commands into an earpiece. It seemed the team was mobilizing- help was on the way.

“Okay, we’re going,” Lena said, her voice more determined now. She looked at Leo. “Stay here. Don’t draw any attention to yourself, alright?”

Leo wanted to protest, wanted to jump in and help somehow. But he, without his powers, knew he’d be useless in this situation- at least, without his abilities or a clear plan. So, instead, he crossed his arms and nodded, a dark look flickering across his face.

Before they could leave the office, Leo called out, voice trembling slightly. “Please, just be careful?” The words felt small, almost childish, but he couldn’t help it. Usually, Leo wasn’t this worried- he was confident, determined. But this? This was different. The stakes felt higher than ever.

Lena responded with a genuine, warm smile. “We’ll try our best.”

And then they were gone, leaving Leo standing alone in his mother’s office, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on him. The room felt colder, emptier, and the distant hum of the city outside seemed to echo his own unspoken fears.

He stood there for a few seconds, letting the noises from outside penetrate his ears. Then, Leo turned around on his heels and walked towards Lena's desk. He sat down on her chair, spreading out his arms.

“I welcome you to L-Corp,” he said dramatically. “The place where science meets magic and everything you thought to be impossible turns into reality.” He leaned backwards, putting his legs onto the table. “However may I help you?”

Leo giggled to himself at his little game of pretend. He used to do that a lot as a kid. It had been a fun pastime and his mother was always so incredibly amused at her son’s antics. This version of her probably wouldn't humor him like that though.

He sighed while folding his arms behind his head and staring vaguely at the ceiling. Would he get home? Would his stay change the future? The fact that Leo hadn't vanished into thin air and that his head wasn't hurting with new memories was a good sign but it wasn't certain. Time travel had advanced a lot but it wasn't an exact science as of yet. Accidents happened and people got lost in the years.

Technically, his family could come looking for him. That they hadn't shown up to get him, worried Leo. Because why hadn't they? They must have realized that he was gone and that his kidnappers weren't in possession of the teenager anymore. Did that mean that they would find a solution to get him back right after the moment he’d vanished? Leo had no way of knowing.

There was a pretty big possibility that he was just stuck here. And the thought sent a shiver down his spine. A man out of time is a man without history.

His heart has started beating faster and Leo recognised that he was thinking himself into a panic attack. That probably wasn't a good idea.

“Take deep breaths, you moron.” he muttered under his breath, raising a trembling hand to his chest, drawing slow circles against his ribcage. “It’s going to be alright,” he said, ignoring the slight Irish lilt that came with soothing himself. His mother talked differently in this time. He knew her to have a stronger Irish influence, maybe she'd let go of some of the expectations that Lillian had set in her in the future. He knew that she’d reconnected with her mother’s past. So maybe with the freedom of the mind, came a freedom of speech.

His own dialect mostly mirrored his Yeyu’s but the night time stories that Lena had read to him as a kid, had irrevocably changed some of his diction. Whenever he grew tired, the Irish would sneak through, rolling down his tongue like ice cold water. And whenever he was sad, his mother's soothing tones seemed to take over.

God he missed them.

Leo flinched when he heard the sound of glass breaking. Had one of the scientists broken something? But no, the office was too far from the laboratories. With careful steps, he walked outside of the office where he found Jess, who was also carefully listening.

“Do you know anything?”

The answer he got was a vehement shake of the head and a finger pressed against her lips.

He stood next to her desk and continued to listen. He frowned. More breaking sounds. Glass clattering in the floor and wood scraping against tiles. Finally, a scream.

He and the secretary looked at each other before both hurrying back into Lena’s office. They managed to put a closet in front of the door with the hope that whatever was happening, wouldn't get in.

Jess’ phone rang. “Yes?” She answered in a hushed tone.

The answer was rapid breathing and a panicked: “They’re going for Luthor’s office.”

“Who?”

“I have no idea.” The man at the other end seemed to be running. He sounded terrified. “But they have guns. I don't think that any of them have powers. I counted three people. Black masks.”

Jess nodded. “Thank you, Tom. Try and get out!” She turned her phone off and looked at the teenager. “Do you have any idea what’s going on?”

Leo shook his head. “No.”

“Are you sure?”

Her eyes were looking at him as if she had X-ray vision. “I know that’s something off about you. Could this have anything to do with you or is this just our quarterly assassination attempt?”

Leo let out a breathy laugh. “You’re right about the first part but I honestly have no idea. Could be me that they’re after but I would rather not test that theory.”

“Fair enough,” Jess grimaced. “Any chance that you have superpowers that could help us out?”

“Would we be hiding behind a closet if I did?”

“It was worth asking.”

They sat next to each other, waiting while the sounds of shoots ringing through the air came closed and closer. The screams were loud and made Leo’s blood freeze.

“Do you think anyone’s dead?”

“Could be.” Jess put a hand on his shoulder. “Try to stay calm.”

Finally, they could hear steps walking down the corridor in front of the office. Several pairs of loud and clunky boots. A door opened, then closed. A deep voice groaned and someone seemed to cock their gun at something.

“Where is that shit stain?”

“Must be here, the camera’s caught him going into the building this morning. He hasn't left.”

A moment of silence.

“Couldn't that brat not do us the favour of just dying?”

Someone chuckled darkly. “You know that that family is resilient.”

Their boots came to a halt in front of the office door. Jess and Leo were both holding their breaths. The teenager was clutching at his pant legs, knuckles turning white while he waited.

The door knob turned. A second later one of the guys growled. “Won't open.”

The door knob rattled again. Then someone shot at the key hole. Another rattle. Then another curse.

Leo could feel the sweat starting to pool down his back. “What do we do?” He mouthed at Jess who had gotten up and was standing near the window.

“Pray,” she answered.

It was in that moment, that for the first time in his life, Leo felt completely and utterly hopeless. This could be it. This could really be it. Those guys out there didn't care. They were apparently after him, he'd recognised one of those voices from the day before. His fingers dug into his skin. Was this what regular civilians felt like every day?

His breathing was ragged and he only stepped back, when the guys behind the door seemed to get the idea to blindly shoot at it. The metal punctured and a bullet only just missed Leo’s ear. He jumped backward, another bullet streaked his cheek in that moment and he yelped.

The shooting stopped. “He’s in there,” the kidnapper whispered and Leo could just imagine the smile which played around the edge of his mouth. “Come out, come out, Leo. Common, stop hiding!”

The teenager brushed at the newly infected wound. Luckily, it wasn't deep and all he got was a handful of blood. He gulped. “Hide,” he whispered, shooing the secretary with his hands. “Behind the desk,” Leo hissed.

Before the door broke open, he steeled himself. Leo stood up straight, his eyes locked at the door and his shoulders rolled back. If this was going to be how he died, he would die standing up and trying to make sure that the innocent person in the room was fine. Another rattle at the shot-through door. Then something clicked and it sprang open.

“Good day to you, Leo,” the man from yesterday said, the mask still hiding his face. “You’re in the wrong place.”

Leo looked at him, his hands balled into fists in order to stop them from shaking. “What are you doing here?”

“Don’t you understand? We’re here for you,” the man said sickenly sweet. “To make sure you’re dead.”

“Why? What have I done?”

The kidnapper set his gun on him. “You were born. Sometimes that's enough of a reason.”

Leo felt his blood rushing through his ears. There was no way out. He could run but the office was so small, he wouldn't be able to outrun the bullets. He wiped his hands on his jeans, trying to relax. Being tense would mean that dying would take longer. Leo didn't want that. Of course, he didn't want to die at all but if he died? A bullet straight through his heart didn't sound like his worst option. At least it would be quick.

“Prepared to die?”

Leo swallowed down his fear. “Do what you must.”

But before the man could hit the trigger, a blue and red shadow burst through the window behind him. A cape sprawled out behind the figure and long golden locks glinted in the afternoon sun.

Supergirl stood in front of him, smoke and swear cliging to her suit, hands on her hips and her head slightly tilted. “What do we have here?”

Chapter Text

Her shoulders were broad and rigid. Leo could spot a cut that draws across her flank and a slight singe to her cape. He had never understood why she kept her hair open when she fought, in his opinion it’s just a safety risk but changing that pivotal part of her superhero identity after it had already been established, seemed to be too tedious.

“So… it’s you five against a teenager?” Blue eyes flickered towards him for a second, her eyebrow was raised. “I know that you guys are probably villains but doesn't that seem a bit extreme to you as well?”

Leo could feel his shoulders slump down. As it turned out, no matter in which time, seeing his Yeyu made him feel safe. His life was no longer in danger, at least for now. He felt himself relax, watching while the younger version of his Yeyu talked to his kidnappers.

“You have no idea,” the man snarled, his gun now pointing at the superhero. “He is an abomination.”

Kara clicked her tongue. “Looks like a regular teenager from here.” She crossed her arms. “You okay, kid?”

Leo shrugged. “I’ve had better days.”

The elder Kryptonian didn't bother looking back but chuckled in response. “I believe that. It's not every day that a bunch of evil henchmen try to hunt you down.”

The teenager barely managed to muffle the laugh that almost broke out of him. She had no idea. Sure, it didn't happen every day but it did happen often enough. But usually he had his powers and the entirety of the DEO to help him get out of it. This was decidedly more tricky than that.

Supergirl straightened out her arms, popping her knuckles (Leo thought that this was a bit of a show off move but whatever helped). “I’d really love it if you could put those guns down, that way no one has to get hurt.”

The man in the mask chuckled. “I don't think so.”

“You know that your bullets can't hurt me, right? Just give up before I have to hurt you to take you in.”

“I’d like to see you try.” He pressed a button on the side of his gun. Suddenly, a green glow could be seen at the end of the barrel.

“Oh fuck,” Leo whispered. He could see his Yeyu’s hands starting to shake slightly but the Kryptonian kept standing tall.

“Do you like this, Supergirl?” The kidnapper whispered. “Still feel invincible?”

Leo could see his Yeyu swallow hard. “We’ll see.”

The gun was pointed at her. Leo could feel her fear, no matter how much she tried to hide it. His Yeyu was a self sacrificing idiot. That's what his aunt always said.

“Well, if we don't get to take out the shit stain, we may as well make sure he never exists.” The man’s pointer finger was pressing against the trigger.

In a moment of stupidity, Leo preshed forwards. He could hear the gun going off and the henchmen hastily leaving the office. The bullet left the gun. He only had a few more seconds while his Yeyu’s skin was painted with sickly green lines. Grunting, Leo pushed the girl of steel aside, his own back protesting at the action. He could see the shocked look in her eyes but found that he didn't care too much. Her life, at this moment in time, mattered much more than his own.

Pain.

Leo felt pain piercing his shoulder where the bullet had hit him. It burned and ached and he could feel it rubbing up against the muscle. The teenager gritted his teeth while he did his best to keep standing. “Shit.” He shifted his shirt to the side, seeing a very faint green-ish glow radiating from the wound.

Well, this could have gone worse.

The fact that Leo has solar flared was, as it turned out, a bit of a blessing. At least he wouldn't get Kryptonite poisoning for now and the wound would be much easier to treat. “Golly that hurts,” he said while pressing his right hand to the injury.

A dazed Supergirl was staring at him from a crouched position. “What the hell did just happen?”

Leo shrugged. “Could be worse.”

The elder Kryptonian tried to get closer to him but Leo could see her knees beginning to buckle. “Maybe stay over there for now.” He glanced to where Jess was still hidden behind the table. “Miss Hoang?”

The secretary shyly glanced into his direction. “Yes?”

“If you could wrap up my shoulder really tightly until the DEO arrives, I'd appreciate it.”

“Of course.”

Meanwhile Supergirl kept staring at him in confusion, too dazed to move further away from him to get her powers working again. “You just jumped in front of a bullet!”

“Yeah,” he said while trying to ignore the stinging sensation where Jess was applying an emergency bandage which Lena thankfully kept in her office. “Everyone's still alive, that's what counts.”

“They were after you.” Kara stated. “Why were they after you? Why go through all this trouble of blowing up a wing in the hospital to redirect our attention away from here?”

Leo frowned. “They did what?” He moved his fingers one by one, checking that the nerves hadn't been damaged. “Is everyone alright?”

Kara shook her head. “Two dead, several injured.” She squinted at him. “Why you?”

“That's a bit of a story.” He thanked Jess, who stood aside. “I will tell you later.” He looked to the side, where the bandage was sitting tightly against his shoulder. Standing up again, he felt a bit dizzy but pressed on. “We have to check on the other people in the building.”

“What?” Supergirl asked, slightly befuddled by his change in conversation.

Leo sighed. “They made their way through a lot of the building. We could hear the gun going off several times. We need to check if there are any injured or dead.” He felt impatient with his Yeyu, these people mattered and the elder Kryptonian was looking at him with so much confusion. “Please get out of here and check on them. If someone got hurt, they probably need help much more urgently than me. Take them to the DEO right away! I can go downstairs and wait for, I suppose Agent Danvers?” He looked at her for confirmation. “She can take me back. But I really need you to get yourself together and help these people.”

Kara nodded, moving away from him. She started looking better immediately, the green veins vanishing and a slight blush returning to her cheeks. “I’ll see you later, kid.”

Leo nodded. “Get out!”

After the teenager had watched the superhero fly out, Leo straightened his back. “May I borrow your phone?”

Jess nodded, handing him the device. Leo looked for Lena’s name and pressed call. After a few seconds, the Luthor picked up.

“What's going on Jess, apparently L-Corp got broken into?”

Leo let out a sharp breath. “Here’s Kyle. Yes, L-Corp was broken into. Supergirl saved us.” He paused. “But I got shot and told her that I would let Alex take me to the DEO. That cannot happen.”

There was a moment of silence on the other end. “Why?”

“Because it can't. Just trust me on this.” He bit his lip. “I need you to tell Brainy and then I need to get out of here. I am serious, they can't get a hold of me. It’s too dangerous. You knowing of my existence is already too dangerous, no one else can get roped into this, understood?”

Leo already feared that he taken it too far when Lena answered. “Alright. I will get you back to my apartment… somehow. You said that you got shot?”

The young Luthor brushed her off. “Just my shoulder. No worse damage done but I need someone to remove the bullet and clean the wound. You have medical training, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then that's enough.” He closed his eyes for a second. “Did they really stage the explosion as a distraction?”

He could hear Lena taking a deep breath before answering. “I believe so.”

“Shit,” he cursed. “None of this was supposed to happen.” Leo calmed himself down before speaking again. “I’ll get Jess to smuggle me out, alright?”

“Okay, hand her the phone and I'll give her the specific instructions.” She paused. “Stay safe, Kyle!”

Leo chuckled dryly. “It may be too late for that.”

They had somehow made it to the downstairs garage. Leo had no idea how they had gotten passed the bustling security guards and Supergirl, who kept on flying in and out but to his surprise, they had. Maybe Jess did actually possess magical powers as his mother often said. The woman had been with the company for literal decades (she made more money then most actors) and he knew that Lena would trust this woman with her life. So he decided to put his trust into her as well. Either it worked or it didn’t.

“Honestly, we’re lucky that those ruffians turned off the security cameras,” Jess said while getting a car key out of her pocket. “That way the DEO won’t be able to follow you.”

Leo smiled gratefully while the woman unlocked the vehicle doors. He climbed into the backseat, lying down flat on top of the cushions. “Fantastic.”

Before Jess started the motor, she asked him: “I just need to know that you have no intention of harming Miss Luthor.” She had turned around in her seat to look at him. “You broke in, faked an internship and today we almost died and now I have to smuggle you out of the building because for some reason, the Feds can’t know about you. Do you see where all of that might be a bit suspicious?”

Leo tried to lie in a way that wouldn’t hurt his shoulder too much. “I would have been worried if you hadn’t asked, Miss Hoang.” He watched as the artificial light of the neon lamp flickered across her face. “I swear to Rao, I would never intentionally hurt Lena. I wish that I could tell you more but that would probably do more harm than good. For now, I just need you to trust that I have no intention of doing anything to intentionally endanger Lena Luthor.”

Jess nodded, the car came to life as she turned the key and they drove off. The car ride was more stressful then originally intended because the black cars from the DEO were starting to show up. With his fingers crossed, Leo watched as they entered the building, guns raised and with a familiar redhead at the front of the line. Leo’s expression turned into a frown. Future Alex would probably have his head for not contacting her but he couldn’t risk it. Not now. Not when everything was going to shit and he had no idea where his kidnappers had escaped to. He leaned backwards, his thought mulling over while Jess drove them to Lena’s apartment.

The secretary managed to get them inside. Once up in the living room, she bid him goodbye. “I have to take care of this,” she explained. She held out her hand, which Leo carefully shook. “Thank you for saving me and Supergirl.”

His answer was a pained smile. "Wouldn't have needed to do that if I hadn’t been here in the first place.”

“Nonetheless - not a lot of people would catch a bullet for Supergirl.”

Then she left and Leo found himself alone. He sat down the couch, wondering how he had gotten here. With his healthy arm, he wiped at his cheek, noticing that the blood there had begun to dry. Pursing his lips, Leo made his way towards the bathroom. Looking into the mirror, the wound on his face definitely wasn’t pretty. A gash along his cheek. Seeing this, his eyebrows raised. Leo had been more than lucky that it hadn’t hit any muscles. WIth careful hands, he began washing it out, jaw tightening at the stinging sensation. His parents definitely wouldn’t be happy with this once he finally made it home.

At some point, the door swung open with a faint creak. “Kyle?”

Leo gently set down a blood-stained towel, the crimson spreading unevenly across the fabric, and stepped out of the bathroom. “Present.”

Lena rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, her expression sharp with concern. “What the hell was that?” She studied him intently, her brows knitting together as her lips pressed into a thin, disapproving line. “What the hell was any of that?” Her gaze flicked to the wound on his shoulder, her eyes narrowing at the sight. “Jumping in front of Kara? Are you fucking insane?”

Leo exhaled heavily, shoulders sagging under the weight of her words. “You don’t understand,” he muttered. “They had kryptonite. Even if it’s not a fatal wound, the pain is so bad, you can’t even imagine it. Like being burned alive from the inside out. And he had a clean shot at her. She would have been shot in the chest, right through the heart. Do you know how many people come back from that?” His voice faltered, the flicker of fear and guilt flashing in his eyes. “I know the future. The world needs Supergirl. It needs her so much more than me. Especially if she almost got killed because of me.”

The Luthor moved toward a cabinet, rummaging through it and pulling out several medical instruments—scalpel, tweezers, antiseptic. Her gaze shifted back to Leo, her expression grim and focused. “Can you tell me why they were after you?”

“No.”

Her eyes darkened. “Several people lost their lives tonight. Because you’re here. How am I supposed to believe you’re worth that kind of destruction?”

Leo recoiled as if struck, his stomach clenched painfully, the bullet wound throbbing with an intense, gnawing ache that shot through him like a burning dagger. “Trust me, I am not,” Leo whispered, voice strained, eyes glistening with pain and desperation.

“Then why the fuck am I hiding you from the DEO?” Lena’s voice was sharp, her frustration bubbling over as she clenched her fists.

Leo wanted to cry. The pain in his shoulder was unrelenting, the puckering wound painfully tender and hot to the touch. The bullet’s entry had gouged a nasty, bloody hole, jagged and uneven, with bits of torn flesh and shredded muscle visible beneath the surface. His skin felt too tight, almost constricting, as if the injury was trying to swallow him whole.

“Because things will get worse the more people are aware of what’s going on. It’s always like that,” Leo rasped, running a trembling hand through his damp hair. “The world almost ended so many times because just one too many people knew. This can’t happen. It can’t!” His eyes pleaded with his mother. “Please, you can’t tell them.”

Lena bit her lip, hesitating. “Give me the night to think about it, okay?”
“Okay,” Leo whispered hoarsely.

She pointed at the sofa. “Now sit down. We have to get that bullet out of you.” Gently, she pressed him down as her eyes flicked towards the bandage that had started to turn a dark, ominous red. Carefully, she peeled it away, revealing the gruesome wound beneath- the torn flesh looked swollen and inflamed, with streaks of dark blood crusted around the edges. The entry point was jagged, the skin shredded and bubbled, with bits of muscle and tissue visible beneath the torn layers. The wound was deep, and the scent of burnt flesh and iron hung thick in the air.

“Why does this look-”

“What?”

“Nothing,” Lena replied quickly, her face tight with concentration. “Nothing. But this is going to hurt.” She handed him a pillow. “Bite down on this!”

Leo looked at the pillow, hesitating. “Don’t you have some anesthesia or something?”

“We’re at my home. All I’ve got are a few painkillers- I try not to carry out invasive procedures here,” she said, grabbing a pair of pliers. “Now, bite down. This is going to be very uncomfortable.”

As the seconds ticked by, Leo’s face scrunched in anticipation of pain. Lena’s steady hand grasped the metal prong of the pliers, and with a practiced, surgical precision, she clamped onto the bullet. Leo’s jaw clenched involuntarily, his teeth sinking into the fabric of the pillow as a wave of searing pain shot through him. His skin felt too tight, too hot, and beneath the surface, he could feel the metal tip scraping against his torn flesh and shredded muscle, sending sharp, burning sensations through his nerves.

His eyes widened as Lena yanked the bullet free with a sickening, wet sound, blood splattering onto the floor and pooling around the wound. The raw, torn tissue was exposed, raw and angry-looking, with streaks of dark blood and bits of frayed muscle hanging from the jagged entry point.

“God damn it-” he muffled a cry into the pillow, trembling as Lena carefully placed the bloody bullet into a tray on the coffee table, her face set with clinical focus.

“Does it hurt?” she asked, her voice laced with a hint of humour. “No,” Leo managed sarcastically, voice trembling, “this is pure joy I’m feeling. Can’t you tell?”

Lena sighed, then took a needle and some thick thread, preparing to stitch the gaping wound. “You didn’t want to go to the DEO, so you don’t get the luxury of professional healthcare,” she said softly.

“I’m starting to regret that a little right now,” Leo admitted, grimacing as she began to sew the torn flesh.

“So I can notify the DEO?”

“No. But good try,” he muttered.

Lena chuckled softly, her hands steady despite the gruesome scene. “In all seriousness, despite all of the stupidity involved in this, I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Me too,” Leo whispered, flinching as the needle punctured his skin once more. The pain was a fiery, relentless reminder of how badly he’d been hurt.

“Can I have some painkillers once you’re done?” he asked quietly.

The Luthor raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smirk curling on her lips. “We’ll see how mad I am at you in twenty minutes.”

Chapter Text

Kara could feel the smoke inside her nose. An uncomfortable stench that made it difficult to take a deep breath without breaking into a coughing fit. She could see the fire, spreading from room to room- destroying everything in its wake.

There were beds being eaten by the flames and curtains that had crumpled up into balls of plastic. The times had been darkened with ash, the white walls glancing back at her grey and dirty.

She wasn't sure what to do. It was so loud, the screams that kept reaching her ears were high, loud and full of terror. Like fingernails that kept scratching against stone. Kara just barely managed not to cover her ears. She had to stay vigilant, had to help - but how, if hundreds of people were in need of saving? kara could feel herself getting overwhelmed. So for a second, the reporter allowed herself to close her eyes, feeling her heartbeat slow down.

“Supergirl?”

“Yes?” She answered Alex over the earpiece.

“Are you alright?” Kara looked back to where Alex was standing next to one of the black vans, one hand pressed against her ear and a concerned expression marring her features.

“Yes. Just tell me where my best entry point is.”

She could hear typing, then the voice reappeared. “Try to get in through the window by the cafeteria, the structure seems to be the most sound there. Down there is the E.R., see if evacuation from there is possible and if the teams can go inside; after that I need you to move to the upper floors. Understood?”

“Understood,” Kara answered, flying to where she could see several windows that stood open. She flew through. The cafeteria was big, she could see the first stream of patience running through the glass door to the outside. She wanted to thank whoever had built this on the ground floor with a direct path into the neighbouring park.

She looked at the ceiling, using her x-ray vision to check whether the structures would hold. “It’s safe down here,” she said to Alex while simultaneously carefully lifting someone with a broken leg into her arms and flying them outside, setting them down on one of the benches.

She flew back in, setting down on the ground, following the strategically placed arrows that were supposed to lead patience towards the upper floors. She frowned at the elevators. Kara could see sparks coming from them. It seemed that someone was currently stuck on the second floor. Without a second thought, she pried the door open, managing to get the couple of nurses to the ground safely.

After that, she flew upwards, not daring to set foot on the stairs, They were still holding but the structure was fragile, the metal that held them up had been damaged by the heat. Upstairs, she could see the flames that were ravaging the hospital. There were patience trying to claw their way out of their rooms, some of them being more successful than others.

“Alright,” Kara said while clapping her hands together. “I need everyone to stay calm. Those of you that are more mobile, form a line into the room that’s the furthest away from the fire and open up the window there. I’ll fly those that can’t walk out of here first and then come back for you. Okay?”

She could see a few of the people nodding, the doctors and nurses taking charge of the group to get them to form an orderly line into the room furthest away.

Kara looked at one of the spaces that had caught fire, using her freeze breath to subdue the flames. Stopping one of the attendings in their step, the Super asked: “Are there any chemicals that could catch on fire that need my priority?”

The man thought for a second before answering: “Most of the more flammable stuff should be in the surgical suits. Is the eastwing on fire?”

Kara shook her head. “So far it’s the west wing and parts of the north wing. We have fire fighters that are trying their best to keep it from spreading.”

The relief on his face was obvious. “Okay, that’s good. You should be able to focus on just getting everybody out of here.”

“Great!” Kara turned around, hastily reaching for one of the immobil patients. “Hold on tight!”

It had been a few moments when Kara could hear her earpiece cracking. “Supergirl, how many are left?”

Kara looked at the line that still consistent of about half a dozen people. “Give me two more minutes, why?”

She could hear someone muttering to Alex, before the agent sighed. “Parts of eastwing are threatening to break in, we couldn’t subdue everything. Get there as soon as possible!”

Kara nodded while simultaneously flying another person outside. “Do we know what caused this?”

“Can’t be sure, we haven’t had the time to check for explosives but the severity of the explosion points toward it.”

“So it was a targeted attack?”

“Most likely.”

Kara turned around in the air, flying towards eastwing of the hospital. “Why would someone do this?”

“Luthor says that it might be because she’s been having a study inside the hospital.”

Kara didn’t want to, she had more important things to do but despite herself, the Super stopped in the air. “Lena’s there?”

She could hear Alex sigh. “Yes, she’s standing next to me. But you should really be focusing on stabilizing the hospital right now.”

The kryptonian let out a breath. “Pfhhh, I don’t get distracted that easily.”

“Sure, Supergirl, sure.”

If the situation had been different, Kara was sure that Alex would have laughed at her. Lena was… an exception. She always had been, since the very start. The Luthor made Kara want to drop everything else because it simply wasn’t as important as the young woman. No one ever understood why. Kara had presumed that this was what friendships were supposed to be like until she had scared herself. That day, when she’d had to almost choose between Lena and National City… The alien was still relieved that her plan had worked because she wasn’’t sure how she would have explained that. Ever since then, Kara had been more careful.

Maybe too careful- after all, her fear had lead to Lena despising her. And she couldn’t blame her for that. The lies had been stacked in front of her eyes with the promise of truth. She only wished for Lena to be happy and for her to do good. If Lena was mad at her, despite the agony that it caused, Kara could live with that. What she couldn’t live with, was the Luthor almost proving the legacy of her name.

She flew up to the structure that would threatening to cave in on itself, metal, wood and stone all creaking in unison as the weight became too much to bear. Kara looked at it analytically, carefully mending some of the seams together via laser vision and bending some of the beams to fit together once more. After that, the super flew up to where the flames were rapidly spreading, ignoring heat that licked up her legs. Pursing her lips, Kara tamed the fire.

“Is it working?” She could hear Lena mumble from besides Alex. Kara's back went rigid. Gosh, how she’d missed that voice. Kara had never presumed herself to be an addict - until Lena. No matter in which capacity, she could never get enough of the green eyed beauty.

“Fire’s been contained,” Supergirl said clearly into the earpiece before flying up to the third floor, where people were leaning their torsoes out of the window to avoid smoke inhalation. “Anything else that needs my immediate attention?”

There’s a rustling sound. “Appearently not. Just try and get more people out of there, then the fire brigade should be able to handle the rest. The patients that require the most urgent care, are being rerouted to a different hospital.”

“Okay,” Kara said. “Thank you Alex!” The reporter brushed the dirty hair out of her face, taking a moment to breathe in air that hadn’t been contaminated. She got back into rescuing the people, wilfully ignoring the sharp nails that some of them had, that kept on digging into her skin. It was understandable, they were scared, they couldn’t get out via their own superpowers. But it would be nice of them to stop testing her impenetrable skin.

After Kara had managed to set the last person down where a team of EMT’s was checking their lung functions, the blonde leaned forewards, hands on her knees. This was exhausting. When she heard the click of a camera, Kara immediately rectified her posture. The people didn’t need to catch a glimpse of an exhausted Supergirl. It seemed that the news had arrived, carrying expensive camera equipment. A reporter whom Kara had worked with before, was in charge of the broadcast- sadly, he was more than a bit tone deaf.

He walked right up to her, microphone in hand and a determined expression on his face, his hair slicked back by a whole lot of gel. Somehow, he always looked smug. “Supergirl,” he exclaimed, holding the microphone right underneath her nose. “Do we know what has caused this level of destruction?”

Kara managed not to roll her eyes. “The federal agencies are working on it, I am sure. So far I can’t give out any information,” she said politely.

The reporter’s eyebrows drew together, he wasn’t going to let this rest. “Is it true that Lena Luthor is involved with this hospital?”

“Yes,” the alien answered, preparing for the accusation that was bound to follow. And sure, the reporter fulfilled her expectations immediately.

“Is it possible that she caused this? It wouldn’t be the first time that a Luthor went against the innocent population.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” An exhausted giggle broke out of her throat. The man looked at her in confusion. “No, I don’t believe that she caused the fire. Lena Luthor may not be perfect but shouldn’t we all be aware of the fact that she’s not like her brother by now? What does that woman have to do to get the press to stop taunting her?”

Kara didn’t wait for a response, instead flying to where Alex was standing with Brainy and Lena. “Is everyone safe?”

Alex tilted her head. “You did your best, we couldn’t get everyone out though.” The redhead pinched the bridge of her nose. “Two people died- a patient with severe asthma and a nurse who got trapped inbetween the flames.”

The Super’s shoulders sagged. “Oh,” she murmured. Taking in that information, blue eyes meet green ones. “Hey Lena,” Kara said breathlessly. The Luthor looked… tired. She always looked good but the shadows beneath her eyes spoke of sleepless nights. She hadn’t seen the other woman in about two weeks. She could feel her stomach churning with anxiety.

The Luthor in her stead, merely blinked at her, features hardening. She didn’t respond to the greeting. Kara sighed quietly. Of course. she hadn’t been forgiven yet. It had been wishful thinking. It was somewhat understandable but damn it, it hurt. She wanted the woman to hug her, to help her forget that people had just died because she hadn’t been fast enough. Despite the fact that Lena always insisted that she wasn’t a physical person, her hugs were always warm and comforting. Kara could melt into her touch, almost forgetting that she was a superhero.

It was then, that a sharp sound reached Kara’s ears. It hadn’t come from the hospital. It was… screaming. Loud, fearful screams - almost echoing the ones that had come from the hospital earlier. The alien’s eyebrows knit together as she tried to figure out where they came from.

“Is something wrong, Supergirl?”

Kara bit her lip. “I don’t know, there’s something-” She broke off when a gun went off. Her eyes widened. “L-Corp,” she whispered. “Something’s wrong at L-Corp.”

Now Lena was looking at her, cheeks turning white. “What?”

“Not sure, I’ll keep you updated!” With these words, Kara flew off, breaking through the clouds, passing by the still burning hospital. The closer she got, the clearer the sounds became. She could hear whimpering.

“ “Hide behind the desk,” Kara could hear someone whisper. The voice sounded young, a teenager. It came from Lena’s office. A bang followed, the bursting of metal and wood. Kara could feel the fear creeping up her neck. Would she get there on time?

A deep voice began to speak. Kara had met her fair deal with evil sounding people and this guy? This guy sounded evil. “Good day to you, Leo.”

“Prepared to die?”

Kara could feel the blood freeze inside her veins. But it were the boy’s words that made her gulp. He answered calmly, like a man that had fought a hundred battles.

“Do what you must.”

She could see him now, a broad frame that pointed away from the window. His arms at his side, wearing a hoodie. The gun glinted in the sun. Kara closed her eyes when she broke through the window like a canon ball, glass shattering dispersing throughout the room. She came to a halt in front of the teenager, making herself as soon as possible while narrowing her eyes at the mascclad men.

“What do we have here?” Her voice was slightly husky from the smoke and she was sure that she looked worse for wear. But that could be taken care of later on. For now, Kara needed to figure out why a gun was being pointed at a literal teenager.

“So… it’s you five against a teenager?” If only she could see what was beneath those masks. But that boy… he must have been important to warrant such drastic measures. The only question was - why? “I know that you guys are probably villains but doesn't that seem a bit extreme to you as well?

“You have no idea, he is an abomination!” Kara’s lip curled downward in disgust at those words. Phrases like these, they had been thrown around for the entirety of history and they had not once rung true. Not. Once. So instead of deeming them worthy of a response, Kara turned towards the boy who had seemingly relaxed a bit. The blood on his face made Kara do a double take but it appeared to be just a gash, nothing life threatening.

“You okay, kid?”

She could see a tiny smile on his face at that.

“I’ve had better days.”

He could be sarcastic, definitely proof that he was more alright than not. That soothed her. Kara grinned encouragingly. “I believe that. It's not every day that a bunch of evil henchmen try to hunt you down.”

Kara turned back towards the masked men, trying to relax her hands. They were slightly sticky with blood and debris and she could already tell that they would probably be cramping throughout the night. She scowled. “I’d really love it if you could put those guns down, that way no one has to get hurt.”

It always went like this: she’d arrive, the bad guys would ignore her warnings, shoot and then end up in prison. It was so very seldom when it didn’t work out that way, so Kara felt confident.

When the main guy chuckled in response, Kara could feel the hair on her arms standing in response. “I don’t think so.”

Okay, so these ones were stubborn. She’d try once more. Maybe they’d be smarter this time around! “You know that your bullets can't hurt me, right? Just give up before I have to hurt you to take you in.”

“I’d like to see you try.” Apparently they weren’t. It was only when he pressed a button on his gun that she understood why. The world began to tilt immediately, fire burning inside her skin. Her very bones seemed to be screaming and she couldn’t move. It took all her energy to keep standing. If these idiots were going to try and get to an innocent teenager, they could go through her first. Perhaps this was her price to pay.

“Do you like this, Supergirl?” The kidnapper whispered. “Still feel invincible?”

“We’ll see.” Kara wasn’t in any state to make such comments. If kryptonite bullets in such concentration were involved, she couldn’t win. She knew that. But what those goons didn’t know, couldn’t hurt Kara.

The man tilted his head at her, letting out a sigh before saying:
“Well, if we don't get to take out the shit stain, we may as well make sure he never exists.”

Now, that was confusing but the pain that was coursing through her was making it difficult to follow along what was happening. She knew that she’d be shot in a moment. Truly, nothing else seemed important. Kara swallowed hard, hoping that maybe Lena would forgive her in death. Perhaps she would attend the funeral. Maybe she’d brink plumerias? It was a comforting thought.

Bang

Kara expected herself to be lying on the floor, bleeding out. But instead, a bit of the haze around her began to lift when she found herself stumbling across the floor. The boy, whom Kara had intended to protect was standing in her place, his teeth bared, a hand pressed against his shoulder. It wasn’t a pretty picture, the blood flowed quickly, the red liquid painting his hoodie.

“Golly, that hurts,” she could hear him hiss. Kara’s brows rose, she’d bet.

“What the hell did just happen?” She was looking at him, the kryptonite still making it difficult to process what was happening.

“Could be worse.”

Well, now she wanted to slap him. That was not the appropriate response to being shot. Twice! What the hell was wrong with this dude?

When Kara tried to step towards him to take a look at his shoulder, he raised his hands while shaking his head. “Maybe stay over there for now.”

Despite everything inside her saying to do otherwise, Kara did as he said. Something about this boy… it was familiar. She couldn’t definitely say what it was. But she knew that she could trust his word. It may have been stupid but Kara always thought herself to be a good judge of character.

She watched while Jess wrapped the teen’s shoulder in bandages. “You just jumped in front of a bullet!” Kara still couldn’t believe it. It was pretty unbelievable, after all. No one should do that for a superhero, least of all a child!

“Everyone's still alive, that's what counts.”

God she wanted to slap him. Kara wasn’t a violent person by any means, least of all with children but now his attitude was making her angry. How was he measuring his life like that? What was wrong with that kid?

A different thought entered her mind. One, which could prove to be rather important. “Why were they after you? Why go through all this trouble of blowing up a wing in the hospital to redirect our attention away from here?”

She could see his eyes widening at that, both the surprise and the horror were apparent. “They did what? Is everyone alright?”

Kara breathed out harshly. “Two dead, several injured.” She squinted at him. “Why you?” What was the importance of this boy? He just looked like… well… boy. Nothing stood out.

He paused for a second, carefully thinking about his answer.“That's a bit of a story. I will tell you later.” His eyes glanced towards the corridor in front of the office. “We have to check on the other people in the building.”

Right. Yes. There were still other people in the building. How had she forgotten that? Kara shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts off the kryptonite haze.

“They made their way through a lot of the building. We could hear the gun going off several times. We need to check if there are any injured or dead. Please get out of here and check on them. If someone got hurt, they probably need help much more urgently than me. Take them to the DEO right away! I can go downstairs and wait for, I suppose Agent Danvers?” He looked at her for confirmation. “She can take me back. But I really need you to get yourself together and help these people.”

Kara hovered in the middle of the room, her brow furrowing as confusion washed over her once again. Her eyes darted between the boy standing defiantly in Lena’s (formerly) sleek, glass-walled office and the myriad of unanswered questions swirling in her mind. How the hell did this kid know about the DEO? About Alex? The details he seemed to casually mention- was he some kind of spy? An informant? And what was he really doing here, inside Lena Luthor’s office of all places? The thought sent a shiver down her spine.

Why were several hitmen- at least that’s what they seemed- after him? The question marks kept piling up, forming an ever-growing wall of uncertainty. She sighed. Why couldn’t things ever be easy? Why was there always some mystery that needed solving? And why was it always in connection to Lena? She refused to believe that the woman was doing something nefarious but she could understand why people may be suspicious.

But despite her swirling doubts, the boy had been right about one thing- she needed to check on the others. Without hesitation, Kara straightened her shoulders, her jaw tightening into a determined line. Her superhuman senses sharpened as she looked at him with a mixture of suspicion and authority. “I’ll see you later kid!”

He waved off. “Get out!”

Kara didn’t hesitate. She shot upwards into the sky, leaving the tense scene behind her and hovering in front of the L-Corp building to get a better look. Her mind was still racing, trying to piece together the puzzle. Lena’s involvement? The boy’s significance? Why was he marked for death? Her stomach churned with a mixture of worry and frustration, knowing she’d have to dig deeper later.

She ended up finding four people that had been hurt. Luckily, no one here had died. The relief made it easier for her to breathe. Kara informed Alex of the situation, making sure that the injured people had been welcomed in the hospital.

she descended swiftly into the building, landing quietly in a corridor near the elevator. Her keen eyes immediately spotted a small group of injured individuals huddled together in a conference room, their faces pale but conscious. She recognized a few of these people: a woman clutching her arm, a young man with a gash across his forehead, an elderly man holding his side, and a teenager limping on one leg. She’d met a few of them before, the young man had asked her for dating advice once.

Relief washed over her when she saw they were alive, no one appeared to be beyond saving. She moved quickly, her heart pounding with concern. Using her super strength and heat vision with practiced precision, she stabilized their injuries- stopping bleeding, immobilizing fractures, and providing comfort. Her voice was calm yet firm as she reassured them that help was on the way and that they were safe now.

Kara stayed with them just long enough to ensure they received proper medical attention- calling for emergency responders and guiding them to the hospital’s entrance within the building. Once she was satisfied they would be taken care of, she took off again, heading back toward her office.

She flew back to L-Corp, where she saw Alex standing next to Lena’s sleek, modern desk. Alex’s brow was furrowed, her expression tense and worried. Her eyes flicked to Kara as she landed gracefully nearby, tension evident in her posture.

“Is everything okay?” Kara asked, voice edged with concern.

Her sister hesitated for a moment, then nodded slowly. “The boy you told us about?”

The Super’s face tightened. “Yeah?”

Alex looked away briefly, her jaw clenched. “He’s gone.”

Blue eyes widened slightly, and her brow furrowed even deeper. “Gone? What do you mean, gone? Did he run? Was he taken?
”
A muscle in the elder woman’s jaw twitched. “I don’t know. I looked everywhere, but I couldn’t find him. It’s like he disappeared into thin air.” Her voice was low, tinged with frustration and worry.

Kara bit her lip, her mind racing. “We’ll track him down. We have to. Whatever is going on with him, it’s dangerous for everyone around.”

Alex nodded, determination hardening her features. “Agreed. I just hope we get to him before it’s too late.”

Chapter Text

As it turned out, sleeping in an upright position was anything but comfortable. Leo’s neck muscles felt stiff and tight, as if a thousand tiny knots had formed overnight, protesting every slight movement. Every time he tried to shift even slightly, a dull ache radiated through his shoulders and upper back, making him acutely aware of how sore and strained his body truly was. The sutures along his side tugged uncomfortably with each breath, reminding him that he was still healing from the ordeal- and that, for now, he was far from being even somewhat alright.

He sluggishly turned his head, trying to find a more comfortable position, but the stiffness persisted. His eyes flicked over to the clock on the wall. The digits glared back at him, confirming what he already suspected: he had only managed to sleep for about three hours before waking up, groaning in pain. Three hours of restless, uncomfortable sleep. Great. Just what he needed to start his day. His lips curled into a sardonic grimace as he thought, Well, this is already promising to be a fantastic day.

His feet, still bare and cold against the wooden floor, shuffled slightly as he pushed himself up from the chair with a sigh. The chill sent a shiver up his spine, but he was more focused on the dull ache that radiated from his side- probably from the sutures- and the throbbing behind his eyes. He moved slowly, painfully, towards the kitchen, each step feeling like a small feat of endurance. His muscles protested every movement, stiff and protesting, as if they’d forgotten how to function properly after the long night of restless sleep.

Lena had already set out a packet of painkillers on the countertop, and Leo’s heart gave a tiny, grateful flutter. Thank fuck for that, he thought, grimacing. He wasn’t eager to feel all of this for much longer- he needed some relief, and fast. Reaching out, he grasped the packet and carefully tore open the seal, pulling out a couple of pills. The taste was bitter, but he didn’t hesitate. Swallowing the pills with a glass of water, he chugged it down in one long gulp, the cool liquid soothing his throat and giving him a moment of relief from the burning sensation in his chest.

He leaned heavily against the counter afterward, feeling every muscle protest loudly at the slightest movement. His body was protesting, aching, and exhausted- like he’d run a marathon overnight, even though all he’d done was lie still in an incredibly uncomfortable position. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to will the pain away, but it persisted stubbornly. The ache in his side, the stiffness in his neck, the relentless pounding behind his temples. Right about now, he would rather endure one of Lori’s lengthy rants about whatever currently held her interest. It seemed less torturous.

Still feeling the lingering heat radiating from his feverish skin, Leo reached for the glass again and filled it once more with water. He took a seat at the kitchen table, sinking into the chair with a sigh that was somewhere between relief and frustration. The cool surface of the table pressed against his skin, soothing and grounding him in the moment. He felt the icy sensation against his feverishly hot skin, a stark contrast that somehow calmed him just enough to breathe through the discomfort.

His mind drifted briefly, contemplating how much worse this was than the time he had broken his wrist in second grade after falling off the slide. That injury had hurt, sure, but at least he’d been younger and resilient enough to bounce back quickly. Now, without his powers, every ache and pain seemed amplified- an unwelcome reminder of how fragile he still was, despite how much he’d tried to convince himself otherwise.

Leo’s gaze drifted around the kitchen, taking in the quiet, familiar surroundings- Lena’s neatly arranged counters, the faint scent of coffee lingering in the air, the soft ticking of the clock. But beneath that calm exterior, his body still burned with fever, and deep down, he knew this was only the beginning of a long, arduous recovery.

With nothing better to do, he began to ponder how he could possibly keep escaping from the DEO’s grasp. Surely, his Yeyu had been distracted yesterday but she would have needed to be blind to miss that he held a connection to both the attack and Lena. This would definitely come back to bite him in the ass. If there was one thing that he knew about his moms, it was that they were really damn stubborn, neither of them likely to let anything go if it pertained to something or someone that they cared about.

And the safety of the citizens of National City certainly fell into that category. This was usually a trait that Leo admired in regards to his Yeyu but not today. No, not today.

The teenager ran a hand through his hair, realizing that it was in desperate need of a thorough wash. His hand came back feeling oily. He grimaced, this was not something that he should try to do on his own currently. Sighing, Leo leaned his head against the table, breathing in deeply. Maybe, if Leo wished for it hard enough, he’d find himself back in his home. Home, where the walls were orange and full of pictures and there were plants and paintings everywhere. Home, where Krypto would stand in front of him, tongue hanging out of his snout, tail wagging happily. Home, where his parents made sense.

“Why is everything so fucked here?” Leo whispered into the room, where only the light hum of the refrigerator was currently keeping him company. It somehow felt like up was down. And the people that Leo would usually confide in, either weren’t an option for obvious reasons, weren’t a part of the group or didn’t exist yet. Oh how the teenager wished to be able to talk to Kelly. His aunt would be able to calm him down, she always did. But no, stupid Kelly was still deployed somewhere because of course she was. At least Leo would get to complain about this once he made it back to the present. That was one thing that the boy looked forward to. “Always there for me? Let me tell you about the time that I got sent back in time and you didn’t even know our family, you and everyone else owe me free snacks for life. I got shot for Yeyu! Shot!” Yeah, he’d make them beg for forgiveness. A stilted laugh left his mouth, which quickly turned into shaky sobs.

Rao, how he missed them.

Kara was carefully studying J’onn, her brow furrowed in concern and hesitation. She didn’t like the idea that had just been floated- an idea that sounded reckless, dangerous, and intrusive all at once. Yes, finding the kid was a priority, but the Super wasn’t sure she was comfortable sacrificing her own privacy- her very thoughts and memories- to do so. The notion of granting J’onn access to her mind felt like crossing a line she wasn’t willing to cross easily, especially when her mental state was still fragile after everything she’d been through recently.

Her hands were folded tightly across her chest, fingers tapping a nervous rhythm as her mind spun with doubts. She was gnawing at her lower lip, a habit she picked up whenever she was deep in thought or unsure of herself. Rationally, she understood the urgency, the necessity of the plan- if it was the only way to locate the boy, then maybe it was worth considering. But emotionally? The thought of exposing her vulnerabilities, of having her mind probed and her secrets laid bare, didn’t sit well with her. It felt intrusive, invasive, and, honestly, a little frightening.

“Can’t we do something else?” Kara finally asked, her voice edged with a mixture of frustration and pleading. She looked from J’onn to her sister, Alex, whose expression was sympathetic but firm.

Two pairs of brown eyes looked at her with concern. Alex was the first to speak, her voice steady but gentle: “It’s our best chance to get an accurate picture of him. That way we can actually search for his face in the databank, figure out who he is.”

Kara felt her stomach tighten. Frustration bubbled up inside her, and she clenched her fists briefly before releasing them. “Can’t we just ask Lena?” she asked, her voice slightly higher, more desperate. “Maybe she knows something.”

J’onn mirrored her posture, shoulders squared and calm. His tone was measured but serious. “We already tried to contact her. She isn’t answering our calls. She just texted Brainy that everything is okay. We will check her facilities if we don’t come up with anything here. Not to mention, Miss Luthor isn’t the most trustworthy person at the moment.”

Kara scowled, crossing her arms. “Don’t start with that,” she said sharply. “She hasn’t done anything suspicious yet. Lena’s not like that.”

Alex raised an eyebrow, her expression stern. “You’re forgetting the time she pointed weapons at you and trapped you in kryptonite,” she countered. Her voice carried a hint of exasperation, as if she’d heard this argument too many times before.

“You’re forgetting about the time that she pointed weapons at you and trapped you in kryptonite, aren’t you?” Alex was looking at her with that facial expression. That expression that said that she thought that Kara was being naive, that she couldn’t be objective. And yeah, maybe Kara was having trouble looking at Lena with eyes that weren’t tinged with literal years of friendship. But that was exactly why she was so certain that Lena wasn’t doing something evil, that she probably had a reason for doing whatever she was doing.

The reporter’s jaw tightened, her eyes flashing defensively. “Just… stop. I am not some kid, Alex.” Kara was so tired of being treated like she should know better. It wasn’t fair. “I know what I’m doing. I can handle this.”

The redhead sighed, exchanging a glance with J’onn that looked like it had been practiced on several occasions. “No one is saying that you’re acting like a kid but Kara, you need to let go of this fantasy that you have of Lena. I know it hurts but she isn’t your friend anymore. And we all know what she’s capable of if push comes to shove. You need to stop thinking like Kara when it comes to her and think like Supergirl. It’s your mission to make sure this city is safe, if Lena poses a risk to this safety, we need to know.”

“All she ever wanted was peace,” Kara exclaimed, her voice trembling with a mixture of frustration and sorrow. Her throat tightened, and for a moment, she felt like the words were catching in her chest. Why could no one ever understand? Lena, at her core, wasn’t violent or malicious. In her ideal, peaceful world, Lena would spend her days tinkering quietly in her lab, surrounded by beakers and gadgets, lost in her work. In the evenings, she would sip tea while listening to classical music, her mind calm and centered. That was the Lena Kara knew- the one who was kind, gentle, and driven by a desire to make the world better in her own quiet way.

Why did no one ever bother to see her that way? To understand her as more than just a Luthor, as more than a suspicion or a threat? Kara’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her voice thick with emotion. She looked at J’onn and Alex, desperate for someone to see Lena the way she did, to believe in the Lena she knew deep down was still there.

J’onn folded his hands gently on top of one another, his expression calm but serious. His eyes softened as he tried to convey a sense of reassurance and understanding. “Kara,” he said softly, “I know that you’re worried I might see too much of what’s going on inside your mind- what you’re feeling right now. But I promise you, as long as you focus on the boy, I am not going to snoop. The only way I’ll get wind of anything else is if you let your thoughts wander, if you lose focus.”

He offered her an encouraging smile, one that was warm and steady, designed to ease her fears. “I know this can be scary. I understand that trusting someone with your mind is a big step. But this is what’s best for everyone. We’re doing this to help, to find the boy and ensure his safety. And I will respect your boundaries. I won’t delve deeper than what’s necessary.”

Kara’s head dropped backward, her eyes drifting upward toward the ceiling as she took in a shaky breath. Her shoulders sagged under the weight of her worries, and she tried to steady her racing thoughts. Her voice was quieter now, almost a whisper. “Are you sure? About all of this?”

J’onn nodded without hesitation. “Yes.”

A long, trembling sigh escaped Kara as she bit down on the inside of her cheek, trying to suppress the rising tide of anxiety. She looked down at her hands, clasped tightly in her lap, then back up at him. “Just… be careful, okay?”

J’onn chuckled softly, his deep voice resonating through the room like a calming presence. His expression was gentle but confident. “I always am,” he replied, a reassuring smile lingering on his face.

Kara nodded slowly, still a little uncertain, but willing to trust him. She took another deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come. Though her heart was pounding with apprehension, she knew that J’onn’s promise was genuine- and that, for better or worse, this was a step towards finding the boy and keeping everyone safe.

Chapter Text

Kara could feel the warm, rough palms pressing gently against the sides of her head, their familiar weight a grounding presence amid the swirling chaos inside her mind. The calloused pads, evidence of years spent in relentless toil - whether wielding tools, fighting battles, or simply enduring life's hardships- touched her with an unspoken reassurance she desperately needed. Her senses heightened; she could almost taste the faint scent of J’onn’s cologne- an intricate blend of minty freshness intertwined with citrus notes- subtle enough to evoke autumn afternoons, crisp air, and falling leaves. That scent, so delicate yet persistent, seeped into her, soothing her frayed nerves and anchoring her to this moment.

Her breathing was ragged, uneven, each inhale sharp and quick, an outward reflection of the storm raging within. This wasn’t something she faced every day. A sudden tidal wave of vulnerability crashing over her, exposing her to fears she’d long tried to suppress behind a mask of strength. Kara was accustomed to confronting crises with a confident smile, wielding her well-honed skills as a reporter or a superhero. But now, sitting there, waiting with bated breath, her mind teetered on the edge of betrayal, threatening to unravel her composure entirely.

She could feel J’onn’s touch, gentle yet steady, and it helped tether her to reality. His scent wrapped around her like a warm blanket, easing her anxiety just enough. This was J’onn- space dad, mentor, and the ever-reliable guardian who, despite his serious demeanor, was someone that could be trusted with the secrets of the world. She remembered the countless evenings he’d cheated during their friendly Pictionary games, the way his eyes crinkled with amusement, reminding her that beneath the calm exterior, he was still one of them- trustworthy, kind, and unwavering.

In the corner, Alex sat poised on a chair, her sharp eyes trained intently on the procedure, a silent sentinel watching over her sister. Kara appreciated her sister’s steadfastness, knowing that vulnerability was a rare visitor for her. It was during moments like these that she felt most exposed, most fragile- like a delicate glass ornament trembling on the edge of a shelf. And who better to hold her up than the woman who knew her fears, her doubts, her deepest insecurities?

They were the Danvers sisters after all.

“Alright,” J’onn’s voice broke softly through her reverie, hovering close enough that she could feel the faint whisper of his breath against her cheek. His tone was calm, reassuring yet commanding, as he looked at her shoulders with a disapproving glint in his eyes. “I need you to try to relax.” His gaze softened, but his words carried weight. “I’m not going to try to hurt you. Please, tell your muscles to stop imitating granite now.”

Kara’s cheeks flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and effort. She clenched her jaw, willing her tense muscles to relax, to loosen their grip on her. Slowly, she let out a breath, trying to surrender to the moment rather than fight it.

“That’s better,” J’onn said with a gentle, encouraging smile. His eyes crinkled at the corners, the crow’s feet deepening with his warmth. “Now, focus on my face. It’s just you and me. Just you and me, and absolutely nothing else. The world is empty- right now, there is no past and no future. There is only now. With you and me.”

Kara inhaled deeply, drawing in the soothing timber of J’onn’s voice, allowing it to fill her mind like a gentle tide washing over rocky shores. She closed her eyes briefly, anchoring herself in the present, trying to drown out the chaos within.

“Follow my voice,” he continued softly. “Listen to it and let it flood your mind. It’s like water in a stream- cool, calming. Let it wash your worries away.”

In that moment, a faint smile tugged at her lips. Her facial muscles, tense just moments before, relaxed gradually as she surrendered to his words. J’onn’s voice was a balm, a lullaby that promised safety amid the tumult. In another life, perhaps, he could have been a meditation instructor.

“Focus on me. Just on me,” he urged gently.

Kara obeyed, her world narrowing until only his voice remained- a reassuring beacon guiding her through the darkness. It was as if she was floating through a timeless void, drifting on a current of calm that carried her far from her fears and doubts, into a peaceful space where only this moment existed.

“Now, let the last day flow past your inner eye,” J’onn’s voice continued. “The explosion, the fire- but don’t linger. Let it pass you by. It’s done. It doesn’t matter now.”

The vivid memories began to surface- smoke curling into the sky, dirt crunching beneath her boots, screams echoing in the chaos. The horror was tangible, clawing at her senses, but she trusted the voice. She let the terrifying events drift past her like dark clouds parting after a storm, refusing to dwell on the past- on the pain, the loss, the chaos.

“There is someone,” J’onn’s voice whispered softly, pulling her focus back. “A boy.”

Her mind spun with questions. Yes, a boy. She could remember that- vividly. He was caught in a strange, perilous situation, a hero in his own right, perhaps. Her thoughts raced, trying to grasp the details.

“The boy that saved your life- find him!”

Could she do it? Could she reach him in this flood of memories?

Kara fought to swim through the current of her past, flashes of long-forgotten moments streaking past her like shooting stars, each one tinged with love, fear, and hope. She pushed forward, determined to obey the voice’s command.

Finally, a memory engulfed her- a torrent of rain. It dripped down her face, sharp and cold, as her mind was suddenly swept into a blend of emotion and vivid images.

She could see him now, standing in a space that felt painfully familiar, as if the very walls around him echoed with memories long etched into her soul. His shoulders were slightly bellowed out, tense and trembling as a gunshot shattered the silence, reverberating through the air like a thunderclap. The moment was frozen- a snapshot of chaos and clarity intertwined. His eyes, wide and frantic, flickered with panic, but what struck Kara most was that they weren’t fixed on the barrel of the weapon. No, his gaze was locked onto her- piercing, desperate, filled with an intensity that made her heart constrict. Those eyes- stormy, swirling, a tumult of greys and blues- looked at her with an overwhelming fear, yet it wasn’t for himself. It was for her.

A flicker of confusion flashed across her brow as she watched him. Was he scared for her? Her mind raced, trying to piece together the impossible puzzle unfolding before her.

His jaw was clenched so tightly it looked carved from stone, the strong muscles working overtime as the bullet found its mark, hitting him with a brutal force. The impact seemed to ripple through his body, yet he didn’t fall. His stance remained firm, defiant, shoulders squared against the pain. The glasses that sat askew on his nose had already been shattered, one lens shattered, the other hanging precariously by a thread- their jagged edges catching the sunlight as they slipped down his face, adding to the chaos of his battered appearance.

A gash cut across his cheekbone, a fresh wound that oozed blood, staining that side of his face with a crimson hue that contrasted sharply against his pale skin and blonde hair. His curls, once neatly styled, now looked disheveled and wild, a tangled mop that had probably seen better days. Strands clung to his forehead, damp with sweat and blood- evidence of the fight he’d been through, of the chaos that had erupted in that moment of violence. The cut still seemed recent, the redness pulsing faintly, yet raw enough to make her stomach tighten.

There was something… strange about him. Something that made her pause, her gaze lingering on him with growing curiosity. Her eyes drifted to his ears, noticing they appeared to shift slightly, rising into a delicate point- an almost imperceptible change, but one that sent a ripple of recognition through her. Her own Kryptonian heritage had gifted her with that subtle trait, a reminder of home. The boy’s ears, like hers, had that slight elevation, hinting at something more than just a human boy caught in the storm.

When he opened his mouth to speak, she caught a glimpse of his canines, glinting sharply in the sunlight- an unsettling yet fascinating detail. His limbs, despite his rather shortened height, were long and broad-shouldered, muscles defined in a way that seemed almost too perfect for a teenager. His form radiated strength and resilience, an unnatural poise that made her eyebrows lift in quiet wonder.

The way he looked- his expression, his stance- brought to mind memories of distant, icy worlds, of a species that thrived where others would freeze and falter. It reminded Kara of what made Krypton’s humanoid inhabitants different from humans- an elegance, a resilience, a hint of something extraordinary woven into every feature.

But this was impossible. It couldn’t be. There had been no one else- no other like her- no one who matched her in this way. It simply couldn’t be. Was he a Daxamite? Their features were so eerily similar, so close in appearance and essence, that the thought gnawed at her.

She looked again, her gaze narrowing as she watched him reach for his injured shoulder, fingers trembling but determined. Her eyes lingered on his hands, studying the way they moved- deliberate, precise. A wave of confusion rippled through her. Both Kryptonians and Daxamites shared the same joint structure- joints that could bend backwards in a strange, almost unsettling manner, a quirk that had developed eons ago for a purpose that was no longer there, an oddity. Kara had often explained it away as a medical condition, an excuse that she had stolen from Clark - something harmless, a bizarre party trick with no practical use. It wasn’t noticeable unless someone was looking closely, and it certainly wasn’t a superpower. Despite its weirdness, it could still be human.

But the boy’s hands looked normal- ordinary, unremarkable in every joint and bend. The signature dimples near the joints of Kryptonians, subtle and distinctive, were nowhere to be seen. His fingers moved smoothly, without the faint backward bend that was so characteristic of her kind.

So maybe- just maybe- he only had a few distinct features, quirks that didn’t necessarily define him at anything more than he was. That was possible. That had to be.

And yet, something about his face… it stirred a faint, hazy memory in Kara. A whisper of something familiar, like a dream she’d once had but couldn’t quite grasp. Those features- so soft yet sharp, so distant yet close- held a strange allure, pulling her into a quiet, contemplative state.

Her heartbeat thundered loudly inside her chest as her mind began to drift, the earlier barrage of memories she’d swum through now crashing down like a relentless storm- brutal, pointed, and overwhelming. The storm inside her raged anew, each wave more intense than the last, threatening to drown her in the flood of images and emotions.

Finally, a memory seized her, trapping her within its tempest- nothing like gentle rain this time, but something far more fierce. It felt like a hurricane, tearing through her consciousness, relentless and powerful. The wind howled in her ears, the rain battered her skin, and the chaos threatened to swallow her whole.

It’s dark outside when Kara wakes up, the quiet of the night wrapping around her like a thick blanket. Her tired mind feels hazy, still sluggish from sleep, and she can only blink against the faint, flickering lights that shimmer outside the window. The glow seems surreal, almost like distant stars teasing her from the vast emptiness of the night sky.

Tonight is different. It’s a beautiful night- one where the sky is perfectly clear, revealing a tapestry of stars that stretch across the heavens in a glittering, celestial display. For once, there are no clouds obscuring the view, no city glow dimming the brilliance of the constellations. The universe feels close, intimate, as if she could reach out and touch the stars themselves.

Usually, Kara’s routine would be quite different. She’d roll out of bed, shrug into her super suit, and head to the tallest building in the city- her favorite vantage point. Sitting at the precipice, her feet dangling perilously over the edge, she’d watch as the first hints of dawn crept over the skyline, her heart quietly filling with hope and promise. That was her ritual- her moment of peace, a quiet connection to the world she protected.

But tonight, as she slowly becomes more aware of her surroundings, something feels off. She can’t quite place where she is. The skyline looks familiar, undeniably National City, but the details are different. The buildings in the distance tower higher and seem unfamiliar in their arrangement. The room she’s in isn’t her own; it’s not her apartment. Shadows stretch across the walls, and the darkness cloaks everything, making it hard to see more than fleeting shapes.

She blinks rapidly, trying to focus, trying to gather her bearings. The flat is dim, almost deserted, save for a few familiar objects. There’s a stereo against the wall, its speakers silent, and a television flickering with the DVD menu of an old classic movie- nostalgic, comforting. And then- her gaze catches something else, a presence that makes her heart skip a beat.

There’s Lena.

Kara’s lying on the couch, her body curled into a relaxed, vulnerable position. Her feet are tucked beneath a soft blanket, and her back rests against plush cushions, an image of peaceful rest. Lena’s head is turned slightly, dark hair spilling across the fabric, one hand clinging to Kara’s shirt as if she’s afraid she might wake up and find herself alone. Her face is serene, lips curved into a gentle smile, eyes closed, steady breaths echoing softly in the quiet.

Kara’s gaze lingers on her. Lena looks… happy. Content. Relaxed in a way that Kara rarely sees- an unguarded moment of genuine peace. An unfiltered glimpse into a side of Lena that’s often hidden behind walls of fear, guilt, and guarded composure. Here, in this quiet space, Lena is vulnerable, trusting, truly herself.

It’s a moment Kara cherishes, a rare window into a version of Lena that she rarely gets to witness. No masks, no pretenses, just Lena in a rare state of ease. Her heartbeat drifts into Kara’s awareness, steady and calm, a soothing rhythm that Kara has come to rely on. Kara often listened to the heartbeats of the people she cared for, Alex’s was ingrained into her memory like it was second nature. Her sister had been the most important person to her for her, ever since they’d bonded as teenagers, ever since they’d become sisters. Lena’s heartbeat is different. It isn’t always about making sure that she is okay, it isn’t even to calm herself down. Listening to Lena’s heart is something that Kara does just because. Because without, the world seems a little too quiet, a little too empty.

Kara’s own heart responds, beating in harmony with Lena’s, as if they are connected by an invisible thread. She closes her eyes, letting the sensation wash over her- the feel of Lena’s body pressed against hers, the warmth, the softness. This feels right. It’s peaceful, pure and unfiltered. Her mind drifts into a tranquil zone, and with a deep, contented sigh, she reaches out gently, her hands resting on Lena’s hips, feeling the steady thump of her heart beneath her fingertips. Inside her chest, something heavy stirs- a feeling she can’t quite name, something persistent and yearning. Maybe it’s fulfillment, or maybe it’s something more elusive.

She wishes she could freeze this moment. To keep it forever, trapped in a snowglobe, preserved against the chaos of the world outside. Here, in this quiet cocoon, she feels at home, as if nothing is missing. It’s a rare, precious respite - Kara allows herself to presume that it may be fulfillment. 

But even in this perfect stillness, a gnawing feeling begins to grow inside her gut. A voice whispers that this won’t last. That it can’t. Because the universe is full of forces greater than her, shadows lurking in corners she can’t see, secrets that threaten to shatter this fragile peace in an instant. Her mind races with the possibilities- what could go wrong, what might destroy what they have. The weight of impending chaos presses down, heavy and unyielding.

Kara’s trust in Lena is absolute. Kara trusts Lena with all that she is, with all that she has. Despite the things that are currently going on with Reign and the kryptonite that she had come up with. Those are actions that can be forgiven. At least in her opinion. But this promise of forgiveness appears to be one-sided, as Lena is currently refusing to understand why Supergirl may be mad at her. Despite the turmoil swirling around her, she believes Lena is someone worth risking everything for. She’s willing to forgive the mistakes, the betrayals, the secrets- everything, because her feelings run deep.

It’s a delicate balance- being two people at once. Kara Danvers, Lena’s best friend, loyal and caring. And Supergirl. Lena looks at Supergirl with something bordering on disgust, suspicion, or even fear. The divide feels vast, impossible to bridge at times, and Kara doesn’t know how to reconcile them.

Everyone else seems to have a clear answer- just keep it hidden, keep the secret safe, because a Luthor can’t be trusted. But Kara refuses to believe that. She can’t. Because Lena is more than her last name, more than her family’s past. She’s someone she’s come to care for deeply, someone she can’t just cast aside or betray. She wants to tell her the truth- so many scenarios play out in her mind, each more desperate than the last. But each time she edges closer to speaking, fear grips her. She pulls back, lips sealed tight, her words trapped.

She knows this is the highest form of betrayal- something Lena would never forgive. This is not something that Lena could ever forgive. The Luthor never asked a lot of Kara but there was one precept that couldn’t be broken, that set the principle for Lena’s life. Don’t lie. It’s such a simple policy and yet Kara had ignored it every turn, again and again and again. .

Kara understands the stakes. She’s not naive; she knows the consequences. But giving up this bond feels impossible, because sometimes, it feels as if the universe itself conspired for them to meet. They’re two sides of the same coin- complementary, necessary, destined. Lena completes her in ways she never expected, and Kara feels a pull so strong it’s almost magnetic.

Gently, she leans forward and presses a soft kiss to Lena’s forehead. She should be able to let go- rationally, it’s the logical choice. But her heart refuses to listen. When it comes to Lena, her mind often takes a backseat. Sometimes, she wonders about Mon-El. About the love he offers her- vibrant, eager, full of promise. He adores her, kisses her with fervor, wants her. Yet, when she compares that to what she feels for Lena, it’s worlds apart.

And that realization terrifies her. Because what does it mean that her boyfriend doesn’t mean half as much to Kara as her best friend?

It is in that moment, that something inside Kara’s head clicks.

Oh.

Oh.

It is then that the world around her explodes into a million pieces.

There was a scream echoing in Kara’s ears when she came to. Her eyes are pressed tightly together and salty tears were burning her cheeks. Shaky hands, trembling in her lap.

Hesitantly, Kara opened her eyes, to find J’onn passed out against the wall. At least, it used to be a wall, it had crumbled against the force of something.

In the corner, Alex is staring at her with wide eyes. “What the fuck, Kara?”

Kara shook her head, needing a moment to be able to speak. When she finally did, her voice sounded rough, as if she had been screaming for minutes on end. “He was in my head and he didn’t leave.”

Alex frowned. “He tried to let go of you.” She went over to make sure that the still passed out director hadn’t sustained any serious injuries. “He couldn’t, you had him trapped.”

“What? No! I didn’t want him to see any of that!”

The older agent clicked her tongue disapprovingly. “Well, what the hell did you see because obviously a part of you wanted to relive that memory!”

In response, the blonde merely shook her head. Kara really had to get Lena out of her head.

Chapter Text

Lena was pacing back and forth across the kitchen floor, her movements restless and tense. One hand was planted firmly on her hip, while the other was pressed against her forehead as if trying to push away a mounting headache or a flood of troubling thoughts. Her lips were parted slightly, and she muttered to herself in a low, almost inaudible voice- words that seemed to be fragments of doubt, frustration, and desperation. She would speak a sentence, then contradict herself half a second later with a sharp shake of her head, as if trying to dismiss her own doubts before they could take hold.

Meanwhile, Leo sat slouched on a chair beside the kitchen island, his posture heavy with exhaustion. His eyes, rimmed red and glassy, watched his mother with a weariness that went beyond fatigue. An ice pack was pressed against his shoulder, the cold helping to numb the pain meds coursing through his system, but they weren’t enough to erase the ache completely. Despite the medication, sleep had been elusive. His body felt drained, and every movement seemed to drain him even further, like he was fighting a losing battle against his own body.

Finally, breaking the tense silence that had settled over the room, Leo’s voice came out gruff and slightly grumpy. “Have you come up with something?” he asked, his tone edged with impatience and frustration, cutting through Lena’s constant mumbling.

Her green eyes flicked toward him, brows knitting together fiercely as her cheeks puffed out in annoyance. “Don't get snappy with me,” she snapped, her voice trembling with contained anger. “You’re the reason I’m stuck facing this dilemma in the first place!” A faint blush of red flashed across her cheeks, standing out starkly against her pale skin. It was as if her face was flickering like a candle struggling to stay lit- desperate, flickering, fighting to keep the flame alive amid the gusts of frustration and concern.

Leo lowered his chin onto the back of his hand, sighing heavily. “Sorry,” he muttered, more mumbling than speaking clearly. His voice sounded small, almost defeated. It was an understandable mood- he was in pain, exhausted, and the weight of everything pressing down on him was enough to make anyone irritable.

Lena’s hands now rested on her hips, her face shadowed with worry and indecision. Wrinkles deepened around her cheeks as her frustration grew. “Just- I’m not sure what to do here,” she admitted, voice trembling slightly. “I want to help you, I really do. I understand why you can’t tell me everything, but not knowing anything isn’t making this any easier. You’re expecting me to lie, but I don’t even know what I’m supposed to be lying about. Do you get why that’s so frustrating?”

Leo’s head throbbed painfully, a dull ache that seemed to throb in time with his pounding heart. All of this was spiraling into chaos, too complicated to untangle. All he wanted was to curl up on the sofa with Krypto and watch a movie, to forget about all these burdens for a little while. But instead, he was stuck in this tense kitchen, feeling worse with every passing second. “Sorry,” he repeated softly, his voice barely more than a whisper, sounding smaller and more fragile than before.

Sensing his hesitancy, Lena’s expression softened slightly. She sat down cautiously beside him, her concern evident in her eyes. She glanced at the small remnants of food left on Leo’s plate- evidence that he hadn’t eaten much- and her brow furrowed deeper. “Just, I have to figure this out somehow,” she said quietly, voice strained. “Not hungry?”

Leo shook his head without much energy. “More like I want to puke right now,” he admitted, grimacing as he spoke.

Her eyebrows shot up in alarm. Instinctively, she reached out, placing her hand gently on his forehead. The warmth of her palm confirmed her suspicion- he was burning up. “You’re burning up as well,” she observed, worry deepening her tone.

Leo sighed, exhausted and resigned. “That makes sense,” he said softly, leaning into her soothing touch, almost forgetting where he was for a moment. The gentle pressure of her hand offered a small comfort amid the chaos. “I think I should lie down, if that’s okay?”

Lena looked at him skeptically, her eyes filled with concern. “I really think I should take you to a hospital,” she said firmly. When Leo recoiled slightly from her touch, she quickly raised her hands in a calming gesture. “I won’t force you, but I want you to understand that I don’t like any of this. You should be getting proper treatment, not just sitting here like this.”

Leo’s guilt washed over him. He knew she was right, but he also knew he couldn’t go to the hospital- not now, not for a multitude of reasons. “I know,” he admitted quietly, feeling a pang of remorse. “But I can’t. For a number of reasons.”

Lena hesitated for a moment before offering a possible compromise. “I could put you on my insurance for now,” she suggested gently.

Leo shook his head quickly. “With what excuse? You can't put people that don’t exist yet on your insurance,” he replied, a hint of bitter humor in his voice.

She thought for a moment, then offered another option. “Brainy could fake something. We could pretend you’re some long-lost cousin or something.”

Leo looked at her, dead serious. “No paper trail. All of that would lead to questions. I can’t leave any proof that I was here.” His eyes pleaded with her, desperation evident. “I’ll just get some rest. I’ll be fine in a few days.”

The look Lena gave him was skeptical, her green eyes piercing through any false hope. She wanted to believe him, but her maternal instincts told her otherwise. That look- the one she always gave her children when they insisted they were fine despite obvious signs of illness- was unmistakable. It was a look that condemned stubbornness. If there was one thing that the El/Luthor family tree had in common, it was an inability to admit when they needed help.

“Go to your room,” she said softly but firmly. “I’ll come check on you in an hour.”

“Don’t you have to go to work?” Leo asked, his voice faint.

Lena pursed her lips, contemplating. “That’s one of the perks of being the boss,” she said with a faint smile, holding up her phone. “I can take the day off. Besides, my office got destroyed- no one’s going to question if I stay here for now.” Her tone was matter-of-fact, but her eyes betrayed her worry.

Leo nodded silently and shuffled toward the guest bedroom, fatigue weighing heavily on him. Once inside, he collapsed onto the bed, his body aching and drained. The exhaustion from a sleepless night, combined with the strong painkillers he had taken, overwhelmed him quickly. As he closed his eyes, surrendering to sleep, he felt the weight of everything momentarily lift, if only for a little while.

Lena had settled back onto the kitchen table once more, her laptop open in front of her and a steaming cup of coffee sitting patiently beside her, its aroma drifting lazily through the air. She let out a deep sigh, feeling the weight of the mountain of emails staring back at her- an endless list of messages that, in her view, were either urgent or self-important enough to warrant her attention. Some of these emails, she thought bitterly, were just people who fancied themselves more influential than they really were, convinced that their messages deserved a prompt response. She had resigned herself to spending the next few hours plowing through this clutter, replying to the pointless and the pressing alike, trying to maintain some semblance of order amid the chaos.

Just as Lena was about to immerse herself fully in her inbox, determined to get through as much as she could, a sudden knock on the door shattered her focus. The sound was unexpected- she wasn’t expecting anyone. No appointments or meetings had been scheduled, and every other visitor had canceled or moved their conversations online. It was strange, and a flicker of suspicion ignited within her.

Her body tensed instantly. Suspicion flared. She was not one to be easily rattled, but this was out of the ordinary. She hadn’t been expecting visitors, much less anyone who would come knocking at her door unannounced. Her mind raced as she slowly stood up, her movements cautious and deliberate. She reached for a heavy book from the shelf- an old volume with a sturdy heft- clutching it carefully in her hands. If this was someone out to hurt her or the boy, she would at least have a weapon to defend herself. Her grip tightened around the spine of the book, a faint reassurance.

Lena took a steadying breath and squared her shoulders. She made her way to the door, her pulse pounding a little faster. Another knock resounded, persistent and unwavering. Her brows furrowed as she hesitated, listening. Another knock, firmer this time, echoed through the house. Then, a voice from outside, calm but insistent: “Lena, could you please open the door? We need to talk.”

Oh fuck. No. Just no. Of all the people that it could have been-

Standing on the other side was a figure she hadn’t expected to hear from- Kara. The possibility of seeing her former friend, the Kryptonian hero, made her stomach tighten.

Kara cleared her throat. . “I know that you’re in there,” she said softly but with unmistakable urgency. “Jess said that you didn’t come in today.” Her voice carried a hint of plea, as if she were trying to reason with Lena, trying to make her understand the gravity of the situation.

Her hand hovered over the doorknob for a moment before she finally turned it, slowly opening the door. Lena’s brow arched sharply. “And why would Jess tell her that?” she demanded, arms crossing defensively over her chest.

Lena’s eyes flicked over Kara’s face, searching for clues, trying to interpret the look in her eyes. Kara looked sheepish, almost apologetic, but there was an unmistakable intensity behind her gaze that Lena couldn’t ignore. Kara hesitated a moment, then admitted, “Because she still likes me.”

The Luthor’s expression hardened, a sharp, snarky edge creeping into her tone. “Because she doesn’t really know you,” she retorted, her voice cool and measured.

Kara’s shoulders sagged slightly, and she hurried to explain. “Yeah, yeah- I’m an idiot. I should have told you. I’m really sorry. I am. I swear, I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.” Her words tumbled out quickly, almost desperate. But she also sounded tired, like these words had started to turn into a reflex. “I still mean all of that, but I’m tired of apologizing, and I think you’re probably tired of hearing me say it. So, either give me something to work with here, or I’m going to have to move on to a more urgent matter.”

Lena studied her carefully, and though she’d never admit it aloud, a flicker of admiration stirred within her. It seemed that Kara was finally beginning to understand- really understand -what needed to be done. Maybe, just maybe, an old dog could indeed learn new tricks. She uncrossed her arms and leaned slightly forward, her voice calm but commanding. “What’s the important matter?”

Kara brushed a loose curl out of her face, her expression serious now. Lena’s gaze shifted to her attire- Kara was dressed in her human disguise: a pair of comfortable-looking dress pants, a crisp white button-down, and sensible leather shoes. If this had been any other situation, Lena might have complimented her on how good she looked- handsome even. But right now, her mind was preoccupied with the contrast between Kara’s soft features as Supergirl and the more composed, subdued look of her reporter disguise. Still, the tension in Kara’s posture- her lips pressed into a slight scowl, her arms crossed tightly -made Lena realize she wasn’t in her usual cheerful or relaxed state.

“The break-in,” Kara announced sharply. “There was a boy there. A boy in your office.” Her eyes locked onto Lena’s with a piercing intensity, and Lena’s stomach clenched as she wondered if Kryptonians had some form of psychic ability- something that could see straight through her defenses. She sincerely hoped not. “They were after that boy.”

Lena’s brow furrowed. “And?”

Kara’s voice grew more urgent. “He was in your office. In your office. Do you know what that means?” Her arms shot into the air, gesturing wildly as her frustration spilled over. “The entire ordeal at the hospital was staged! Do you understand? They staged it- to make sure that all resources the city has would be spend there and that L-Corp would be left unprotected. That means he’s important enough for them to murder innocent bystanders. A teenager, Lena. A kid caused all of this chaos, and now they’re after him. We need to find him- fast.”

Lena leaned against the wall, trying to mask her rising alarm. She kept her voice steady, though her mind was racing. “How and why would I help you?” she asked quietly, wary of revealing too much.

Kara let out a sarcastic chuckle. “Are you really trying to pretend you don’t know about the boy? He was in your office. You saw him. We need to find him- protect everyone before something even worse happens.”

Lena’s brow darkened further. “Why do you think I have him?”

Kara’s expression flickered with frustration. “I’m not accusing you,” she said quickly, her tone defensive.

“Oh really?” Lena took a step towards the blonde. It was a little satisfying seeing the girl of steel shrinking into herself. “That’s not what this sounds like. It sounds like you’re accusing me of harbouring a fugitive, if that’s what he is.”

Kara bit her lip, Lena could see the frustration in her eyes. “Lena, I implore you, if you know where Leo is, tell me! Please!”

The question escaped Lena before she could stop herself. “Leo?” she asked softly, her voice uncertain. Why had Kara given her that name? That name couldn’t be right. Or… maybe he had lied. Lena’s expression hardened at the thought.

“Yes, Leo,” Kara confirmed with a sigh. “We have to find him. I wouldn’t be asking if it weren’t urgent.”

Lena stepped closer, her gaze narrowing as she examined the exhaustion etched into Kara’s face- the lines of fatigue and worry that betrayed her brave front. It was rare to see that vulnerability in her, and Lena found herself unexpectedly moved. How long had she been carrying this burden? How much did she truly know about what Kara was protecting?

Her eyes lingered on Kara’s piercing light blue irises, trying to gauge what lay beneath. She wasn’t sure how she felt about seeing those eyes so closely again- so familiar yet distant. It had been a while. A long while.

“Why can’t you find him on your own?” Lena asked softly, a trace of genuine curiosity in her voice. “You have an entire team to help you track him down. Why do you need me?”

A faint smile touched Kara’s lips, almost wistful. “We tried that,” she admitted.

“And?”

“According to our database, he doesn’t exist,” Kara said quietly, her tone almost defeated.

Chapter Text

Lena couldn’t say anything in response. Her mind was racing, caught between understanding and a deep, gnawing sense of helplessness. She knew why the boy didn’t exist- knew the logic behind it, the reasons that made sense in a twisted, complicated way. Yet, at the same time, she was painfully aware of how this truth could make her even more suspicious in the eyes of the authorities, especially the feds who were already breathing down her neck.

Right now, a part of her desperately wanted to storm into his room, shake him awake, and hand him over to the Kryptonian. Her team could probably take better care of him than she ever could. But something held her back- an instinct, a feeling she couldn’t quite dismiss. She hesitated, the weight of her conflicting emotions pressing down on her.

He knew her. Not just as she was now, but in the future- he knew her deeply, personally, and he wasn’t intimidated by her. He wasn’t scared of what she might do or say. Instead, he had sought her out, specifically her, rather than the infamous Superfriends or anyone else. That had to mean something. It had to be a sign of who Lena Luthor was destined to become in a few years’ time- a person capable of trust, of hope, of doing good.

Her eyes drifted over to Kara, whose gaze was fixed on her with an exhaustion that was impossible to miss. The fatigue in Kara’s stance was almost tangible, and the faint scent of smoke clinging to her skin told Lena that she hadn’t been home since before the fire. The sight of her former friend like this- vulnerable and worn- made Lena’s heart ache.

“I wish I could help you,” Lena said softly, her voice sincere for the first time in what felt like ages. She genuinely meant it. She longed to do more- to find a way to free the boy from his confinement, to ease Kara’s burden, to make everything right again. But she had promised him, and Lena was a woman of her word. Promises, after all, were sacred in her world. Betrayal was something she didn’t tolerate, and if she broke her promise now, she knew she wouldn’t be able to forgive herself. “I can’t,” she added quietly, her voice almost trembling with regret.

Kara’s lips pressed into a tight, understanding smile. “I understand,” she murmured, sighing softly as if releasing a breath she’d been holding for too long. “It was worth a try.”

Lena felt a surge of uncertainty. She was unsure of what to do next. Kara’s eyes, filled with a mixture of hope and disappointment, looked at her like a kicked puppy, and despite everything, Lena’s instinct was to reach out- to pull her into a comforting embrace. Kara always gave the best hugs, and Lena missed that closeness terribly. But before she could offer, words spilled out of her, tumbling over each other like a rushing waterfall.

“Have you been sleeping?” Lena asked, her voice gentle but earnest. Kara looked at her with a questioning expression. “It’s just- you look tired.”

“So do you, Lena,” Kara replied, a small, tired smile flickering across her face. She took a deep breath, stretching her neck muscles as if to shake off the fatigue. “But no, I haven’t been sleeping well.”

“Can I ask why?” Lena pressed softly.

“Why do you care, Lena?” Kara’s voice suddenly sharpened, laced with more frustration than Lena had anticipated. Her nostrils flared, and one hand clenched into a fist. Then, recognizing her tone, Kara quickly tried to relax, her shoulders easing as she regained control. “I just… I don’t understand you. You say you hate me, that you can’t forgive me, but then you ask questions like this? I can’t do this anymore, Lee.” The nickname slipped out almost automatically, as if it had become second nature. Neither of them seemed to notice the intimacy of it, but the moment hung heavily between them. Despite the physical distance, they stood closer than they had in a long time.

“I get it,” Kara admitted softly, her voice trembling slightly. “That you won’t forgive me. I truly do. But I need you to make a choice. Because I can’t keep feeling like I’m walking on eggshells, asking questions and then feeling like I’ve betrayed you again. Call me whatever you want- friend, enemy, whatever- but I need to know where I stand. I just-” Her voice cracked, and she looked away, fighting back tears. “This is tearing me apart.”

Lena’s mouth went dry. What was she supposed to say? Kara was right- this wasn’t fair to either of them. Her shoulders sagged as she absorbed the pain in Kara’s eyes. She felt her own chest tighten with emotion. Finally, she whispered, “Me too.”

Kara’s eyes flashed with hope, and before she could speak, Lena raised her hands in a calming gesture.

“The truth is,” Lena began, her voice trembling with vulnerability, “I don’t want to stay mad at you forever. I honestly don’t think I could manage that. You were my best friend for years. God, you have no idea how much I miss you sometimes.” Her voice faltered, and her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Then, mirroring Kara’s previous rueful smile, she added, “But I also don’t know how to get past this. I want to forgive you. I really do. But every time I even think about it, I remember you keeping half your life a secret from me. It still feels like a fresh wound- raw and painful.”

Kara reached out instinctively, her hands trembling slightly as if she wanted to bridge the distance between them. Lena saw the longing in her expression, the desire to comfort and be comforted.

“I understand that,” Kara said softly. “I don’t need your forgiveness right now. I don’t even expect you to forgive me immediately. But I want us to work through this. I want to talk- really talk. I want to be there when you’re angry, when you’re hurt, so you can tell me why. Maybe I can help you understand, even if I can’t offer excuses. I want you back in my life, Kara. I want to rebuild what we lost.”

Lena hesitated, her own eyes brimming with emotion. “I don’t know if this will work,” she admitted honestly. “But maybe… maybe it’s worth a try.”

A gentle, radiant smile lit Kara’s face, her eyes shimmering like diamonds. “That’s all I wanted to hear.”

Lena offered a tentative, hesitant smile in return. “Will you tell me now why you haven’t been sleeping? Shouldn’t National City’s hero be well rested?”

Kara looked away, a shadow crossing her features. “I don’t know if you’re ready to hear that yet.”

“Try me,” Lena urged softly.

Kara sighed deeply, then began to speak, her voice quiet but steady. “As you know, I have superhearing. What you might not know is that I also get panic attacks- really severe ones sometimes. It’s better than when I was a kid, but they’re still there. And they tend to worsen at night. So when I go to sleep, I usually focus on the heartbeat of someone important to me, to ground myself, to calm down.”

“So, is that an issue?” Lena asked. “I’m sure you can listen to Alex’s heartbeat just fine.”

“It’s not Alex,” Kara replied softly. “It’s you. I’ve become dependent on hearing your heartbeat to sleep.”

Lena raised an eyebrow. “Oh.”

“Yeah,” Kara said softly, pausing for a second before continuing. “I didn’t even know that I was doing it until it had already become a habit. I like to make sure that you’re safe. And it helps ground me, it calms me down.” The alien was sporting a hefty blush by now. “When our… fall out happened, I stopped. It felt wrong. But since then my sleep has been less than great.” Those blue eyes were avoiding Lena’s own again. “And when I tried to listen, I noticed that I couldn’t. I don’t know what you did, probably lined this apartment with low dose lead, which you know, is fair.” She was fiddling with her glasses. “But yeah, it’s been making sleeping more difficult. But that’s a me issue.” She was looking at the CEO nervously, her hands continuously fiddling with the frame of her glasses.

“I don’t know what to say right now, Kara,” Lena said, aware of the delicate balance between them. “This is pretty flattering but it’s also a huge invasion of privacy. I don’t know how I feel about this.” This was true but also, Lena was pretty damn relieved that she had actually gotten her walls laced with lead a few months ago. The contractor had looked at her like she was crazy. Because that is unheard of and pretty fucking dangerous and it cost Lena a pretty penny to get it done safely. But at least Kara hadn’t been able to find the boy. So that was something.

Kara was still furiously blushing. “I know. Trust me, I know. I’ve tried to stop doing it so many times but it’s like my head is hardwired to doing it. I’m barely in control of that.” She was shuffling on her feet. Lena would recognize that typical anxious action that Kara did, anywhere.

“I suppose that’s fair.” This was overwhelming. After months and months of nothing, of cold glances and basic ignorance, they were standing here. Together. And Kara had just shared something quite intimate. Lena wasn’t certain how she was supposed to react to this. If only there was a rule book for situations such as these but it seemed that fate had abandoned Lena to deal with her fate alone.

“I know that this is a lot,” Kara said, finally reaching over to bridge the physical gap that had been left between them. Her hand was warm. Lena had always wondered why Kara had run so hot but knowing that she was kryptonian, it made sense. Her fingers curled into her own, strong and slightly calloused. Lena couldn’t help the slight gasp that escaped her mouth at the contact. It didn’t feel alien. It felt… like something that should have happened a long time ago. “But I just want to say that I will give you all the time that you need to process all of this.” She squeezed the Luthor’s hand and Lena was once again quite glad that Kara couldn’t currently listen to her heartbeat for it was in a frenzy. Beating wildly inside her chest as the woman that had meant so much to hear in the past, held onto her. “I am willing to do whatever it takes to fix us.”

And Lena, who was usually a warrior of the spoken word, someone that most people would fear in a board meeting - was speechless.

Kara stepped back, the touch of her hand lingering for a moment longer before this too, was taken from her grasp. The blonde straightened her shoulders. “I guess that this is goodbye for now, I am sure that you have some work to attend to.”

“Yes, of course.” Lena frantically got her wits together again. “I’ll let you get back to your duties as well, crime never sleeps, after all.” She smiled playfully. “I’ll see you at some point.”

“That you will.” Before Kara went out the door, she turned around once more, facing Lena with a thoughtful expression. “Lena?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t be a stranger.”

Lena walked into Leo’s(?) room, cautious of not waking the boy. The curtains were open, letting the rays of sunlight in, illuminating his pale face. He was curled into himself, the blankets thrown aside as he was slightly shivering in his sleep. His shirt seemed like it had been bathed in and he looked worse for wear then a few hours earlier.

What was she supposed to do? She could get a hold of antibiotics but she wasn’t sure that they would be a cure all. Lena didn’t know his medical history, didn’t know whether he had had all his vaccinations or if his family was prone to infections and so on. This game that she was playing with him, it was dangerous. Humoring his need to stay anonymous was getting more and more foolish by the second and Lena could barely suppress the instinct of calling Alex.

“What am I supposed to do with you?” She asked into the quiet of the room.

With a sigh, Lena went to the kitchen, where she filled a container with cold water. Hastily, she reached for a towel and headed back into the guestroom. The young woman sat down next to the boy, dipped the towel into the water and pressed it to the boy’s forehead.

He calmed down instantly, the shivering almost vanishing as his breathing became less ragged. Leo sagged into himself but his face was no longer contorted in his sleep. That was definitely a good sign. But everything else wasn’t. The teenager was sick. And she was sure that it was a mix between his injuries and the obvious exhaustion of the past few days that had done the trick.

She watched as his chest began to rise and fall evenly, her gaze eventually travelling towards his cheek. The gash there didn’t look pretty. It was red and angry and it drew itself from the curve of his cheeks up to his cheekbones. At least the blood had dried and Lena couldn’t see any signs of infection.

The washcloth ran along his cheekbones. Those cheekbones which reminded her of something. Lena just wasn’t sure what.

Her head tilted to the side when a rumbling sound began to emanate from his chest. It made her jump back, before realizing that he wasn’t currently choking. She listened carefully, pressing her ear against his chest to make sure that there wasn’t any fluid that had somehow built up inside his lungs. But no, it sounded clear. It was just that low rumble that remained.

The longer Lena listened, the more confused she got. It almost sounded like a purr. A very deep and surprisingly human version of a purr but a purr nonetheless.

Now why the fuck would this boy be purring? And how?

Humans couldn’t purr, she was pretty damn sure of that. So how was this happening? Lena’s mind felt like it had been scrambled. There was something to all of this that wasn’t adding up. Frowning, the CEO wrecked her brain for a possibly explanation.

Okay, so, this boy knew her in the future. He obviously trusted Lena enough to come to her and ask for help. He apparently knew the entire group whence he came from. And it seemed that he was… maybe not entirely human. So it stood to reason that he was somebody’s kid. The question was just: who’s kid?

He didn’t seem to have any obvious superpowers, at least not from what Lena could tell but he apparently did have quite the hero complex. And he was stubborn.

He couldn’t be Kara’s kid because then he wouldn’t have had any issues with the break-in yesterday. Maybe Alex would marry and alien? Or maybe Nia somehow managed to have a son? The kid had a very similar manner of banter to her, so maybe?

Eventually, Lena gave up on trying to figure this out. Her head hurt, not just from this but also from the conversation with Kara earlier. And then there was the question of the boy’s health. How much longer would Lena be able to let this continue before she handed him over to the DEO?

Chapter Text

There was something lurking in the darkness, something that defied the very notion of peace. It was not merely hiding; it was biding its time behind the tattered curtains of his room, with a smile that was too bright- an unnatural gleam that flickered like a sickly candle in a cold wind. Its teeth- oh, its teeth- were razor-sharp, jagged edges that seemed to gleam with malevolent intent, as if they had been forged in nightmares and sharpened on the screams of the frightened.

It sat there, silent and patient, with a stillness that felt worse than any scream. Its eyes, shadowed pits of darkness, watched him with a hunger that thrummed beneath their surface- deep, hollow, swirling with a storm of unseen chaos. Its skin was ashen grey, mottled like the remnants of a dying fire, peeling and cracked as if it had been forged from the remnants of a forgotten nightmare. Its fingers- long, bony, and impossibly thin; resembled gnarled spider legs, webbed and fragile, yet deadly. The nails- sharp, black, and curved- glinted menacingly in the faintest light, promising pain and despair.

It sat there, unmoving but alive with a predatory patience that defied time itself. It watched, always watching, never needing to breathe, never needing to blink, as if it was a part of the darkness, an extension of shadow and silence. Its presence was suffocating, an oppressive weight that pressed down on the room, curling around the boy like a suffocating shroud. The boy lay in his bed, his skin clammy and burning with fever- a fragile, trembling spark of life teetering on the edge of something unfathomable.

Curiosity- so terrible, so consuming- glinted in the creature’s cold gaze, almost like a predator eyeing its prey, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Perched atop the window frame, it resembled a monstrous feline, legs curled tight and head tilted with unsettling calmness. Whenever it moved, shadows rippled and danced, rippling through the fabric of reality like dark waves crashing against the fragile shoreline of sanity.

It watched as the boy’s mother stepped into the room, her face etched with worry, her movements frantic and unsteady. It saw her dip a cool cloth into water, felt her trembling hands as she pressed it against her son’s fevered brow. It sensed her desperation, her mounting fear, and her silent plea for salvation. It observed her gentle shaking of the boy’s fragile body, her quiet prayers swallowed by the suffocating silence of the night.

And yet, it did nothing. It did not need to. It was not an agent of action but a harbinger of inevitability. Whatever was destined to happen- whatever darkness was to be unleashed- was already written in the shadows, beyond the reach of its influence. It was merely a messenger, a silent witness, ensuring that no one was left behind in the abyss.

“Leo?” The mother’s voice cracked, trembling with exhaustion and dread, almost on the verge of tears. Her voice was a fragile thread, frayed and precarious, hanging between hope and despair.

The boy, half-asleep and trembling, turned his heavy-lidded eyes toward her. “Hey there,” he whispered, voice barely audible, trembling with exhaustion.

“I don’t know what to do anymore,” she said, tears threatening to spill over as she lifted her hand, trembling, to cradle her face, her eyes brimming with fear. “It’s been a day, and you’re getting worse- so much worse.”

“Just give it a bit more time,” Leo replied, his voice resolute, yet shadowed with an unspoken plea. A plea to be spared, to be hidden- something desperate and primal. His eyes held a flicker of terror, not from the fever, but from something far more sinister lurking behind his gaze. “Just a little more.”

“How can I give you any more time, Leo? You look like you’re already slipping away. Like you’re already gone,” she whispered, her voice breaking. Her fingers traced trembling lines along his cheekbones, as if trying to hold onto a ghost slipping through her grasp. “Don’t ask me to give you more time. Please.”

Leo sighed heavily, shaking his head, stubborn and resolute. “You can’t hand me over. It’s too dangerous,” he whispered, voice trembling with the weight of his fear and defiance.

“Too dangerous? Is it less dangerous if you die? Can’t you see that your obsession with the future- your need to protect it- might not be worth your death? Don’t you see? You need help! Help I cannot give you.”

The watcher, silent and relentless, slowly withdrew from its perch on the window frame, inching closer towards the pair. Its presence was a thick, oppressive miasma- an invisible filth that thickened the air with the stench of fear. It wound itself around the room like a suffocating coil, refusing to loosen its grip, refusing to release its hold on what it had come to claim.

The boy’s eyes flicked away from his mother, turning stubbornly to the ceiling, as if to hide the terrible knowledge flickering behind his gaze. His breath was ragged, his body trembling with fever, yet beneath that, a darker tremor pulsed- an unspoken, primal fear that chilled even the shadows around him.

Eventually, the mother caved, her resolve shattering like glass beneath an unrelenting weight. She left the boy alone with the suffocating silence, the oppressive shadows closing in behind her retreating figure. As hours dragged on, an unholy watch persisted- silent but ever present. It observed with cold patience as the boy's breathing grew ragged, each gasp more labored than the last, until his chest heaved with agonized desperation. His sleep twisted into a nightmare- pain etched deep into every breath, every twitch, every shiver. The stench of death lurked nearby, thick and putrid, seeping into the very air, wrapping around him like a deathly shroud, choking hope from his fragile lungs.

Perhaps this was cruelty- an endless cycle of hope snuffed out only to reveal the harsh truth: the inevitable, the inescapable doom that lurked just beyond reach. It had watched humans writhe under this same torment since the dawn of time, their futile resistance fueling its silent hunger. The defiance- the refusal to surrender - had always been a part of them, a stubborn stain that refused to wash away. Whether for salvation or damnation, they clung to denial, their minds shrouded in a fog that blurred reason and rationality, making them blind to the darkness closing in.

Denial wielded a terrible power. It clouded senses, warped perceptions, and made rational thought impossible. This was not a rare scene; it was an ancient, recurring ritual- an insipid dance of suffering played out countless times before. No one was spared. No lesson learned. Only the cruel simplicity of the solution remained hidden, ignored: surrender.

Hours bled into one another, darkness deepening, until the dead silence was shattered by a scream- raw, jagged, shattering like glass under a hammer. The cry tore through the apartment, a piercing wail that echoed with primal terror, reverberating in the shadows that lurked just beyond sight. The boy sat upright in his bed, trembling, clutching at his shoulder as if clutching at his very soul. The air around him grew thinner, slipping away into an oppressive void that seemed to swallow light, hope, and breath alike.

He stared blankly at the wall across from him, eyes vacant and unseeing, as if lost in an abyss no one else could perceive. His mother burst into the room, frantic, desperate, her voice a frantic whisper drowned out by the pounding of her heart. She scrambled to his side, trying to decipher what horror had struck him, but he was deaf to her words, deaf to everything. He was ensnared in a nightmare far darker than any mere flesh wound- something malevolent, unseen, waiting patiently in the shadows.

When she desperately tried to peel back the bloodied bandage, to glimpse the source of his torment, he swatted her away with furious, uncoordinated strength. His actions betrayed a flicker of consciousness- fragile, fleeting -an ember resisting the cold grip of oblivion. He refused her aid, his body trembling with primal defiance. The creature lurking in the darkness- its scent now unmistakable- sniffed the air, hungry, gleaming teeth flashing in the pitch-black. Its anticipation grew visceral, a predator sensing the final moment approaching.

Time was a cruel, relentless predator itself, creeping toward the inevitable. The clock’s ticking echoed in Lena’s mind, each second dragging her closer to the abyss. The creature’s gaze flicked to her, teeth glinting like a dagger in the gloom, sensing the shift. The darkness itself seemed alive, breathing, waiting.

In desperation, the mother’s trembling hand reached for her phone. The line was answered instantly, voice strained and trembling.

“Lena? What is it?”

Her voice broke, tears threatening to spill over as she rasped out the truth: “I lied. He’s here. He’s here, and I think he’s dying. I don’t know what to do anymore.”

Minutes later, a tall, blonde woman entered- the harbinger of fleeting salvation. Her face was a mask of conflicting emotions: fear, relief, disappointment tangled into a single expression. She moved swiftly, her steps silent but urgent, to the bed where the boy still screamed, trapped in a nightmare he could not escape. She lifted him with care, trying to ignore the dizziness that threatened to overtake her as she approached him- an ominous, terrible silence following her.

“I’ll take him to Alex,” she said softly, almost trembling herself. “We’ll talk about this later.”

The mother nodded, her fingers trembling as she watched the woman carry the boy away. The darkness remained, silent and waiting. As the tall woman carried him past the shadows, the boy’s eyes fluttered open- glazed and unfocused. His gaze caught the swirling, malignant pools of darkness that lurked just beyond the edge of sight. He blinked, a flicker of recognition- or perhaps a plea -before he sagged backward, unconscious.

The creature licked its teeth, a slow, deliberate motion, savoring the moment. It sensed the nearing end, the final act inching closer with each passing heartbeat. There was still a sliver of time- perhaps - to alter the course of this terrible fate. But whether it would be enough was a question left unanswered, hanging in the suffocating silence of the night.

Chapter Text

Kara cradled the boy in her arms, his fragile limbs limp and dangling, as if he were barely clinging to life. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, each breath shallow and labored, as she leapt into the air with a burst of strength, soaring back toward the DEO’s headquarters. She moved with urgency, every second feeling like an eternity, her mind racing with fears and unanswered questions.

“Alex,” she spoke sharply through the intercom, her voice trembling with a mixture of desperation and resolve. “I need you to prepare an OR. Now.”

“Alright,” came the steady voice of her sister, the professionalism clear. “Do you know what kind of injuries he’s got?”

Kara’s eyes flicked down to Leo, the boy’s face eerily pale, the faint glow of his veins casting an unnatural light beneath his skin. Her brow furrowed as an icy dread seeped into her gut. “I’m not sure. The shoulder where he was hit is definitely infected, but… there’s something else. Something’s off. I don’t know what, but I need to get him to you. Fast.”

“Understood,” Alex replied, the background noise of the DEO’s command center momentarily cutting out. “How long until you arrive?”

“Give me maybe five minutes.” Kara couldn’t in good conscience fly too fast when the boy’s body was clearly unstable. She had no idea what could set off a bad reaction. Sometimes it’s better to be safe and careful than to act without thinking.

She hoped that the teenager would be able to hold on and that he’d be stable enough to actually make it through surgery. Kara wasn’t a stranger to gruesome injury or even illness. She had tried to transport several patients to the hospital, who had either died on the way there or had later passed on the operating table. It was never pretty and perhaps it wasn’t a good idea to insist on being updated by the nurses but Kara couldn’t help herself. She needed to know - whether or not this was her hero complex or her journalistic curiosity, was unsure.

Kara was angry with Lena. When she had gotten the call, the kryptonian’s first instinct had been to slam her phone into the wall, luckily, Kara had managed to restrain herself. But this was why so many of the superfriends had issues trusting Lena. Because despite all the good that the Luthor did - Lena herself trusted no one. She couldn’t. Kara didn’t know why Lena had hidden the boy but it couldn’t be good.

A sigh escaped her when her feet touched the ground on the DEO’s balcony. There was a stretcher that had already been prepared. Kara set Leo down, careful not to do any more damage. As he was wheeled away, the kryptonian noticed that the air around her grew lighter, that it got easier to breathe, that the dizziness vanished. She frowned. None of this was normal.

With sure steps, Kara followed the stretcher to the operating rooms, where Alex was already washing her hands. “He’s here?”

“Yes,” Kara responded, nervously tapping her foot against the ground. “But something’s really wrong.”

Alex fastened her gloves before making her way over to the teenager that had been transferred over to the operating table. Before anything else could be done, the agent would need to take a look at the wound that was causing all this, after she would decide whether Alex herself would be able to perform the surgery or if a more specialized doctor would have to be called in.

Kara watched as Alex began to remove the bandage. Layer by layer, a stranger metallic and chemical smell became more and more prominent, until finally, the last barrier came down and they were staring at the wound.

It was obvious that Lena had done her best to perform medical aid, the stitches weren’t sloppy and technically everything had been done cleanly. If it wasn’t skin that had started turning a strange mixture between gray and green. The skin around his shoulder had lost all of its natural colour, leaving behind something that seemed more dead than alive. Kara had been forced to watch a fair amount of zombie movies, this visual wasn’t dissimilar. Yet, there was a strange glow to it, something that looked somewhat familiar.

“He got hit with a kryptonite bullet?” Alex asked while she carefully caressed the swollen skin.

Kara nodded. “But shouldn't that only affect kryptonians?”

Alex’s nose wrinkled in response. “We don’t know much about how this stuff affects humans. We can only theorize that a long term exposure could have side effects. Plus, I’m pretty sure that there are still fragments of the bullet inside his shoulder. If his body has started rejecting it, this could be sepsis setting in.”

“So you need to operate?”

“Right away, if possible.” Alex frowned. “Do we know anything about his medical history?”

Kara shook her head. We have no idea. I could maybe bring Lena over here, she’s been taking care of him over the last few days, so she might know something.” She didn’t wait for a response but simply retreated out of the room to make her way over to Lena’s apartment once more.

The CEO was sitting on the guest bed, her hands shaking ever so slightly. Kara would have felt sorry for her but she didn’t have the time. “Get up, we’re flying to the DEO.”

“What?” Lena seemed confused. “What can I do?”

Kara had already picked the other woman up, unwilling to wait and unwilling to find out whether the Luthor would currently be able to stand on her own two feet. “Because you know more about him than us and we need you to tell us anything that might help Alex operate!”

Lena nodded, barely aware of the fact that she had buried her nose against the kryptonian’s collarbone.

They made it to the operating room two minutes later, Lena still in Kara’s arms meanwhile the superhero herself seemed fairly unbothered. “She’s here,” Kara exclaimed towards Alex who was still standing next to the unconscious boy but who had slowly started to begin removing the stitches that Lena had done.

“Great!” Alex turned to face Lena. “Who is this guy?”

Lena, a bit wobbly on her own feet, bit her lip. “I don’t know a lot. And there is stuff that he doesn’t want anyone to know.”

At the questioning glances of the other two women, Lena expanded. “There’s a reason why I didn’t hand him over until it was absolutely necessary. He’s scared for everyone’s safety. There is information that I cannot give you and I am not one hundred percent sure that it would be medically relevant. You can ask Brainy if you want, he will confirm what I said.” She paused. “Actually, you might want to get Brainy in here.”

Kara hesitated for a moment, then shrugged, silently agreeing to Lena’s suggestion. She knew Lena was right- it was the most logical step. Without delay, she turned and headed out of the room, her mind racing with a thousand unanswered questions. A minute after she had stepped into the hallway, Brainy stumbled into view, his expression slightly confused.

At the sight of Leo lying motionless on the table, Brainy’s eyes widened and he whispered softly, “Sprox,” his voice barely audible. The curse made the elder Danver’s eyes widen with suspicion.

“Do you know him?” Alex asked, her tone edged with growing annoyance. Her frustration was bubbling beneath the surface, her patience thinning as the pieces of the puzzle still refused to fit together. She just wanted to help this boy but somehow, everything kept on getting in the way.

Brainy tilted his head slightly to the side, considering. His brow furrowed as he looked back and forth between Kara, Lena, and the unresponsive boy sprawled on the table. Finally, he answered with a quiet certainty, “I know who he is.”

“Good enough,” Alex said, her voice firm but tinged with suspicion. She pointed sharply at Leo’s motionless form. “I need to know everything that could be medically relevant. Every detail that might help us save him.”

Brainy’s expression clouded with concentration. He scrutinized the scene, analyzing every detail, before finally speaking again. His voice was low but urgent. “Sun lamps. Get the sun lamps.”

Kara blinked, confused. “My sun lamps?”

“Precisely,” Brainy confirmed, nodding with a sense of urgency that brooked no argument.

“The ones that are too hot for human skin?” Kara asked skeptically, her brow raising in disbelief.

Brainy groaned aloud, clearly exasperated. “Do I have to spell it out? Yes! Get them. Fast. We need to use them now- before he deteriorates further.” His gaze sharpened as he looked at Alex. “Remove whatever is left of the bullet, stitch him up, and then expose him to the sun lamps. Trust me on this.”

Alex hesitated for a moment, her mind racing with questions she desperately wanted to ask, but she nodded nonetheless. “I have so many questions, but I’ll handle that later. First, Lena- what the hell did you get us into?”

Meanwhile, for Lena, a sudden realization clicked into place- an epiphany she had been slow to grasp. Her eyes widened as she looked at the boy lying unconscious before her. The pieces fit together - he was Kara’s son, after all. The truth hit her with an almost physical force, a tightening sensation twisting in her stomach.

Despite her initial shock, a strange warmth arose within her. She could be happy for Kara- that this meant she might have a family after all. That perhaps, in some twisted way, Lena herself might become an aunt to this child. It wasn’t nothing. It was something.

One by one, Alex carefully began to remove the tiny fragments of kryptonite embedded in Leo’s skin. They glinted in the harsh light, tiny shards of danger. As the last piece was extracted, a faint color started to return to his pallid skin- signs of life, fragile and tentative but undeniable. The agent groaned with relief. Finally something was going according to plan!

Brainy moved close to Lena, speaking in a hushed tone so others wouldn’t overhear. “He solar flared. That’s why the kryptonite poisoning took so long to manifest. Technically, he still doesn’t have his powers back, but the constant exposure has begun to attack the cells unaffected by the solar flare. It’s a severe case of kryptonite poisoning.”

Lena swallowed hard, the lump in her throat growing. “So… he would’ve died?”

“Eventually,” Brainy replied grimly, his expression darkening. “It would have been slow and agonizing. Usually, kryptonite poisoning drains a Kryptonian within hours- their cells rapidly deteriorate. But this? This process would’ve taken days. In the end, he’d be more bones than flesh, more ghost than boy.” He reached out, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “You did the right thing. He might be angry, but you saved his life.”

Lena exhaled deeply, her hands trembling slightly as she nodded. “Thank you, Brainy,” she managed, offering him a relieved but weary smile as they both watched Alex finish stitching the wound shut. “This… this means everything.”

Finally, Leo was carefully positioned on a more comfortable bed beneath the relentless beams of the artificial sun lamps. Kara had placed him there herself because the doses Brainy had prescribed were far too intense for a normal human. Their skin would have blistered within seconds under such heat, but for Leo- perhaps for someone not entirely human - it was an essential step toward recovery.

Kara looked down at the boy, her gaze filled with curiosity and something softer- perhaps hope. As she got a closer look at his features, she couldn’t help but notice the ears- unmistakably alien in shape. So very pointy. Humans would call them either elve or feline like. They weren’t human at all. And the fact that he seemed more at ease lying under the brutal sun lamps, set to an inhuman degree, was another unsettling clue.

Leo wasn’t human. That much was clear. And if his reaction to kryptonite was anything to go by, he was likely Kryptonian. Yet, so many questions lingered like shadows in her mind. How had he been hit with the other bullet- the one that hadn’t been laced with kryptonite? And how could another Kryptonian be here, on Earth? Kara and Cal were the only ones she knew of. There couldn’t be more. There simply couldn’t.

Her gaze drifted to his hands, which were decidedly un-Kryptonian - so very human. How could he be who he was- an apparent alien, a Kryptonian- when everything about him contradicted that? A boy who shouldn’t exist lying in front of her, vulnerable and silent, with secrets buried deep within.

“You’re trouble, aren’t you, kid?” Kara whispered softly, leaning in close as the boy slept peacefully now, no longer fighting for breath or wracked with sweat. He looked more peaceful, more like himself. No longer on the brink of death. Relief washed over her, and she reached out almost instinctively, running her fingers through his tousled curls. Her touch was gentle, almost maternal.

“Golly,” she murmured to herself, a faint smile touching her lips. “I’ve got so many questions… so many.”

Meanwhile, Lena remained rooted to the spot, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, watching the scene unfold. A bitter taste lingered in her stomach- an uncomfortable mix of regret, fear, and a strange, aching hope. The boy was Kara’s son, that much was certain now. And despite everything- the distance in time, the secrets- they shared a connection that was undeniable.

She turned away slowly, her gaze lingering on the boy’s peaceful face. Lena’s mind raced with doubts and fears, yet beneath it all, a tiny flicker of hope ignited- perhaps, in the end, this was the beginning of something new; something different. The only thing that made Lena hesitant, was that she wasn’t sure whether she wanted to know who the other parent would turn out to be.

Chapter Text

Everything felt heavy- so heavy that it weighed down his entire body, pressing into him from every angle. Every breath he took felt like an effort, each inhale dragging through thick resistance, as if the air itself had become a burden he couldn’t quite lift. His fingers twitched involuntarily, but even that small motion required conscious effort, an exertion of will in a realm that seemed to drain him of vitality. And most of all, Leo’s mind was a swirling storm of exhaustion, a fatigue so profound it felt like it had seeped into his very bones, hollowing him out and leaving behind only the relentless pounding of his heartbeat, steady and unyielding.

Time had lost all meaning for him now. There was no past, no future- only an unending expanse of darkness, blacker than anything he’d ever known, an abyss that stretched infinitely in all directions. It was a void that swallowed everything- hope, memories, identity- until only the sensation of being remained. Occasionally, amidst this endless black, a flicker of light would pierce the darkness. It was brief, sporadic, almost like a distant star flickering in a night sky, but it wasn’t sleep. This wasn’t dreaming either. It was something else, an in-between state of existence, teetering on the edge of consciousness and non-being, neither fully alive nor completely gone.

Sometimes, Leo thought he could hear something- whispers whispering within the silence, unintelligible yet persistent. Other times, he felt a gentle pressure on his hand, a faint warmth that seemed to grasp his own in a comforting hold. But that couldn’t be real, could it? He was alone here, entirely alone in this sphere of nothingness, with no one else, no voice, no presence but the echo of his own fading consciousness.

In a strange, paradoxical way, this realm of nothingness brought a kind of peace. Here, there were no worries, no memories to haunt him, no fears to face. Everything just was or wasn’t- a simple state of existence and nonexistence that required no judgment or reflection. Floating through this void, through the endless stretch of space and time, Leo didn't even need to dream. There was no purpose, no pain, no hope- only the pure, unadulterated silence of absence.

Meanwhile, in another place, the scene shifted to a room filled with quiet urgency. Kara’s sharp eyes caught Nia’s curious voice as the young reporter stepped cautiously into the space, careful to avoid the slivers of sunlight that sneaked into most corners of the room like silent witnesses.

“How is he doing?” Nia asked softly, her voice tinged with genuine concern.

Kara’s gaze was fixed on the boy lying motionless on the bed. Her hand hovered unconsciously over his, as if anchoring herself to some fragile thread of hope. “He’s alive,” she said simply, her voice steady despite the heavy weight on her heart. “He’s alive, and he’s starting to heal. Slowly, but surely.”

Nia’s eyes flicked over her mentor with a mixture of curiosity and worry. “That’s good news. Do you have any more information about him now? Anything that might tell us who he is?”

Kara shook her head slowly, frustration flickering across her face like a shadow. “Brainy refuses to say anything else. He’s been tight-lipped- more so than usual. And Lena… I suspect she’s holding back, too. They’re in cahoots somehow. I think Lena might know more than she’s letting on, but every time someone tries to get the truth out of them, they all but run away. No luck there.”

Nia crossed her arms, her nails shimmering with glittery polish under the artificial lights. “Do you have any guesses? Who do you think he might be?”

Kara hesitated, her brow furrowing as she considered. “It’s complicated. Kryptonian identities were always very specific- designed to be perfect, to fit a certain ideal. He meets some of the marks, but there are… things that defy what we know about Kryptonians. Traits that don’t quite add up.”

“Like what?”

“Well, for starters, we didn't have trans people on Krypton,” Kara replied, her voice thoughtful. Nia’s eyebrows shot up, almost vanishing into her hairline at that admission. “We were engineered for perfection- everything in its place. Our brains, our bodies, everything was supposed to match up seamlessly. When it didn’t, which I’ve never heard of, it would have been considered a flaw- an imperfection in the design.”

Nia let out a dismissive raspberry. “It must have been strange adapting to human standards when all you knew was perfection.”

Kara squinted, the light casting shadows across her features. “I don't know. I think it was a different kind of challenge- something new. Krypton aimed for perfection, but in doing so, I sometimes wonder if we went against our very nature. We bred out anything that might have made us unique or different. Sure, it meant less disease- no cancer, no genetic flaws- but I think Earth’s approach is more… beautiful, in its own flawed, messy way.” She smiled wistfully, eyes distant. “On Krypton, you were created to match an ideal, a fixed identity. Here, on Earth, you get to forge who you want to be. There’s a kind of freedom in that- discovering your purpose, your identity, your passions. It’s fluid, dynamic. Krypton was bound by tradition and rigid norms, but Earth has hundreds of thousands of different cultures and traditions- and they change every day. That’s what’s truly astonishing.”

Nia nodded, a smile playing at her lips. “I like the way you see it.”

Kara chuckled softly. “I sure hope so. Otherwise, I’d have to rethink our friendship altogether.”

Nia cleared her throat. “I really like what you said because you’re right, humanity at its core, is just a bunch of dreamers that want their wishes to come true.” She winked playfully. “Not to be biased, but dreaming is sort of my forte.”

“Oh bugger off.” Kara rolled her eyes, those puns would never stop. “But you’re right.”

“Hear hear!” Nia was laughing gleefully, lightening the kryptonian’s mood. “But you have to know that I am pretty much always right.”

“Huh?” The hero looked at her friend with a few obvious doubts. “I’m pretty sure that no one will agree with you on that. Didn’t you pick Brainy to be your game night partner?”

“How was I supposed to know that he would try to perform Laparoscopic ovarian drilling?” Nia huffed out, clearly scandalized and most definitely still a bit mad about the loss. “Who would even think of that? I mean, that’s not something that a regular person knows.”

Kara shrugged. “Experiences teaches us better, you should have seen that time that Lena made me guess what the quantum entanglement was. The only reason that we got those points, was that we’d had a conversation about that a few months prior. Geniuses are weird.”

“You and Lena talked about quantum entanglement?” The young woman seemed skeptical. “And she just thought that this topic would interest a regular, mild mannered reporter because…?”

“Told you, geniuses are really strange.” Kara smiled nostalgically. “She used to do that a lot - just bring up topics that she had clearly done a deep dive into but had no one else to talk to about it. She gets that look on her face when she does that, just pure excitement. Like a dog with a bone.”

Nia pursed her lips, carefully choosing her next words. “You really miss her, don’t you?”

Kara leaned backwards on her chair, eyes never leaving the teenager on the bed. “I don’t think that’s an adequate description of what I’m feeling.”

“How would you describe it?”

“I’m not sure, I keep getting stuck between this bone deep ache - this longing that just tells me to get a hold of her and never let go, and this unbelievable frustration. Because I know that I messed up. Believe me, I knew that long before she did. But she’s refusing to see that she isn’t perfect either.” Kara’s chin wobbled as she took a deep breath. “Leo almost died because she was keeping him from us. So how is my secret such a sin when hers is apparently alright? Even if it almost cost another life? I just don’t understand how Lena can say one thing but do another.”

Nia rested a hand on Kara’s shoulder, careful to keep most of her body out of the artificial sunlight. “We’ve always known that Lena’s a bit messed up.” At Kara’s raised eyebrows, she continued: “She’s a good person, obviously but she tries so hard - too hard. If you try so hard to prove that you are worth more than everyone thinks, it can only end in disaster. That woman has never even been near a self health book or a therapist office. How would she know what’s messed up if the only people she ever got to learn from were the Luthors and a literal Superhero? This sort of extremism would leave anyone confused. I’m not saying that it’s right or that you shouldn’t be mad at her but… you know - maybe cut Lena some slag before you manage to scare her away again.”

“How are you so well adjusted?” Kara asked, a slight smirk on her face. “Shouldn’t all superheroes be at least a little messed up psychologically? How are you the exception to the rule?”

Nia laughed, doing a dramatic hairflip simultaneously. “Honey, I had to go to therapy when I was a literal child. Being trans in this country? Comes with a lot of pros, cons and most of all - so much self awareness.”

The kryptonian grinned easily. “You’re ridiculous, you know that?”

“I may have heard that before, once or twice.”

“Only once or twice?”

Nia rolled her eyes. “Shut up, Danvers and have an actual conversation with your emotionally constipated best friend.”

Kara removed her hand from Leo’s, crossing her arms in the process. “Well, now I don’t want to anymore.”

“Kara?”

“Yes?”

“I’ll call Eliza and tell her that you said that.”

Rolling her eyes, Kara got out of the rather uncomfortable chair. “I hope when you cook potatoes in the future, that they always end up being just a little too raw to be enjoyable.”

“That’s your threat?” Nia’s eyes almost bulged out when she heard this. “I don’t even cook! Why would that affect-”

At last the secret is out,
as it always must come in the end,
the delicious story is ripe to tell
to tell to the intimate friend;
over the tea-cups and into the square
the tongues has its desire;
still waters run deep, my dear,
there's never smoke without fire.

Lena had always loved poetry. Despite Kara being the writer between the both of them, it had been the Luthor that had introduced Kara Danvers to a myriad of poets, authors and writers.

Art mattered. It had never had a place in the Luthor home but Lena hadn’t always been a Luthor and for all the things that she couldn’t remember about her mother, she would always recall the quiet evenings during which she would whisper poems into the cold air and watch them be carried away by the wind.

Art mattered. Not because it held some scholarly credit or because there was writing older than the country that she lived in but because the act of creation was an act so human and so full of emotion that nothing else would ever get close it. It had ignited wars, caused deaths and reunited what had been thought long lost.

Art was everything and Lena’s own personal vice, was poetry. Whether it be the sonnets of William Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Jamaal May or somebody else. It had always hit the closest to home - either igniting fury with her chest or warming it when the world grew too cold and too bitter to ever seem beautiful again.

This particular poem had stuck with her. It had already been old when she’d found it, written in an entirely different time about an entirely different set of circumstances yet - the meaning held true. There is no secret that will ever truly remain as intended. The truth was like a ferocious beast, with a belly that could and would swallow everything in its path.

Everything had to be revealed one day, some just may be lucky enough to not personally experience the fall out of their actions. The consequence had always been the whispers that followed. The stories that others would come up with to make sense of a half truth - embedded into reality and yet so far removed from the flesh and bones of the original tale.

There was no absolute truth but a lie would always remain as something to be unveiled. The scandal lured people in, the pretense made them chatter with excitement, if not a bit of fear.

She was staring out of the window of her office. It almost looked as though the assasination had never taken place- the window shards had been removed from the floor and new ones had been set into the window frame. The blood had been mopped and washed away, leaving only a hint of a chemical scent in its wake.

If Lena didn’t know that on the other side of the city, Leo was healing beneath the sun lamps, she would have thought the entirety of the last few days to be a terrible dream. It still felt like it sometimes. To be drawn into such an adventure hadn’t been her intention at all, to fall from almost obscurity into the need to uphold such a ridiculous lie-

It frustrated Lena to no end.

Leo had turned her into a hypocrite and she wasn’t sure that she liked what this said about her. Had her morals always been this bendable? Had it always been this easy to break her spine into two?

The stupidity wasn’t lost on her. But what’s done is done. Tired from the act of thinking and trying to find somebody to blame that wasn’t her, Lena poured herself a glass of Scotch.

If nothing else, at least the alcohol would keep her warm if even the poetry couldn’t provide its usual comfort. “Aren’t you pitiful,” Lena mumbled to herself after downing a mouthful. “Maybe Kara was actually in her right not to trust you with her secrets, look at yourself, you can’t even keep your mind together.” She let out a cough before setting the glass down. “Ridicolous, all of it. Absolutely ridicolous.”

Chapter Text

“Are you drinking?”

Lena looked up from her desk, her mind swirling in a fog of exhaustion and vague haze, puzzled about who had managed to slip into the building. She’d been here for hours now, the faint glow of the city outside spilling through the window, and yes, she’d taken a few sips- maybe more than a few- but she was Lena Luthor. She could hold her liquor. Or so she told herself.

But the voice that cut through her thoughts was softer, yet somehow sharper. “Lena? Could you please look at me?”

Her eyes traveled toward the source of that voice, slow and reluctant, finally settling on Kara- her former best friend? Her… whatever? Something more fragile now- arms crossed, a frown carved deep into her face, disappointment flickering behind those bright eyes. Lena’s stomach clenched.

Shit. She was hammered.

No, she wasn’t. Not really. Her thoughts felt sluggish, sluggish in a way that wasn’t entirely from the alcohol. She was just... tired. So tired. “Am not.” The words escaped her lips in a slurred whisper, a weak protest against her own awareness of her state.

Kara moved closer, her presence filling the room with an unspoken ache. Her expression was a mix of concern and something darker- disappointment, frustration, maybe even heartbreak. The dim light cast shadows over her face, making her look almost ethereal- like the Kara Lena remembered, but also like something she’d lost, or was desperately clinging to.

Lena’s gaze lingered, unbidden, fixated on the delicate shine of Kara’s curly hair, the way her face was so familiar yet so distant. She could stare forever if she wanted to. She could drown in the memory of her- her laugh, her smile, the way her eyes lit up when she was mad or happy or just simply there. A girl could stare at her former best friend -or perhaps her lost love? - if she wanted to. That was allowed. It was okay.

A light giggle bubbled up from her lips- soft, trembling, almost lost- and she only stopped when she noticed Kara’s fingers tapping impatiently, the tension in her stance growing.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Kara’s voice was sharper now, edged with a sorrow Lena couldn’t quite place. The anger in her tone made Lena’s chest tighten, a pang of guilt or maybe longing twisting inside her.

Oh no, the Kryptonian sounded mad. Lena tilted her head, her mind struggling to catch up with her feelings. She didn’t like it when Kara sounded like that. Her voice always gained this weight, this ache that made Lena’s heart feel like it was caught in a vice.

“Uhm... I don't know,” Lena mumbled, eyes flickering to the half-empty glass sitting before her. Her voice wavered, the words spilling out before she could think. “Having a drink? Want one?”

Kara ran a hand through her hair, her face shadowed with something unreadable. Muttered words Lena couldn’t quite catch escaped her lips, and Lena’s gaze drifted lazily over the glass, over the bottle still sitting on the desk- still sitting there, waiting.

“Do you think this is productive?” Kara finally asked, voice strained.

“Mhhhhh,” Lena answered, voice barely audible, slurring her words as she tried to dismiss the concern. She felt her cheeks flush- partly from the alcohol, partly from the ache inside her that she couldn’t quite suppress.

Kara ran a hand through her hair, muttering something under her breath that Lena couldn’t quite catch. Her voice was strained with frustration, maybe even a touch of heartbreak. “Do you think that this is productive?”

“Mhhhhh,” Lena replied, the sound losing some of its clarity, her head tilting slightly, eyes unfocused. She reached out lazily, her fingers hovering over the glass, but Kara was faster, grabbing it before she could.

“You’ve had more than enough of this,” Kara said, her tone almost growling as she held the glass out of Lena’s reach. “You’ve crossed a line, Lena. This isn’t you.”

Lena’s lips curled into a faint, bitter smile. Her mind was foggy, her body sluggish, but she could feel the ache inside her- this gnawing, relentless yearning for something just out of reach. She looked at Kara’s pupils slim, vertical slits- feline and wild, and her heart clenched painfully. “God, I don’t know how to deal with you sometimes,” Kara muttered, her voice heavier now. “This isn’t what I came here for.”

“What did you come here for?” Lena’s voice was quiet, almost wistful, like she was clutching at a fragile thread of hope. She tilted her head, studying Kara’s face as her thoughts drifted- unclear, fuzzy, but desperate. “Did you wanna yell at me?”

“No,” Kara replied quickly, her eyes never leaving Lena’s. “Well- maybe. If the situation escalated… if things got out of control.” Her voice was strained, as if she was holding back something she didn’t want to say.

Lena nodded slowly, lips turning downward in a bittersweet expression. “I get it,” she whispered, her voice hollow. “Did some… not good things.” Her brow furrowed, words weighing her down like stones. “My mouth feels like goo- no, stone?” She paused, trying to grasp the sensation. “Glue?”

“You’re too drunk for this,” Kara said softly, her voice laced with concern. She moved swiftly, grabbing the bottle still sitting on the desk and placing it high on a shelf, out of Lena’s reach. “No more alcohol tonight.”

“But I like the alcohol,” Lena pouted, a childish edge to her voice. Her eyes shimmered with a mixture of defiance and despair. “Makes everything… less.” She motioned inward, a slow, trembling gesture. “I like it when it’s less.”

Kara’s smile was sad, almost aching. “I know, Lee,” she whispered. “Trust me. But that’s not healthy. You can’t keep running from everything like this.”

Lena rolled her eyes, her voice slipping into a teasing tone, but there was a tremor beneath it. “Not ‘sposed to be healthy. Just ‘sposed to be less.” She crossed her arms, wobbling slightly on her chair, spinning it with a reckless abandon that betrayed her drunkenness. Yet, she underestimated her own momentum, and suddenly she was staring again, her gaze locking onto Kara’s face.

“Shucks,” she mumbled, voice thick. “This should’ve been dramatic.”

“You’ve been plenty dramatic lately,” Kara said, leaning forward, her hands braced on the table. “Don’t you think that you’ve had enough of the dramatics by now? Can’t we finally work all this out? Please?”

Lena’s chest ached at her tone- something in her felt heavy, a weight that wasn’t just the alcohol. There was something else- something she couldn’t quite name. She felt sorrow, yearning, a deep, unspoken ache that had been buried beneath layers of bravado. She wasn’t sure why, but her voice softened, almost pleading. “I don’t like the drama,” she said, her tone as serious as she could manage. “But it loooooves me.”

A slap echoed through the room as Kara facepalmed herself, her frustration palpable. “Not the time for song lyrics, Lena.”

“I thought you liked them,” Lena said, blinking slowly, her words drifting into a half-smile. She wasn’t entirely sure what she was saying anymore, or if she cared. “You're talking like I’m doing something bad.” Her eyebrow quirked, wobbling with the effort. “Then why does it feel so good?”

“Could you stop it? Please?” Kara’s voice was more strained now, the frustration spilling over. “I know you’re shit-faced and not in control, but I need you to think about what you’re saying. This is real life. Your actions have consequences, Lena. You can’t keep quoting songs and hope I’ll just disappear.”

Lena rolled her eyes again, her voice tinged with mockery. “You’re grumpy.”

“Says the person drinking herself into oblivion to feel less,” Kara shot back, her voice softening with a hint of heartbreak. “Get up. I’ll fly you home.”

But Lena shook her head, letting herself slump backward in the chair, her voice muffled but resolute. “Nope. I’m gonna stay here.”

“That can’t be comfortable,” Kara said softly, a flicker of concern crossing her face.

“It’s okay,” Lena muttered, eyes fluttering shut like a child refusing to surrender. “Live here now.”

Kara pinched the bridge of her nose, her patience thinning. “I really hope you’ll remember all of this tomorrow- you deserve that much,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Carefully, she leaned down, scooping Lena into her arms as gently as she could- though her heart ached with every movement. A drunk tangle of limbs was no easy thing to carry. “So stubborn.”

“Noooo, lemme stay here,” Lena whined, reaching for the chair but Kara merely stepped away from it and began walking towards the balcony. “I don’t wanna go.”

“Well too bad.” Kara secured the drunk woman, placing one hand beneath her knees, the other one on her back. “You’re going to bed.” She shot up into the sky. Despite the warm temperatures during the day, they began to plummet during the night. The kryptonian could feel Lena shiver.

“Why’s cold?”

Kara chuckled lightly. “Because we’re flying.”

“Flying?” Lena’s eyes were wide and full of wonder. “You can fly?” She looked out at the sky where the moon was looking down at them. “Damn.”

Kara pulled the Luthor closer to her, tightening the already tight hold. “Yes, and I am flying you home.” Rao, how she had missed having Lena in her arms- was this what addicts felt like?

“No!”

“Lena, you have to go home, you can’t sleep in your office.” Kara sighed. “It’s not sustainable and deep down you know that.”

Lena buried her nose into Kara’s neck. “Don’t wanna go there. Nothing’s good there.”

Kara frowned at that. “What do you mean?”

“It doesn’t feel like home.” She nuzzled closer into Kara, seeking the kryptonian warmth. “Your place always felt like home.”

Blue eyes widened at that. She swallowed hard, trying not to seem too thrown by that piece of information. “Would you wanna go there?”

A sober Lena, would have most definitely said no. She would have told Kara to take her home and to not think about this intrusion again but Lena wasn’t at all sober and not entirely in charge of her actions. So the mumbled “yes,” wasn’t something that she could be held responsible for later on. Truly, it wouldn’t hold up in court.

“Okay then,” Kara said in response, changing the course of her flight to now lead them towards her own apartment. She landed in front of the door, keeping the drunk woman in her arms as she fumbled with the door to the house. “Thank god,” she whispered when the door sprang open and the only thing that stood between her and her own four walls were a few stair wells.

“Home sweet home,” Kara said when they finally made it inside the apartment. When she looked at Lena, she noticed that her eyes had closed and that her breathing had evened out. “You've got to be kidding me.” She carried her to her own bedroom, setting the sleeping woman down on the mattress before prying off her outer layers so that she wouldn’t wake up in shoes.

The blonde went toward the closet, taking a quick shower and then changing into a comfortable pair of pajamas. After brushing her teeth and combing her hair, Kara finally went back to her bedroom where Lena had curled into herself on the mattress. That vision… it was different. It was a picture that Kara had seen several times before but that had been eons ago - before everything had gone wrong. This was a picture that Kara had ached for during lonely nights and busy days and now that it had come true, it wasn’t at all how it was supposed to be.

Despite everything, Kara leaned down to press against the Luthor’s forehead, aching to climb into bed with her and pull her into her arms. But Kara couldn’t do that now. She didn’t have the right and too much had happened to not leave her unaffected by everything. There was anger simmering within both of them, anger that couldn't be resolved with a good cuddle. The thought alone was ridiculous. “Khap :zhao rrip.”

She went back into the living room, laying down on the couch to spend the rest of her night there. When Lena woke up, they would have a lot to talk about. The thought crept up like a bad dream - what if everything was lost?

Chapter Text

There was a slight headache simmering behind her eyes. The room outside was bright, light coming in through a window. It smelled different, not the same scent of cleaning spray that Lena was used to. Instead, the room smelt like baked goods and fruity laundry detergent.

“Where the hell-” Lena opened her eyes, shutting them immediately when the sun hit her with its brunt force. “Why is there so much light here?” She cursed. It took the young woman a few more minutes to acclimatize to the new situation, finally she could blink into the bright morning without feeling like her retinas were being burned off.

Oh no. Why? How?

Of course she was in Kara’s apartment. The comfortable bedroom was a rather familiar place, even if it had changed a bit since Lena had last been here. There were a few more pictures - most likely from game nights, meanwhile other pictures were missing from the wall - Lena noticed with a pang in her chest. The picture of Kara and Lena standing together, arm in arm with wide smiles on their faces wasn’t there anymore. Of course it wasn’t. It would have been silly to keep it there if Lena hadn’t given Kara any indication of ever forgiving her for the longest time. And still - it stung.

Lena sat up on the bed, the blanket pooling around her. Okay, so as it stood, Lena was here. In Kara’s bed. So where was Kara? She looked around, as if the blonde was going to simply appear out of thin air. Although, who knew, with kryptonians that could always be a possibility.

How had she gotten here though? Lena could remember going to her office after the revelation of Leo’s heritage had hit her. That had definitely been something a little bit too big to fit into her very well curated boxes right off the bat. That took a bit of alcohol to swallow down, to wash the bitter taste of a future down that tasted just a bit like acid. Kara had a future. Kara was going to be happy. And that was fine- great even but Lena was going to be damned if it didn't also hurt like hell.

Carefully, Lena made her way out of bed, stumbling for the first few steps before managing to put one foot in front of the other. “Careful now, Luthor,” she whispered to herself. “Don't go breaking your face.”

In front of the kitchen island, Lena came to stop. There she was, in all her morning glory with those golden locks framing her face in messy tangled and an old band t-shirt that had surely once belonged to Alex.

Kara.

“You’re awake,” Kara said as she made sure not to burn whatever was currently cooking inside the pan that had been placed on top of the stove. “How did you sleep?”

Lena looked at her carefully, as if the blonde might vanish. Could this be a hallucination? Was Lena still drunk? Kara seemed to take Lena's silence as an answer, finally lifting her gaze to look at the other woman. “If you’ve got a headache, I put an ibuprofen on the table over there, right next to the water jug. Feel free to serve yourself.”

Lena did as Kara had suggested, downing the liquid in one go while also swallowing the small pill. Her fingers tapped against the table, unsure of what to say. “I should probably go,” Lena said eventually.

“No.”

“What?”

“I said no.” Kara never looked up from the stove but her tone didn't leave any room for arguments. “You will not go. You’re going to stay right here! You are going to eat breakfast, you are going to drink something and then we are going to sit down and talk.”

Lena lifted an eyebrow. “About what?”

Kara flipped the contents of the pan smoothly before speaking up again. “About everything. About why I lied to you, why that hurt you and about everything that has happened since then and then we are going to figure out if our relationship is worth salvaging because whatever it is that's been going on, it can't continue.”

“And you decided all that without me?”

Kara chuckled, although it sounded more like a growl. “You lost the right to choose the moment that you lied to me about Leo. That boy almost died because you had to keep a stupid promise to him. I don't care what his secret is but I do care that it was apparently worth more to you than his life.”

Lena shook her head. “You don't know what you're talking about.”

“No, I don't, Lena. But who’s fault is that?” She sounded bitter now and she was still avoiding Lena’s gaze. “You have no idea how terrifying it is to know that you almost let that boy die. Because it speaks against everything that I know about you. Everything. It’s more than a secret, it’s a duality that borders on cruelty and I have no idea what to do with that now. So after we’ve eaten, we’re going to sit here and neither of us will leave before this hasn't been resolved. For better or for worse - this will end today.”

“And if I choose to disobey whatever plan you just came up with?”

There was that growl again, a deep rumble that stemmed from Kara’s chest that was far from the happy purr that Lena had heard coming from Leo. This sounded dangerous, like the promise of a power that could flatten entire cities. “You don't want to know.” And Lena could believe that. Kara had always been… well, Kara. A mild mannered reporter with too many cardigans and a posture that made it clear that she was trying to make herself smaller. The woman that was currently flipping eggs? That wasn't that Kara. That was a woman that had carried planes and watched worlds burn. This was a woman that knew loss better than the back of her own hand and whose shoulders were straight and whose eyes were sharp. This was neither Kara Danvers nor Supergirl. This was the alien that had lost everything and built herself up from the ground - time and time again.

“Alright then.”

“Why did you lie to me?”

They were sitting in Kara's living room. This used to be a place where Lena felt like she belonged. During game nights, her space was usually right next to Kara’s, feet tucked beneath her and during movie nights, her head on the reporter’s shoulder. But that closeness had vanished now. They sat there, divided by several feet and seemingly, an ocean of unanswered questions.

Kara took a deep breath. “I told you this already but you didn't believe me. If I tell you again now, I need you to actually listen! I need you to hear and to try and understand what I say! Don't misconstrue my words and don't try to find something nefarious that I could be hiding. Because I am not! I want to tell you everything, the entire truth!”

Lena nodded. “Go on then.”

“I never wanted to lie to you,” Kara began. “Of course, I always have to be careful about who I tell, that's just common sense. But what you don’t know is that I only ever told two people that I am Supergirl. Winn, who designed my suit and Nia, who was struggling with receiving her own powers when they were supposed to go to her sister. She needed someone who would make her feel less… alien.” Kara chuckled at the unintentional pun. “It may sound ridiculous but I never really get the choice of when I tell people. It’s my secret, it’s my life but there's always someone there that decides for me.”

Lena could see the frustration that painted itself onto the blonde’s features. Seeing Kara’s sunny disposition change so drastically was almost giving her whiplash.

“I wanted to tell you after a few months. Gosh, I was so tired of hiding it from you and I knew that you were good. You are one of the best people I’ve ever met, even then. But every time I tried to bring it up with someone else, they’d throw your name into my face and tell me not to trust you.”

“And you went along with it?”

Kara sighed, nervously scratching the skin at the back of her wrist. “It was my own family that was basically telling me to choose. I knew what the correct choice was but I had always been told to hide every part of me that wasn't human. They had taught me that, so Alex and the others were the experts so I couldn't say no.”

Lena crossed her arms. “And after?”

“After that, there was Reign and you had Kryptonite and you hated Supergirl but you loved Kara Danvers.” Kara shrugged. “The choice was between having you hate a part or all of me. It may not have been right but that part was easy.”

“And after that? After we made peace and we worked together? When I was a part of the friend group? Even when Alex trusted me? Why did you still keep it from me then?”

There was a bashful smile playing around Kara’s lips. “And there we get to the part where I was actually a coward. I knew that you were good and everyone else agreed. But I also knew you- I knew you better than everyone else and I knew how much you despised one thing.”

“Lies.”

“Yes,” Kara agreed. “So I couldn't tell you because your friendship had become so important to me that I couldn't bear the thought of losing it. Even if it meant lying to you, I couldn't find the courage to risk losing you. I tried to tell you, several times but you’d remind me that you trusted me completely and that you had been betrayed so many times before. So I stopped myself. And on doing so I broke your trust further and further with you being none the wiser”

Lena was gnawing at her lip, mulling over the words that Kara was saying. “I am still furious about all that.”

“And that is your right.” The Kryptonian had crossed her legs. “But why didn't you tell me that after I had finally told you that I’m Supergirl? Why didn't you slap me and tell me to go to hell? Why did you have to use me, why did you make me bring you to the one place that is entirely Kryptonian on this earth - just for you to trap me there? Do you have any idea just how fucked up that is? You were mad and I understand that but I never would have thought that you would actually use kryptonite on me.” She was wringing her hands together, as if the memory was still causing her physical pain. “I’ve always trusted you. Despite what everyone said, I always trusted you. And then you went and did exactly what everyone had always warned me about. I understand fury and sadness and grief but what I can't understand is betraying all of the ideals that you’d lived by for years. You didn't just hurt me by doing all of that, you betrayed yourself.”

There was a sharp breath intake, Lena was frowning now, the memories assaulting her like shots from a riffle. That couldn't be true. It couldn't be! It just couldn't -

“Look at me and tell me that when you look into the mirror you don't see an ounce of shame,” Kara said. “Because I feel guilty every time I put on that suit. But I at least know that I was trying to do everything for the right reasons. Can you say the same?”

Lena’s eyes were stinging now. She blinked several times, trying to will the tears away. “I don't know,” she whispered in return.

“That's what I thought.” Kara's gaze was full of disappointment. “I can only say that I am sorry so many times. But nothing is going to change if you don't take accountability for your own actions as well. I fucked up - so very badly. But I’m not the only one.”

The Luthor was looking everywhere but at Kara. Those bright blue eyes were drilling into her with an intensity that almost hurt. Fuck, she should have gone to that therapist that Sam had recommended. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yes.”

Kara gave her a small nod. “That's a start.” She straightened her legs. “Now what about the boy?”

“He’s different.”

“I noticed that. Is he Kryptonian?”

Lena tilted her head. “I can only presume that he is.”

The reporter put one hand up against the side of her head. “He almost died because you didn't hand him over.”

“I know.”

“I asked you if you knew where he was and you lied to me.”

“I know.”

“And even when he was in critical condition, you still decided to wait because - what? You thought that I didn't deserve to know that there was another Kryptonian on earth?”

Lena shook her head. “I agree that I should have told you sooner but you're wrong about that last part, it’s more complicated than that.”

The blonde grimaced. “I hate that word. Why don't you simplify it for me?”

Pinching the bridge of her nose, the CEO had to refuse. “I can't.”

“Why can't you?”

“Because I promised him not to tell?”

Kara chuckled bitterly. “Than you give no choice but to assume that you were hiding him out of cruelty.”

Lena could swear that she could feel the temperature drop by several degrees. This was definitely not going well. But Kara was right, she had betrayed her own values, she couldn't bear doing that again. Leo had come to her with the belief that she'd be able to help him, that she would keep his secret safe. Lena wasn't about to disappoint the time traveller - especially if he was Kara’s son. She couldn't. Not even if it meant that Kara would distrust her. Perhaps this was what was needed to ensure the boy's existence. Perhaps, Lena needed to move out of the way to make Kara see that there was a future for her outside of the Supergirl suit.

“I can only say that that wasn't the case.”

“But you don't have proof.”

“No.”

Kara ran a hand through her hair. “Then I believe that we’re done here.”

“Just like that?” Lena was drowning. This has been too fast.

But the Kryptonian nodded, her jaw grinding down in itself and Lena could have sworn that she saw her fingers shake slightly. “I’ve told you everything. There are no more secrets from my side. But you are continuing to hide what’s going on. That is a conscious decision you're making and I can't dissuade you from making it.” Her voice was slightly wavering. “But without getting an explanation, I am officially giving up on this.” The expression on her face looked pained as she pointed from herself to Lena. “I will no longer be trying to force a friendship since there clearly isn't one.”

Lena felt like she wanted to cry. She wanted to curl up on the carpet and weep until someone told her that it would all be fine.

Kara stood up. “Congratulations, Lena. You got what you wanted.”

Lena got up as well, reaching for her things in a haze and all but stumbling out of the door of Kara's apartment. She didn't say a word. She couldn't - not without contradicting her earlier statement and revealing Leo’s secret. Once she stood outside in the hall, there were silent tears running down her face.

This was not at all what Lena had wanted. 

Chapter Text

“How is he?”

Alex was putting down her bag on one of the chairs, meanwhile Brainy was fiddling with a tablet, his eyebrows furrowing at whatever he was seeing. “His vital signs are within the normal range and the wounds have already begun to heal into scar tissue. “All things considered, he should already be awake.”

She shrugged off her jacket and went to stand next to Brainy, whose gaze was ever changing from the screen to the boy. “That is strange,” Alex responded. The teenager looked far better than he had when she’d left last night. The first day, Leo had still seemed like he was on the brink and even the next, his skin had still been much too pale and his heartbeat far too slow. But now? His cheeks had regained its rosy colour and his chest was rising to take in deep and comfortable breaths. “Does anything look wrong?”

Brainy shook his head. “To the contrary, everything looks the way it’s supposed to.”

“So why isn't he waking up?”

The twelfth level intellect shrugged, typing something on the screen. “There are only two possibilities for his prolonged unconsciousness.”

Alex was staring at him with wide eyes. “And those would be…”

“Leo is either trapped inside his own mind, turning this into a self induced coma which would mean that we have no way of waking him, lest he himself manages to wake up-”

The redhead breathed in sharply, her eyes flickering towards the young man. “Please tell me that the other option is better!” She looked at Brainy pleadingly.

“It is.” Brainy offered her a smile which was probably supposed to be reassuring. “The other option is, that Leo is just exhausted and that his body is trying to catch up on some well deserved rest.” He yelped when Alex's hand collided with his upper arm. “What was that for?”

Alex pursed her lips. “Lead with that next time.” The agent shook her head, just a little annoyed. “I swear, everyone's trying to put me in an early grave.”

“How would we even do that?”

She sighed, really wishing that it was Nia instead of the sometimes thick Brainy, who would never manage to understand sarcasm. He was kind and brilliant and so very loyal but he wasn't necessarily the best person to bond with over irony. “Just… keep monitoring the data, alright?”

Brainy shrugged, focusing on the task at hand right away. “That was my plan.”

Meanwhile, Alex stepped past the man and took the seat that had been previously held by Kara. The chair was uninviting, made of plastic, coated in grey but still, her sister had sat her for several hours. If Supergirl could do it, then so could her older sister.

When she listened to the heart monitor, it dawned on the agent that this was the first time that she could actually get a closer look at the young man in front of her. So far, everyone else had been hovering and there had been so much to take care of that Alex hadn't found the time to truly just take a second to look at this impossible boy.

Like this, wrapped up in bandages and even with the faded scar in his face, Leo looked young- really young. Even if he was seventeen, Alex would have estimated him to be fifteen at most. The sleep had smoothed out his features and the dark circles underneath the boy’s eyes had begun to disappear.

When his skin wasn't ashen and the teenager not entirely exhausted and on the brink of death, he was just that - a teenager.

It was no wonder why Kara had been so very eager to find him. It would have already been disturbing to have an adult risk their life for you but to have a kid jump in front of the barrel of a gun? That shit stuck to you like tar. Alex knew that Kara feared that this event had coated her hands in blood that she’d never be able to wash off. To save his life, wasn't even getting even to Kara.

And then it turned out that Leo was probably some kind of Kryptonian. The look on her sister’s face had been haunting Alex for the past two days. Kara was always happy. She was like an overly existed puppy most of the time, people had given that exact description of the blonde. It was so very seldom that Kara let any other emotion show on her face.

Even as Supergirl, Kara cracked puns like there was no tomorrow and did her best to guide people through serious situations with an encouraging smile. Her and Kara were different that way - their goals were usually the same but their approaches couldn't possibly be more varied.

So to see Kara look truly disturbed? Wide eyes, the confusion palpable in all of her movements and with no words to say? That wasn't supposed to be happen.

Kara always knew what to say. Alex had been jealous of that when they were younger but as it turned out, the blonde’s gift with words was easily translated into journalism. A hero both while wearing the cape and white wearing a pair of thick glasses - that was who Kara Danvers was. And Alex wasn't even jealous anymore. But to see this eloquent person completely at a loss for what to say? That left every person witnessing the event confused.

Leo made no sense. He genuinely made no sense at all. Alex knew her sister and all of her Kryptonian quirks very well and to see some of them be represented in this guy? It made it seem like there were puzzle pieces that were desperately trying to fit together but just couldn't quite figure out the how.

“What are you thinking about?”

Alex didn't turn her head to face Brainy, but she could feel his presence looming behind her. “What do you mean?”

“You look like you’re trying to figure out the secret of the universe.” There was another beeping noise. Then the sound of something being set down on a metallic surface. “What's going on?”

The redhead raised an eyebrow. “What's with all the questions?”

Brainy came to a halt next to her, awkwardly putting a hand on her shoulder as if he was trying to comfort her. “Nia told me that I should try being more receptive towards people’s emotions. Apparently when people are quietly mulling something over, a lot of the time they wish to talk about it as well.” He sounded genuinely surprised by that, which made Alex smile.

“She’s not wrong.” Alex’s shoulders sagged. “I just don't know what's currently going on and I don't like it.”

“I know that feeling.”

Alex nodded, slowly getting used to the feeling of the hand on her shoulder. “It’s not a good one, is it?”

“Not at all.” Brainy’s hand squeezed gently, Alex was almost impressed with the caution that she could feel going into the movement. “It’s a bit as if one day everyone just started wearing a beret and you are the only one that's not wearing one and you can't figure out why everyone else is.”

“Brainy?” Alex turned her head sideways, staring at the man out of the corner of her eye. “What the fuck kind of analogy is that?”

The genius shrugged. “I thought it fit.”

“certainly seems like you did.” a chuckle broke out of her mouth. “You’re really strange sometimes.” Alex could feel the man stiffening and she quickly continued, “It’s not a bad thing. It’s odd sometimes but definitely you.”

“Thank you?”

Alex laughed quietly. “Not an issue, Brainy.” She turned towards the unconscious boy again. “But I still don't know what to do about him. This hasn't happened before, how do we even go about his existence?” Again, Alex could feel the man stiffening. “What's going on?”

“Mhhh? What do you mean?”

What's important to note is that Brainy had always been an absolutely shit liar. He was great at leaving things out but it was always pretty obvious when he was omitting something big because that was when he started acting really strange - even for Brainy. “Brainy?”

“Yes?”

“Do you know something?”

“No…?” He spluttered out.

Alex turned around, jumping out of her chair before cornering her friend, trying to look as intimidating as possible. “Talk! Now!”

“I don't know anything.”

“Try again!”

“...,” There was a pause. “I may know something.” He sighed. “But I can't tell you.”

The redhead had grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, the man trying to lean as far away from her as humanly possible. “Give me one good reason.”

She could see Brainy’s expression change to something more thoughtful. “Time.”

“Time?”

Brainy nodded. “Time. I can't say anymore but that's the reason.”

Alex groaned. “Just once I’d like for someone to just give me a clear answer. Is that so hard?”

“Apparently yes.”

“I thought so.” Alex sighed before finally letting go of Brainy, leaving him to stumble backwards. “Why can't things ever be easy?”

The genius gave her a stifled smile before picking up the tablet again. “Because you’d be bored.”

The agent folded her arms across her chest, glaring at her friend. “I really dislike you sometimes.”

Brainy typed something, the frequency of the beeping changing as he did so. “Not the first time that I heard those words.” He pushed a few stray hairs behind his ears. “But you know I’m right.”

“.... Fuck off.”

Chapter Text

Luck is such a capricious and unpredictable force. It can strike suddenly and unexpectedly, transforming a life in an instant- turning the impoverished into the wealthy, the sick into the healthy, the hopeless into the hopeful. Instead of lingering quietly in the background, waiting for its moment to reveal itself, luck seems to dart in and out of the cracks and crevices of life- slipping through windows and chimneys, almost like a restless cat eager to break free from its confines, prowling and elusive, never quite within grasp but always just beyond reach.

There are those fortunate few out there, individuals whose lives seem to overflow with luck. They are drenched in it, constantly gaining advantage after advantage, seemingly unaware of the rare blessing that has been bestowed upon them. While they glide through life, unburdened and oblivious, the rest of us are left to scrape together what remains- leftovers handed down by those fortunate enough to have been granted leisure and ease. The less lucky reach greedily for these scraps, their hands trembling, stumbling like drunken revelers on their way home, as luck itself drips from their arms like water, slipping through their fingers despite their desperate grasp.

It’s a cruel randomness- who gets what? Someone throws a dice, spins a wheel, draws a card- decisions made without logic, without reason, guided solely by chance. And yet, it feels profoundly unjust. To love life fiercely, to embrace its beauty and wonder, only to be met with heartbreak and rejection- doesn’t that seem the most unfair thing in the world? And still, people carry on. They roll up their sleeves, get their hands dirty, work themselves to the bone, trying to compensate for what the universe has withheld from them. Perhaps they are not blessed with luck, but their morals and resilience become their true treasures- more valuable than any fleeting chance.

And yet…

It was Kara who was sitting next to Leo’s bed. Her back was hunched over, tense around the shoulders and her nailbeds had clearly suffered some abuse over the past few hours. Instead of being neatly cut, the lines were jagged and frenzied out - as if someone had been chewing on them nervously.

The kryptonian had never managed to find a coping method that truly worked for her. Kara Danvers had such a sunny and joyful deposition, that breaking out into angry tears or throwing something wasn’t really something that she was allowed to do. Even in her superhero persona, Supergirl could only do so much damage to an enemy without causing the eyes of the press to look deeper. Each move was dissected, every word uttered that was heard was taken apart and put online with the craziest of theories to go along with them.

So no - Kara didn’t have ways to express her anger in ways that weren’t quiet. Ways that couldn’t be heard by anyone but the walls of her apartment. Not even Alex knew everything that was driving her mad these days, the redhead was busy taking care of her own issues and as the younger sister she felt that this was a time where it was better to listen than to talk. Her own fears could take the backseat for now, it was only fair.

But this silence, this suppression, wasn’t sustainable. The feelings inside Kara had been simmering for months- longer than she cared to admit- boiling over a slow, relentless heat that threatened to scorch her from within. The lid she had tightly sealed over her emotions had prevented the worst from spilling out, but even the strongest container can only hold so much. She threw herself into work, into routines, trying to drown out the sorrow and the sense of loss that haunted her- trying to forget the irregular, unpredictable life she had been forced to lead. Yet, no matter how much she distracted herself, the emptiness persisted, gnawing at her like an unshakable shadow.

Steel, she thought, was supposed to be unbreakable, resilient- impenetrable. But neglect, the slow erosion of time, could turn even the strongest metal to rust, slowly corroding its integrity until it collapses. And Kara wondered, with a lingering dread, whether she had finally reached that point. Had the accumulation of pain, frustration, and exhaustion finally worn her down? Was she cracking at the edges, ready to shatter?

There was just so much. It was overwhelming, to say the least. The feelings that had been hidden away and kept behind a closed door, were threatening to break through every second of the day. And Kara had no way of knowing how the outcome of this would manifest. There were times that she just wanted to take off and fly - to forget whatever else was going on - to fly far enough away to hear nothing in her ears but the slow beating of her own heart. Other times it meant that she wanted to set this entire city on fire and to watch it burn down, brick by brick. And then there were the times that Kara just wanted to shut everything out, curl up underneath her blanket and cry- sobbing until her tears ran dry and she’d be able to surrender to sleep.

But none of that could be done because National City was a city that never grew quiet. It always needed help and it always needed her. There was no freedom here - there was pain and grief and desperation.

It all kept on clawing at Kara’s chest until the skin there had started feeling raw and tender and breathing had become something that almost left the kryptonian feeling exhausted. In and out. In and out- each inhale a little more labored than the last- she felt like she was caught in a perpetual cycle that kept her imprisoned within her own body, her own mind.

Her eyes were pointed at the teenager that was lying in front of her, breathing in calmly. Kara wasn’t sure why but listening to him was managing to do what nothing had managed to do in months. It calmed her down. The rhythm of his body was soothing her like a cool braze and made it that much easier to think clear thoughts. When she looked at him, all the anger began to fade into the background until she could no longer tell why she had been so furious in the first place.

Slowly, one of her hands reached out, almost instinctively, to gently brush through Leo’s unruly blond curls. Her fingers traced softly, delicately, as if trying to soothe herself as much as him. She scratched lightly behind his ear- a tender gesture that she could almost remember feeling herself a thousand lifetimes ago- and felt her anxiety melt away, if only for a little while. The tension in her shoulders eased, the tightness in her chest loosened, and her breathing grew steadier. For a fleeting moment, she was lost in a world devoid of pain, memories, and chaos- a space where she could just be, simply and quietly.

Kara didn’t know how long she had been sitting there, lost in a world devoid of pain and memories, lost in the feeling of something that she could explain - when a voice behind her began to speak. “What are you doing?”

Kara blinked, startled. She turned her head slowly, her mind still caught somewhere between her inner storm and the present moment. “What?”

Alex stepped closer, her hands firmly planted on her hips, her brow furrowed with concern. Her expression was one of exasperation mixed with curiosity. “I don’t know what you’re doing but it sounds like you’re trying to start up a tractor, what the hell Kara?”

The blonde looked at the boy and then back at her sister, willing her mind to catch up with whatever her sister was trying to convey. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“How can you not hear this?” Alex was looking at her exacerbated. “You’re so loud.”

Kara, who had been lost inside a mindless trance, took a second to focus on what was going on and sure enough, there was a cascade of low hums that could be heard. It almost sounded like… purring. Kara’s eyes widened. This was something that she hadn’t thought about or done in… a long time. But sure enough, there it was - the low rumble of her chest that filled her with a warmth that felt like home.

On Krypton, the expression of joy was something so very much different than on earth. Kryptonians were a science based race- its people strived for perfection. But no matter how much they tried - and try they did - they could never breed out this expression of quiet satisfaction. When they were happy - they’d purr and on the best of days, Kara’s own home used to sound like a gentle car ride.

But then Kara had landed on earth and everything that had come to her so naturally, had been something that she needed to hide. And within a few days she had noticed that humans apparently didn’t or couldn’t purr. So Kara didn’t either. She trained herself out of the habit, although truthfully - those first few years on earth didn’t give her a lot of reasons to purr in the first place.

But time went on and slowly but surely, those open wounds of loss began to heal, turning them into scars that could still cause the pain of memory but wouldn’t break open at the slightest touch. And Kara started to feel happy again - not the poor imitation of it but genuine happiness. And she’d have to try to suppress the urge, to go against her alien nature and force all of the energy that would have gone into the rumble towards the song-like sound of her laughter.

She had trained herself so thoroughly that she was convinced she’d forgotten how to do it- believed she’d finally eradicated that part of her. She’d achieved what all Kryptonian scientists had tried to do for ages- to suppress her instincts through sheer force of will. But now, as the low, gentle rumble vibrated from her core, she realized she’d only been fooling herself. It was like riding a bike- once you’ve learned, you never truly forget.

As the low rumble reached her ear and the realization set in, Kara couldn’t help the surprised gasp escaping her. She could have tried to catch it, to hold onto it and play it cool like Kara had been trying to do for so many years. But perhaps the rediscovery had shaken something loose within her or perhaps Kara was simply too confused to even attempt the coup. Alex heard - Alex saw.

“What is this?”

Kara shook her head in disbelief. “It’s strange,” she whispered.

“I know that,” Alex said, placing her hand atop Leo’s sternum to feel for the vibrations. “But why is it strange?”

Kara couldn’t tear her eyes away from the sleeping boy that held far too many secrets. “Because it's kryptonian.”

Alex was looking at her now, squinting at the image of her younger sister that was looking at the teenager with such complete awe. “It is?” Her face dropped slightly. “Is this something that you’ve always been able to do?”

“Yes.” Kara wasn’t returning her sister’s gaze, she was too caught up with the confusion mix of hope and confusion to tear herself away. “It’s our way to express happiness.” She didn’t know why she was being so open now but perhaps there was no reason left to hide this. Perhaps this was the missing puzzle piece - it could also mean the entirety of nothing and yet- Kara couldn’t care less right now. This was a piece of her, a piece of home. Why should she be ashamed of that?”

“I have never heard you do that before.” Alex sounded guilty, an expression that almost looked like shame washing across her face while the sound of gentle purrs never once dulled. “Is that-”

Kara shook her head, interrupting her sister on her way to self incrimination. “It’s not your fault. I had to try to fit in and so I did.” She shrugged. “It is what it is.” Her hands had never stopped its movement, an amazed chuckle left her mouth. “I was sure that I’d forgotten how.” Dimples were cutting deeply into her cheeks. “I’m glad that I remember.”

The elder Danvers watched her little sister, a heavy weight dragging itself on top of her heart. “I am too.” Sometimes Alex forgot too. She tended to forget that there had been a life before Kara- not just for her but for Kara herself. It sometimes felt like that life had been eons ago, that it had been long enough to let go of what had happened. For Alex, it had taken a while to accept the strange girl that had been set up inside her house but ever since then, Kara had been her sister. A lot of the time, Kara felt more human than alien. Even if she had powers that rivaled the fantasies of most people - it was so easy to forget that there was more to her than the identity that earth had bestowed upon her.

Supergirl had been forged out of the pieces of her cousin’s legacy. She had been made through sheer will, the intention to do good and to make the world just a little better.

Kara Danvers had been made from the scratches of a girl that had lost everything to the greed of her people. She had been put together through secrecy and grief and had never been allowed to clear off the debris that these experiences had left.

But there must have been a version before all that. There must have been a Kara before the pain, the violence and flames that licked across the entirety of her planet. When Alex looked at her sister, could she actually see that girl? Was this who Kara had once been? A girl that purred at happy thoughts and wanted nothing more than to make her own parents proud with the plan that Krypton had for her?

Alex sometimes forgot but Kara was complicated. She was inexplicably happy. When she smiled, it felt like the sun was shining and when she spoke, the people wanted to listen because her words inspired the hearts of millions.

But no person is born this way. No one in the history of humanity is purely good or evil. To be good, to do good - is a choice. It’s something that the brain fights itself on every day. And yet, Kara won that fight almost every day. She got up and chose to do good. What did a person have to go through to make a choice like that to this degree? To smile when everything was going to shit, even when society wasn’t allowed to even catch a glimpse of so many parts of your true self? Even Alex didn’t know everything there was to know about Kara. Secrets were given, they were earned on the keeper’s own volition. Apparently Alex hadn’t yet earned the right to every part of Kara.

It stung but she understood. Kara had to hide herself away. And maybe that was just a little easier if no one knew everything that she was hiding.

“I’ve missed this.” Alex could hear Kara’s mumbling. The alien probably wasn’t aware of this but there was a smile on her face and a lone tear was rolling down her cheek. “How could I ever let this go?”

And just like that - Alex’s heart broke.

“You didn’t,” She remarked. “We made you.”

Kara’s face fell slack for just a second, her features darkening before everything returned to its sunny deposition. “Things happen. You’re not to blame.”

Alex’s forehead creased as she surveyed the kryptonian that refused to blame anyone for the loss of her own culture. “We are, Kara. It may not have come from a place of malice but we made you give up yourself.”

“I didn’t give up myself-” Her face had gone white at the remark. “Did I?”

“I fear that you have.”

The hand in Leo’s hair stilled. “I hadn’t thought about it like that.” Kara’s expression was void of any emotion. “Shouldn’t I have noticed that?”

“I’m not sure.” Alex’s shoulders sagged as she awkwardly tried to figure out what the right thing to say was.

“I don’t like the thought of that.”

“I don’t think that you’re supposed to like it,” the agent responded.

Kara nodded thoughtfully. “Good point.” She stayed silent for a minute, lost somewhere between the now and then. “What am I supposed to do with that now?”

Alex felt the corners of her eyes crinkle as she took in the scene. “You figure out which parts you’ve lost.”

“And then what?”

“You find them.”

They stood there in silence, the fragility of something new floating in between them as Kara pondered the meaning of everything. There was so much in her life that had gone so painfully wrong. There were things that she could never talk about - secrets that she would carry to her grave. Some may have called her entire existence a string of bad luck that seemed never ending.

But to Kara, the world was different. Kara chose to see not just the bad but the good. There was a part of her that so desperately wanted to believe that deep down, every single thing, being and action could be reasoned with - that everything could be good despite the world doing its best to prove the contrary to be true.

So all of this? To Kara Danvers this wasn’t bad luck. Finding this boy wasn’t a coincidence and perhaps all of this had been supposed to happen.

No. This wasn’t bad luck but Kara had been around long enough to know that this wasn’t necessarily good luck either, no matter how much she wished it to be. No. But perhaps this was something different - an opportunity.

Chapter Text

Leo can hear everything. It’s not that he is blowing anything out of proportion - no, he can genuinely hear everything. His parents’ quietly whispering, the car alarm that’s going off a few streets away and the blood that is rushing through his sister's body.

It’s everything and it’s entirely too much. He had always known that his family is a bit special, that his Yeyu isn’t like all the other regular humans but somehow the reality of it had managed to escape him. Well, at least it had until now. It’s very different when it suddenly starts affecting you too.

He’s trying to run a mile in p.e when it happens for the first time - his breathing is ragged and his heart is pumping in his ears and suddenly, without warning, there’s a myriad of heartbeats thundering while his feet keep on hitting the ground. It’s sudden, startling him to the point of tripping over. But despite everything, he is twelve years old and it goes away after a few seconds. The world grows quiet again and Leo tells himself that it was just a fluke. Some sort of anxiety that had enhanced everything for a moment.

It happens again during a sleepover, he’s at his friend’s house and despite the warnings of all adults involved, Jason had managed to sneak in a horror movie. The title is unfamiliar and the release date tells him that it was released quite a few years before he had been born. The effects are ruddy and the dialogue deserves to be called cheesy at best. But then his favourite character is in trouble, facing the villain with a stoic look on their face and suddenly, everything is too bright. The blue hue from the tv glares at him like the angry headlights at the football stadium. It blinds him - forcing the boy to close his eyes meanwhile the threatening hum of the music grows louder and louder until Leo can feel it vibrating inside his bones.

He sits there, frozen in place like a statue while scenes keep playing out that Leo cannot see. The fabric of the couch suddenly feels very rough and Jason’s insistent chewing noises might be the loudest and most annoying thing in the entire world.

It lasts longer this time - when everything goes quiet and dark, the movie has almost come to an end. Jason bumps against his shoulder, asking him if he wants to watch another one. Leo politely declines, fainting a tiredness that gets him made fun of for a week before something else happens that his friend can focus on.

It’s weird but still Leo decides to pay it no mind. His parents get panic attacks sometimes, maybe it’s just that? Aunt Kelly had sat all the kids down at one point, explaining the multitudes of mental health issues that run in their families, telling them that some people are genetically prone towards depression and panic attacks and that they should come and see her if that were to start happening to any of them. He doesn’t know the specific reasons for why his parents go to therapy every week, he knows that their lives haven’t always been great but apparently thirteen is still too young to delve into the entire ordeal. Lori knew. He knew that much. Lori knew and his older sister never ceased to make him aware of the fact that she had been let in on several family secrets. It made no sense in his mind - sure, she was a few years older than him but she had also dated a guy named Kevin - so how mature could she really be?

Time moves on and Leo forgets about it. That is, until he’s fifteen and sitting in the front seat of the car that he had stolen from his parent’s garage and Sahana has started leaning in for a kiss. He’s fifteen and Sahana is in the grade above him - a cheerleader that works in the ice cream shop on weekends and he may have been working towards this moment for the entirety of the past year. Leo can see the dim lights reflecting in the dark of her eyes and the dimples that cut into her cheeks as she smiles and oh god - she’s getting closer and closer towards him and he knows that he should be ready. He and Jason had watched enough romcoms to be able to handle it and after a very sloppy make out session that they’d a few months ago to make sure that their crushes wouldn’t get the worst first kiss of all time, this should really not make him panic as much.

But then Sahana’s lips are on his and for a second, it all feels right - then everything comes crashing down. His heart is beating too fast, his sweater is too scratchy, for some reason he can hear her heartbeat and when he opens his eyes in a panic, it’s as if he’s looking at Sahana’s eyes through a microscope. He can see everything. Every. Tiny. Little. Thing.

He jerks upwards, trying to get some distance between them which is difficult when you’re sitting inside of a very narrow space. He doesn’t notice it at first, but while he squeezes his eyes shut and presses his hands above his ears in a futile attempt to block out the world, Sahana leans her head backwards while droplets of blood are rushing out of her nose.

“What the fuck, Leo?”

Leo knows that she’s angry, hell, he’s angry at himself but it’s also not easy to distinguish her words from the person six blocks down that’s currently watching tv or the couple that is having a very good time on the other side of town so he doesn’t answer, whimpering instead because what else is he supposed to do?

Sahanna finally seems to realize that something is wrong, his eyes narrowing at the boy sitting in the driver’s seat. “Leo?”

He still doesn’t answer- can’t answer. He shakes his head. What the fuck is happening?

“What is going on with you?”

He shakes his head again, pressing his lips together to keep from screaming. The sensory overload is edging on painful and if something doesn’t change, Leo isn’t sure how much longer he can go without completely crashing out.

The girl tries to coax him out of this state for several minutes, all without being successful. In a last attempt to do something, she reaches for his phone, using the finger print recognition by prying his hands open before looking through his contacts. They are here without either of their parents' knowledge, so contacting either Lena Luthor or Supergirl is out of the question. But she can remember Leo mentioning his aunt - like, a lot.

She looks for the name, finally it pops up. It takes all of five seconds for the other person to pick up her phone.

“Not that I’m not happy to hear from you, but why are you calling me at this hour, Lee?”

Sahanna shakes her head. “I’m not Leo, just… a friend of his.”

There’s a moment of silence on the other end of the line. “And why do you have his phone?”

“Because he’s having some sort of panic attack and I don’t know what to do.”

Sahanna can hear Kelly taking a deep breath. “Tell me what he’s doing!”

Sahanna looks at the other teenager, watching him curl into himself, groaning. “He has his hands over his ears and his eyes are closed. It looks like he’s in pain but he didn’t injure himself.” She squints in confusion. “He’s not talking either.”

“Okay.” There’s some rustling going on. “I think that I know what’s happening. I need you to stay with him, speak to him quietly, try to get his mind away from everything else. Do not panic! I am coming to get you both.”

“You don’t even know where we are?”

“My wife is the head of a government agency,” Kelly laughs. “That won’t stop me.”

Kelly arrives at the parking lot about twenty minutes later. Had she planned on spending a night with a good book and a bit too much wine? Sure. Alex had been away on business for the past week and the kids were away at university, so she truly didn’t have any excuse to not make some time for herself. But if her family is in trouble, Kelly Olsen-Danvers would always come running.

She rushes out of the car to find the two teenagers sitting outside on the pavement. The girl looks familiar, maybe Leo had shown her a picture before. Leo himself wasn’t doing so hot - he is sweating profusely still trying to block out everything with his head on Sahanna’s lap.

“It’s okay,” she moves at the girl while kneeling down next to them. She’d have to book an appointment with a chiropractor for sure, she was still fit in her early fifties but her knees were hell now. Her hands move to cradle the blond’s head, examining him for any possible injuries. When Kelly can’t find any, she nods in relief before pulling something out of her pocket.

It’s a rectangular case that opens with the click of a button. It reveals slender black frames that almost look like Leo’s regular pair. Ever since he was young, the boy had been about as blind as a bat - Lena had been thoroughly blamed for that. Lori had faced a similar issue a few years ago, back then they had been less prepared. Her super vision had manifested even earlier, when she’d been around nine. They had soon figured out that the superpowers fixed what their vision naturally lacked, so the frames that Kelly is now gently putting on Leo’s face are without his usual prescription.

The shaking lessons in an instant, confusion taking reign of his face as he tries to process what’s going on. Kelly doesn’t try to move him out of the girl’s lap, all too aware that the light bruise that’s beginning to form around her nose is probably a sign that his superstrength had already made an appearance today. She makes a note to tease him about probably breaking the poor girl’s nose at a later date.

“Where am I?” He’s mumbling now, his blue eyes still closed and his hands are still balled up into fists.

Kelly makes herself a bit more comfortable on the ground by crossing her legs, all while running a hand through Leo’s hair in a soothing manner. “You’re in the parking lot on seventh.”

“Why?”

Kelly raises an eyebrow when she sees Sahanna’s cheeks darkening. “Well,” she clicks her tongue while a smug expression takes over her face. “I can only presume that you’re on a date with this very pretty young woman.”

His eyes open widely, his head rushing upwards. “Oh shit.”

Leo looks around frantically, catching sight of both his aunt and Sahanna. “Shit,” he repeats. Then his gaze narrows and he squints as if trying to figure out where exactly Waldo is hiding. “Why are my eyes so weird?” He raises a hand, turning it back and forth as he inspects it.

Kelly shakes her head, chuckling while calmingly patting Sahanna’s shoulder - who still seems more confused than anything. “Your senses have heightened.”

The teenager groans. “I thought it was unlikely that it would happen this late? Didn’t everyone say that I was past the age of manifesting my powers?”

“Well, figuring out when half Kryptonians get their powers isn’t an exact science,” she says teasingly. “The others got theirs before fifteen but well, you’re a bit of a late bloomer.”

Leo blushes furiously as his eyes dart towards his date. “Thanks auntie, real helpful.”

Kelly barks out a laugh. “That’s why I’m here, aren’t I?” She points at his glasses. “We made a pair for you anyway, just to be safe. A good decision, I might add.”

He plays with the heavier frames, revelling in the way that they dim the visual and auditory hell that is National City. “Appearently so.”

“Now that I’m here, are you two going to tell me what you’re doing here at ten pm on a school night or should I rat you out to your parents?”

Sahanna and Leo share a glance before the girl nods her approval. “So… this might have been a date?”

Kelly smiles. “I thought so.” She raises a hand, waiting for her nephew to engage in the high five. “Proud of you, champ.”

Leo groans, and not just because everything is still too much. “Why, auntie? Why?”

“Because I can.” She looks at Sahanna appraisingly. “Has he been treating you well?”

The girl nods, slightly embarrassed. “Yes?”

“Great.” Kelly claps her hands together. “Now you just need to tell me what kind of excuse you came up with for your parents so I can make up something believable for you to be staying the night at my house. After I drive your date home.”

Leo crosses his arms. “I didn’t tell them anything,” he mumbles and Kelly almost misses it.

Kelly pinches the bridge of her nose. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” She sighs. “I’ll make something up.”

The boy looks at her questioningly. “You’re not handing me over?” He’s speaking as if Kelly’s about to rat him out to the cops.

“You just gained an entire new set of powers. You’ve been irresponsible, both of you,” she looks from one kid to the other before continuing. “-but at least you were safe and your girlfriend here was smart enough to call me. We’re going to spend the night at mine and then tomorrow you’re staying home from school and we’ll get you situated with your new powers. I’ve seen how Esme acted when she’d accidentally steal your Yeyu’s powers as a kid, this is really overwhelming and you deserve a bit of a break.” She gives them both a stern look. “But next time I want you to remember that honesty is key, alright?”

The rest of the night is a blur of rushed goodbyes, hugs, warm teacups and soft blankets.

Kelly explains everything to him and holds his hand when Leo takes off his glasses. Throughout the next few weeks she’ll get panicked calls during lunch when he’s feeling overwhelmed and giddy updates on his brand new girlfriend. When they eventually break up (Sahanna’s family is moving to the other side of the country), it’s Kelly that consoles the moping teenager while his parents are almost at their wits ends. She sits down with him and tells him the words that stick with him for forever: “I know this is hard but life goes on - cry for now and then get up and move along with it.”

Leo doesn’t want to imagine living in a world where he can’t go bother his aunt about anything and everything. The boy just really hopes that he won’t have to for a very long time. Because his parents and friends are awesome, truly. But sometimes all you need is an aunt that is prepared to bail you out of jail at three am.

When Leo opened his eyes, everything was loud again. It almost felt like he’s fifteen again. He turned around, frantically searching for something that was going to block out the noise. He groaned, all that he could find was a pillow which Leo could feel with his hands. But that’s not a permanent solution.

He tried to regulate his breathing, just like Kelly had taught him to do. Leo could hear the persistent beat of something that sounded like a heartmonitor, his blanket was pretty rough and rustling against his skin. He focused on trying to find something familiar.

For some reason, he couldn’t find Jason. Why couldn’t he find Jason?

He continued searching, spreading his hearing out farther. Finally! There was something, the familiar rhythm of his Yeyu’s heart. Slightly slower than a regular human’s and slightly more powerful.

He spread out his limbs and tried to ignore the unexplained tight feeling in regards to his torso. For now, he just had to make sure that he wasn’t to get overwhelmed again when he opened his eyes. Everything else could follow suit.

Chapter Text

Kara could feel her muscles burning. They felt tender, straining with every move as sweet was running down her face. She was tired - her sister would probably tell her to stop but there was this gnawing feeling inside her stomach that forced her to keep going.

A step forward.

Squat ever so slightly.

A punch with her right hand, cutting from the upper side.

A punch with her left hand that counteracted the prior strike.

A deep breath and repeat.

Kara had been at this for at least an hour but time didn’t feel real anymore. The world was made out of nothing but the sweet burn of her limbs and the darkened leather of the punching bag in front of her. There was a slight red aura illuminating the room, lessening her powers to an extent that made this an actual proper workout without forcing her to replace the bag a dozen times.

This, perhaps, wasn’t as good as therapy but Kara figured that it was a hell of a lot cheaper. Plus it trained both her endurance, which despite everything that the sun did for her, had been lacking in the beginning of her superhero escapades. And it was an honestly great boost for her muscles.

Kara had been a skinny thirteen year old when she’d landed on earth. Then there had been a growth spurt and another growth spurt and the mix between superstrength and gangly lips that the blonde hadn’t been sure what to do with - hadn’t been the best of pairings. There was a reason why she hadn’t been one of the popular girls. She was awkward and spoke with a slight accent that could be mistaken for a slavic dialect.

But the kryptonian had worked on it. Her English sounded slightly southern and until a few years ago, she fit the image of the perfect American pretty girl. With her long blonde curls, the pastel coloured dresses and the pink lipstick. No one ever guessed that she was an alien. Sure- Kara was still really really awkward but it was more charming than anything else. Kara was quick witted and knew more about a lot of things that she could never let slip. But she couldn’t dare to stand out, and the easy blush and the innocent facade that she put on as Kara Danvers kept everything under wraps.

Then she had become Supergirl - over the years she had made peace with the title but Kara still thought that it made her seem a little less serious than superman. She had never had any professional martial arts training, so to actually know what she was doing, she had enrolled in kick boxing classes. As it turned out, Kara was a natural. She moved swiftly and with a surprising amount of grace to defeat her opponents.

And it had steeled her.

Her body was no longer just toned - her bicep could probably rival Clark’s. Her shoulders were broad and her legs were both powerful and limber. The abs that it had given her were definitely a plus.

Kara definitely no longer fit the beauty standards that she had set for herself once. But where the blonde had expected grief, she felt relief. This was good. This was a step into the right direction. When she looked into the mirror, she felt powerful. Gone was the awkward teenager that had done her best to fit in. This version of Kara was here to stay!

She had replaced some clothes inside her wardrobe, giving most of her dresses to second-hand shops and replacing them with button ups, vintage tees and straight cut pants. It felt good to dress the way she did now, even if the colour of her shirts was definitely still something that Alex rolled her eyes at. But Kara didn’t care! The button ups that had flowery embroidery on them were a decision that she stood by!

There hadn’t been time yet, with everything going on with Lena and Leo and just everything, but Kara had been thinking about going to the hairdressers. It would be difficult to explain the sudden change as both Supergirl and Kara Danvers but she really felt that the long hair had to go. It didn’t look or feel right anymore - as if she had outgrown that memory of a teenager.

Kara wanted to try something new. If it turned out that she didn’t like it - well, the hair would grow back. And hadn’t everyone sported a haircut that they regretted at least once in their lives?

/author’s note: I had an undercut I didn’t want for 4 1/2 years bc my hairdresser is a woman that doesn’t like talkback and thought that that was what I meant to do when I first cut my hair at fifteen… It wasn’t great./

Maybe she could get a helmet? Or a hat? Something to further disguise her superhero persona - something other than glasses. Because they apparently worked on geniuses but not on the owner of her favourite restaurant. Although, it was a hole in the wall and there were only two people that kept on ordering the same heap of ten servings - Supergirl and Kara Danvers. At this point, the owner just rolled his eyes at her and mumbled something in mandarin that she couldn’t understand. But he had started giving her half the price off for each order. “For our most frequent customers only,” he had said with a wink. Kara really had to get him some thank you flowers for that at some point.

Kara was breathing heavily, leaning against the punching bag with both arms as she tried to recover some more energy.

“Damn, what has gotten into you?” Nia stepped into the training room, wearing a pair of sweatpants. “Did that punching bag say something rude or why are you trying to commit murder?”

The kryptonian rolled her eyes. “Haha,” she answered sarcastically. “Some of us just take our training regime seriously.”

The young woman raised an eyebrow at her sort of mentor. “Oh I do too but I wouldn’t dream of ever hurting poor Bob like that.”

“Bob?”

“Looks like a Bob to me.” Nia folded her arms in front of her chest. “Now why don’t you tell your most favourite superhero what’s bothering you!”

“Barry’s here?”

Nia held up her middle finger while Kara stuck out her tongue into her direction. “Talk!”

Kara sighed but let go of the punching bag and started to take off the boxing gloves, revealing her tightly bandaged wrists, meant to protect her ligaments from any damage. “It’s just that it feels like everything’s too much at the moment.” She let the gloves fall to the ground with a slight thud. “There’s the Lena disaster, trying to keep my civilian identity hidden while maintaining a job and being Supergirl, then a bunch of assassins - that we still haven’t found - try to murder me and then there’s a kryptonian kid. I just,” she sighed while starting to unwrap the bandages. “-I don’t think that my brain can handle much more of this.”

The younger reporter gave her a sympathetic look. “I find it hard to believe that you haven’t been admitted yet.” When Kara looked at her grimly, Nia shrugged. “Just saying, this is enough to drive anyone a little mad. You’re allowed to be overwhelmed.” Her nose scrunched up. “As long as you take a shower after. You reek.”

“You’re such a charming friend.”

“I know,” Nia proclaimed with a sly grin. “It’s one of my best qualities.” She grabbed Kara by the shoulders, which was an impressive feat because both their height and weight difference was quite substantial. Nia was more of a cheerleader build, meanwhile Kara could probably join the women’s rugby team.

“It’s definitely something.”

The younger woman chuckled. “I’ll take it.” She gave the blonde a slight push. “Now go hit the showers, we can’t have you saving the city like that. Although…” She paused while a corner of her mouth quirked upwards. “There’s a good chance that the bad guys will just run away from you.”

Kara felt a muscle in her jaw twitch. “I am seriously reconsidering our friendship.”

Twenty minutes later, Kara stepped outside the DEO’s changing room while wearing a black tracksuit, with her hair still damp and starting to curl towards her shoulders. Yeah, she’d have to get that taken care of soon.

Right as she was walking up to Alex, who was speaking to J’onn in a hushed voice, Kara froze.

“Kar?” Alex turned around to face her, prepared to give her another mission. “What’s going on?”

The reporter shook her head, eyes wide and her jaw clenched. “The kid’s awake.”

Kara was nervously waiting in front of the med bay, wringing her hands together as she debated going inside. What was she supposed to say to the fellow alien? “Hi, I have no idea how you exist, could you clear that up?” That would probably seem a bit rude, both by kryptonian and by human standards.

Alex was standing next to her, waiting for her sister to finally make a decision. No matter what was going on, the alien inside could, by all accounts, be a dangerous individual and she wasn’t going to face the possibility of that without Supergirl’s super strength to intervene in the case that something happened. “Could you hurry up?”

“Don’t rush me, Alex,” Kara granted in return. This was important. She couldn’t mess this up. A first, or well, a second impression tended to stick. She didn’t want to make an enemy of the boy.

The redhead studied the Kryptonian carefully. “Procrastinating is only going to make you more anxious.”

Kara glared at her. “Anxious? Me? Never.”

“Whatever you need to tell yourself.” Alex tapped the watch that sat on her wrist. “Can we please go in? This city has quite the high crime rate and I would hate for something bad to happen while we’re wasting our time standing in front of the medbay.”

“Sure.” Kara straightened her shoulder, anxiously licking hips. “You’re right, I guess.”

“When am I not?” She reached out to give her younger sister’s arm an encouraging squeeze. “It’s gonna be alright, most of the kryptonians that I’ve met are polite to a concerning degree.”

The blonde pursed her lips. “You haven’t met a lot of us then.”

Alex shrugged. “Just get in there!”

Kara walked into the room on her tippy toes, as if she was afraid that she was going to scare the boy away. The first thing that she noticed was the deep breathing that accompanied the steady beat of his heart. It had been drumming in her ears ever since Leo had been brought here, for the first time it sounded almost well though.

She could see him in a half sitting position, his legs crossing beneath his blanket as his hands were pressed up against his ears. Leo was frowning, his face scrunching up as if he was in pain. Kara recognized it. Hastily, she pulled out her frames out of her pockets. With trembling hands and careful not to touch the boy’s skin, she settled the glasses atop his nose.

The effect was immediate, his jaw growing slack while his eyebrows rose in relief. A gasp escaped him and after a few minutes, his hands fell to the mattress of the bed. His eyes were still closed though.

“Leo?” Kara asked hesitantly.

There wasn’t an audible reaction but she could see his face turning towards her with a relaxed expression.

Kara’s eyes flitted towards her sister, clearing her throat she continued to speak. “You’re currently in the medbay, but you’re safe.” The blonde gulped, tugging at her own fingers to keep from spiraling. “I don’t know how much you remember but you had kryptonite poisoning. We managed to stabilize you though. You may be feeling overwhelmed right now because you didn’t have your powers before you went into the coma. I gave you my glasses, they should help block out the worst of it.”

Leo still hadn’t opened his eyes but she could see his throat bopping. The boy opened his mouth. “Water,” he croaked out.

“Ah yes,” she motioned for Alex to get something and the agent returned in record time, placing a cup in his hands.

“Take small sips,” Alex said. “Your body might take a while to get used to keeping down fluids again, I don’t want you to vomit everything out again.”

There was a tiny smile playing on his lips now as he began chugging the water. “Stomach of steel,” he whispered, sounding slightly better. He kept the cup in his hands, curling his fingers around it. “Could you dim the lights?”

Kara nodded, that made sense. The sunlamps were probably just as overwhelming as the noise outside right now. She turned down the brightness until she deemed it comfortable enough. “Done,” she said.

Blinking rapidly, Leo opened his eyes, startling Kara once again with its strange familiarity. He looked around, taking a few seconds to get used to the clean shapes. He still looked relaxed and happy as he did, even if his brows were slightly furrowed. Then his eyes landed on her. Kara couldn’t explain why, but she could see the joy drain out of him. It was as if the warmth had been sucked outside the room and replaced by a giant ice crystal. His face fell and the content smile got replaced by a frown.

“Is cinnte go bhfuil tú ag magadh,” it escaped him.

Kara didn’t know what it meant but she was quite certain that it wasn’t anything positive. “Leo?” She asked.

Meanwhile pulled the blanket above his head. “Nope, this is all just a dream.” His knuckles were white as he clung to the blanket. “This is some freakish nightmare I’m stuck in. Just fuck off and leave me alone!” He could feel the beginnings of a panic attack taking hold of him. This couldn’t be happening. Not again. He couldn’t be here! Leo was supposed to be at home, applying to colleges with Jason while his parents tried to sell him on the perks of their own personal favourites.

He couldn’t be here anymore. Because he’d almost died and he missed his Yeyu’s hugs and early morning singing and while she was standing right in front of him, that wasn’t his Yeyu! This Yeyu had long hair and didn’t wear a wedding band and didn’t call him sneaky. And aunt Alex wasn’t laughing at his antics- her hands were nearing the belt where her gun was waiting. This was wrong. This was all so very wrong!

Leo wanted to cry. He wanted to burst into tears, hide underneath the blanket and wait until he woke up in his actual bed in his own time where up wasn’t down.

“Leo? We’re not leaving. You can stay under there or explain to us what’s wrong but we’re not going.”

And fuck why did his Yeyu have to sound as gentle as his Yeyu? It was confusing. It was all so very confusing. His hands reached for his face, digging into his cheeks. He took a few ragged breaths. This was… okay. This was… workable. He could find a way out of this. Leo was a Luthor after all! And Luthors never gave up!

Leo brushed his blanket aside, finding his Yeyu and aunt staring at him with concerned expressions.

Alex was the first to speak. “What’s wrong?”

Leo plastered a smile across his face. “Everything’s peachy!”

Everything.

Chapter Text

Brainy was breathing heavily as he stormed past Lena’s office doors, giving her assistant an apologetic smile as he did. He didn’t have the time to check if it was a good time. As he stood in front of her, slightly crouching as he did his best to catch his breath, Lena was looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

“What’s the matter?”

Brainy raised his hand, gesturing for her to wait a moment. Sounding slightly raspy, the man finally managed to respond. “Leo woke up.”

There was a moment of silence, Brainy could see the CEO biting her lip. She was nervous, uncertain - a picture that still looked odd to him. Lena wasn’t supposed to be uncertain, she offered solutions and cutthroat truths. These past few days, weeks and months had been something way out of the ordinary and Brainy wasn’t sure that he’d ever get used to how quickly the world around him was changing. Adapting truly wasn’t something that his kind excelled at.

“And why are you telling me this?” There was a self deprecating emphasis on “me”. She sounded bitter, jaw tense and her hands clenching on top of the table.

Shoulders falling, Brainy sighed. “Because we’re still the only ones that know that he’s from the future and he’s really damn stubborn.”

Lena chuckled, a sharp sound, burning the air like acid. “I’m guessing that he gets that from his mother.”

It was a throwaway comment, muttered quietly but Brainy had excellent hearing. “Wait- what do you know?” His eyes were wide. If she knew too much this could genuinely end up being dangerous, Brainy wasn’t prepared to face that time paradox.

“That Leo is Kara’s son.”

The vein on her forehead looked like it was about ready to pop. Brainy briefly wondered if it would be apt to consult a medical professional about that but then decided to focus on the topic at hand. Lena had made this far without having an aneurysm, she’d make it a few more weeks - probably. “Oh.”

“Yeah, oh.” The young woman leaned backwards on her chair, crossing her legs in an attempt not to look anxious. “The son of the woman that has made it clear that him almost dying was my fault apparently still needs my help. Do you see where there’s an issue?” Her eyes were zoned out and she shook her head. “Even if I wanted to help, which I really don’t want to right now, how would I gain access? I’m not sure that Kara is going to let me within a hundred feet of him.”

Brainy frowned. He really didn’t enjoy this dynamic between his friends. Kara and Lena were… Kara and Lena. They were a duo - no matter what was going on. He’d known about them since before he’d arrived in the twenty-first century; they were legends, role models, history itself. The world had been changed and written anew in their wake. All of this spoke against what had been written down and Brainy seriously wasn’t sure how to deal with the myth vs the reality. “I’m sure that she wouldn’t-”

Lena interrupted him by holding up her right hand, palm facing towards him. “I did almost kill him, Brainy. He was dying and I was so focused on keeping my promise that I couldn’t see that it might not have been the right thing to do. So I don’t even know that I want myself near him.”

“Lena-”

“It’s okay.” The Luthor gave him a watery smile. “It was bound to happen. And I was bound to realize the irony at some point.” She sighed heavily. “At least I might be on my way to actually forgiving Kara now. I just don’t know if she can forgive me.” She laughed sadly. “God, this is all so fucked up.”

Brainy stayed silent for a moment, unsure of how to answer. Emotions weren’t his speciality. They never had been and they would never be but his friend needed him. She was clearly going through something and didn’t she deserve to be comforted? Instead of trying to claim the empty platitudes that he’d seen in the movies as his own, Brainy decided to be honest. “I do not know what to say to that but I can see that you are in distress…” The genius paused. “Would you like a hug?”

Lena’s eyebrows arched in surprise. “What?”

“A hug.” Brainy fiddled with the hem of his shirt. “They are supposed to be comforting.” He blushed slightly. “It’s just an offer, you do not have to take it but I thought it might help.”

The CEO was looking at him with an indecipherable expression. Then she shrugged. “Sure.” She got out of her chair, making her way towards the man from the future.

He opened up his arms awkwardly, unsure of how to proceed. The other people that hugged him (mainly Nia), were usually aggressively cuddly but Lena was much more restrained. They were quite similar - neither of them ever truly knowing how to process their emotions or what their emotions were in the first place.

It was awkward and stiff and it took about half a minute for them to melt into each other. Lena was surprisingly warm, not as warm as either Nia or Kara but still much warmer than his own cool body. His arms were wrapped around her back, her head tucking into the crook of his neck.

When they separated, she was smiling slightly. “Thank you, Brainiac.”

He nodded curtly, glad to have offered to comfort her in the first place. He had always liked her. Lena was a person that made much more sense than all of his other friends and he had missed her company quite badly throughout the time that the reveal had torn the young woman away from their friendgroup. “It was a pleasure, Lena Luthor.” The man cleared his throat. “Now, how about we get to work on that time travel machine?”

“Are you kryptonian?”

Leo was sitting atop a bench, wearing an uncomfortable gown. Alex had tried taking his blood earlier and had actually succeeded. She had clicked her tongue in response. “Weird,” she’d muttered while Leo had watched her with a slightly confused expression on his face, his nose wrinkling when the needle got pulled out of his skin.

Now his Yeyu was sitting in front of Leo, staring at him while wearing her Supergirl suit.

Leo really wanted to crawl underneath his blanket again but he’d guessed that that would be considered rude. What did Aunt Kelly always say? Take a look at the situation and go along with it as best as you can.

“Uhm…” He paused. “Yeah?”

Kara’s eyes widened in surprise, her mouth opening to form an ‘o’. “Oh golly.” The whisper was surprisingly loud and Leo wasn’t confident whether that was positive or negative.

“Sorry,” the blonde exclaimed. “It’s just- I thought that Cal and I were the last ones.” Kara shook her head in disbelief. “This is incredible.”

Meanwhile her son was sitting there, feeling pretty dumbfounded. “I guess so.”

Supergirl chuckled breathlessly. “I just don’t understand how you’re here?! Were you sent from Krypton? were you in a pod? Did your parents send you to earth as well? Did your pod get knocked into the phantom zone as well? I have so many questions!”

“I can see that.” Leo was looking her straight in the face, desperately trying to figure out how to get out of this situation. How could he come up with a convincing lie if something was bound to not add up?

“I’m sorry, I know that I can be a bit much.” She smiled apologetically. “But there’s so much more- were you raised on earth? Why were you in Lena’s office? Why did you save me? Why would Lena hide you from us?” Her face fell at that. “We’re kryptonian, we could have helped heal you.”

Leo was getting a headache. After a few days of lying in a coma his Yeyu’s babbling, even if understandable, was too much. There were lies that he had to figure out. And he had to figure out how to get back to Lena, his mom would surely still help him get back to his own time! And hopefully she hadn’t figured anything out, that would be bad. He opened his mouth but no sound came out. Leo just didn’t know what to say.

The elder kryptonian nodded her head. “Let’s maybe start with one question - were you raised on earth or on krypton?”

The blond tapped his fingers together. “On earth.” He wasn’t sure why, but he could see his Yeyu’s shoulders drop ever so slightly at that answer.

“Ah,” she said, trying to sound as cheerful as she could. “So I’m guessing that you landed here as a baby?”

Leo’s head tilted to the side. Maybe he could get away with telling the truth? A heavily augmented version? If it was the truth on a technicality, it was still the truth, right? “Yes.”

Supergirl sighed, the teenager would have missed it if he wasn’t aware of all of his mother’s quirks. “Where are your parents? They must be worried sick.”

There was a lump in his throat now. His eyes fell to the floor. Kara seemed to notice his discomfort. “Are they…”

Leo closed his eyes. “They’re not around.” It wasn’t really a lie. A version of them was here but his parents - the people that had tucked Leo into bed, drove him to school and made sure that he didn’t develop his Yeyu’s aversion to anything green, the ones that had stayed up late with him to make sure that he understood his chemistry homework - they weren’t here.

“I’m sorry for asking.”

There was a hand on his shoulder and Leo wasn’t sure if that was better or worse than no physical contact with his Yeyu. She still smelled like she did twenty-five years from now. Like air, detergent and always a little smoke (there was always a fire to be put out somewhere). “I get why you asked.”

Blue eyes looked him over again. “How do you know Lena?”

Okay, so here Leo would have to tell half truths. “I follow the news - she’s been close with Supergirl for a few years and I like the L-Corp projects. I’ve been interning with her for some time.”

“And you were sleeping in her apartment because?” There was worry on her face, which was understandable. Without a plausible explanation this would worry anyone.

Leo’s cheeks turned red. “When my parents found me they didn’t have the resources to create a legal identity for me. They’re not here anymore and in just a few months I will be eighteen and I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to actually live an adult life without legally existing. So I told Lena everything and she offered to help me - to make sure that my identity would be legit and that I wouldn’t have to sleep on the streets.”

There was a mix of emotions flitting across Kara’s face. “She did?”

The boy nodded, giving an Oscar worthy performance. “She did.” He cleared his throat. “But then of course, all of this happened.” Leo waved in between the two of them. “And that plan went to hell.”

“So when she didn’t want to tell us that you were with her?”

“All to protect me.” Leo gave her an apologetic smile. “This is a government agency, after all. And we’ve been sort of defrauding the government, I didn’t want either of us to get into trouble.” Also technically not a lie, although the prior part would be something he needed to workshop a bit.

Kara sat back, her hands opening and closing into fists several times. “Jeepers.” She reached for her forehead.

Leo frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s just that I made a big mistake.”

“What happened?” The boy wasn’t sure why but both of his parents were surprisingly easy to get to open up. He wasn’t sure why aunt Alex always complained about that. They barely knew him for a few minutes and they were already spilling their guts. Whether it was the family connection that they were unaware of or his adorable smile - he’d never know but Leo knew which one he decided to believe.

“I accused her of basically attempting to murder you.” Her eyes were wide, mouth twisting. “I told her that we were done.”

Leo did resist the urge to roll his eyes, barely so but despite his Yeyu making it very difficult, he did succeed. “Isn’t there an easy solution to that?”

Kara looked at him, slightly irritated. “And what would that be?”

“Go and apologize? It’s really easy actually. I can show you if you want me to.”

The elder kryptonian’s brows knit together. “Leo?”

“Yeah?”

“Put a sock in it.”

Chapter Text

Kara landed on Lena’s balcony, cape billowing behind her while a siren kept on going off somewhere in the distance. But that didn’t matter right now. Maybe she’d take care of it later, when she had finally gotten some desperately needed clarity, but until she got this off her chest, Kara would not be able to focus on anything else in her life.

She was like that - single minded and almost obsessive at times, especially when it came to her friends and the people she cared about. Kara may have been a hero but there are some things that placed above anything else.

It was strange, stepping back into this space again. To be here, on Lena’s balcony, with the quiet hum of the city behind her, and to be about to apologize once more. It seemed, somehow, that they always found themselves in this familiar place of tension and reconciliation. Kara had always been eager to do good, to be the hope that people needed. Yet, despite her best intentions, she was beginning to realize that no matter how much she tried, she might never truly do right by Lena. It was a bitter thought- one that gnawed at her every time she considered it. Lena deserved the best- more than anyone -she deserved good things, happiness, stability. And for as long as Kara could remember, she had promised her those things. Promised her everything she thought she needed. But secretly, she had betrayed her, in ways she hadn’t fully acknowledged until now.

Sighing gently, Kara pushed the balcony door open, expecting Lena to be alone but got surprised by the vision of Brainy and Lena standing side by side, their attention fixed on a screen. The sight made her hesitate, a flicker of surprise crossing her face

“Huh?” She muttered softly, her voice catching slightly in her throat.

This seemed to have spooked Brainy, who had previously been engrossed in his task, who turned to her sharply, pressing one hand against his chest as a brief panic crossed marred his features. “Sprock, Kara!”

The blonde tilted her head, curiosity replacing her initial surprise. “What are you doing here?” It wasn’t that she was upset about it, at least not now, it was more so that it was very surprising. Kara hadn’t known that the two of them were still in contact, let alone that they were working together.

Lena, meanwhile, was looking down at the floor, arms crossed defensively, as if bracing herself against an invisible shield. Brainy’s gaze darted nervously between her and the screen, which Kara couldn’t quite see the contents of.

“Working on a project,” Brainy finally answered, his tone clipped but polite, nodding as if that explained everything. “Lena asked me to review a few blueprints to see if they’d actually work.”rk.”

The Luthor remained, very obviously still uncomfortable. Her shoulders were tense, and her posture was guarded. “Okay,” Kara said softly, acknowledging Brainy’s explanation. She cleared her throat, trying to keep her nerves in check, a blush threatening to creep up her cheeks. She turned her head slightly, wary of revealing her internal conflict. “I don’t know if this is a good time-” she paused, voice quieter: “I would like to talk to you.”

Lena raised an eyebrow, her expression cool and guarded. “Why? You said that we were done,” she said, her voice even but edged with a trace of suspicion. The green of her eyes seemed to sharpen, almost dangerous.

“That’s what this is about,” the blonde admitted, taking a tentative step closer.

“Do you want to throw around more blame?” Lena asked, her voice hollow but challenging.

Kara shook her head. “No.” She looked towards Brainy. “Could you give us the room?”

Brainy, ever the dutiful friend, was more than willing to leave. But Lena, with her arms still crossed, had a different idea. Her shoulders tensed further, and her tone sharpened. “No, actually. You don’t get to ask people to leave when you’re inside my building,” she said, her voice firm.

The reporter’s shoulders fell. “Lena-”

Meanwhile Brainy had raised his hands as if someone had started pointing a gun at him. “It’s alright Lena! You two need to talk.” He gave Supergirl a curt nod. “Tell me how it goes.” He quickly walked out of the room, praying that these two idiots would stop confusing soon. He just wanted gamenights back, was that too much to ask for?

Lena had walked around her desk, sitting down on the dark leather chair. “You wanted to talk, talk!”

“I just need you to hear me out.”

A dry chuckle left the Luthor’s mouth. “It isn’t like you’re giving me much of a choice.” Her head tilted to the side. “Now tell me, what’s the reason that you threw out Brainiac?”

Kara’s hands had shifted to sit against her hips, the iconic supergirl pose that Kara always fell into when she began feeling out of her depth. “I have to apologize." Her eyes never left Lena’s face, attempting to read the stoic expression which had settled there. But she couldn’t. There was nothing giving the other woman away. Kara’s bit her cheeks. “Leo told me what you have been doing for him.”

There was a break, the slightest hint of surprise that flitted across Lena’s face. “He did?”

“Yeah.” Warmth bloomed in Kara’s chest. “I mean, you took in a kryptonian without a legal identity on earth and promised to help him become a citizen. That’s big!” She was waving her hands around now, unable to contain herself. “He came to you and asked for help and you gave it. You were truly just trying to protect him when you didn’t tell me who he was.” Her hands came to a hold, folding together in front of her stomach. “You were doing something honourable and I treated you like a villain for it. For that I have to say that I am sorry.”

Lena was looking at the kryptonian, speechless. For a minute she had really believed that Leo had come clean but he had apparently come up with quite the convincing lie. That was… something. Lena still wasn’t quite sure whether it was good or bad or something in between. But still, she couldn’t betray her promise to the boy. If he hadn’t told his mother who he was, then she had no right to do so. So Lena did what she did best and composed her face into a well practiced smile. “You seem to be sorry a lot when it comes to me, Supergirl.”

Kara huffed out something between a chuckle and a frustrated sigh. “It seems like it, doesn’t it?”

“Why do we keep going around in circles, Supergirl? Why do we keep ending up hurting each other?”

Their eyes met, and for the first time in a while, neither of them had their guards up. “I wish I knew,” Kara responded.

Lena leaned forward. “I can’t keep doing this. And I don’t think that you can either.”

Kara nodded slightly, her eyes narrowing. “So what do you suppose we do?”

“We could start over.”

“How?”

There was a slight smile gracing Lena’s lips. “I don’t know, aren’t you a reporter?”

Kara shrugged. “For Catco, it's a publication not known for its hard-hitting journalism. More like High-waisted Jeans, yes or no?”

“You could have fooled me, Miss Danvers.”

And there was the blush that Kara had tried to keep down so desperately. This was fragile. This was new and old and confusing and so very simple. They shouldn’t be talking like this but Lena had that look on her face that was almost playful and the tone of her voice was deep and Kara really wanted to believe that maybe it was just a little flirty.

“You can just call me Kara, Miss Luthor.” the blonde retaliated, still remembering the first few times that they had met so very well. She had dreamed about them, dreamed about what she could have done differently. But maybe there was hope there still.

“Well, if I’m calling you Kara-”

“Lena it is.”

The smiles that blossomed on their faces were wide and genuine, lit from within by an unspoken warmth that made the office feel suddenly softer, more intimate. The air around them was quiet- so quiet that not even the distant hum of the city seeped through the reinforced walls. It was as if the world outside had momentarily paused, giving them this rare, precious space to simply be.

And then, unexpectedly, a gentle, low hum began to ripple through the room- a soft vibration that seemed to hum with the quiet tenderness of the moment. For a few seconds, Lena’s brow furrowed in confusion, and her gaze darted around, searching for the origin of that unusual sound. Her eyes landed on Kara, who still wore that rosy-cheeked smile, her face glowing softly with a shy warmth.

“Are you purring right now?” Lena asked softly, her voice tinged with curiosity and gentle amusement, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied her friend’s serene expression.

Kara's cheeks flushed a delicate shade of pink, and she instinctively reached up to scratch her head, her fingers fumbling awkwardly as if trying to hide her embarrassment. She initially reached for nonexistent glasses, her hand pausing mid-air, and then, with a soft laugh, she lowered her arms to her sides. Her voice was sheepish but tender, carrying a hint of fondness. “Sorry, it’s a Kryptonian thing,” she admitted, her tone light yet sincere.

Lena nodded slowly, a subtle smile curling on her lips, but her expression carried a trace of something softer- an understanding that went beyond words. She felt a faint, almost wistful tug at her heart, a gentle reminder that beneath the layers of strength and bravado, there was still something there that made her so entirely different from the rest of the world. “I’ve noticed,” Lena replied quietly, her voice barely above a whisper, her eyes glinting with a mixture of affection and curiosity. Then she added, almost conversationally, “Leo does it as well.

Kara’s face lit up with a warm smile, eyes shining with a flicker of shared understanding. “Ah, of course,” she said softly, her voice tinged with a gentle amusement. “It’s something we do when we’re happy, when we’re feeling safe and content. It helps us to regulate our emotions- like a little internal comfort mechanism.”

“So why didn’t you ever do it before?” There was a frown on Lena’s face. “We’ve spent a lot of time together, I’m sure that I would have noticed this.”

The superhero shrugged helplessly. “It wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t that I wasn’t happy, it was more that I had trained myself out of doing it. I actually only remembered how, when Leo started doing it.”

“That’s… sad.” Lena looked at her with concern. “Is that something that you can just stop doing?”

Kara paused, considering her words carefully. She thought about the question, the weight of it settling in her chest like a quiet, persistent ache. After a moment, she replied softly, “Think about your own impulse to laugh. You can suppress it, right? Maybe even for a little while. People do it all the time. Now, imagine you’re on a different planet- one where laughing might out you as an alien. If that was the case, you’d learn to hold it back, to keep that part of yourself hidden, just to stay safe.”

She looked at Lena, her eyes searching for understanding, for that spark of curiosity or compassion she hoped would shine through. But instead, what she saw were Lena’s wide, contemplative eyes and her lips pressed into a thin line- her expression a mixture of surprise and something darker, more guarded.

“Did I say something wrong?” Kara asked softly, her voice tinged with a hint of worry. “Was that too soon?”

“No, Kara,” Lena replied, pinching the bridge of her nose as if trying to hold back a flood of thoughts. Her voice was gentle but tinged with a vulnerability she rarely allowed herself to show. “It’s just... I’ve never considered that explanation before. And honestly, it’s kind of terrifying to think about. That you’ve trained yourself out of a basic instinct, something that’s so natural- something that’s part of your physicality. To do that goes against everything in your body, in your soul. No one should have to do that. No one deserves that.” She had stood up, leaning against her desk and silently motioned for Kara to stand next to her.

Kara’s lips twitched into a shy, awkward smile, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “Thanks,” she said softly, her voice a bit uncertain. “But it’s really not as bad as it sounds. It’s just what happens when you’re trying to stay safe- when you’re trying to hide a part of yourself that’s vulnerable.” Her gaze lingered on Lena’s, searching for reassurance, for understanding. “It’s not something I want to keep doing forever. I guess I just needed to say it out loud.”

Lena’s eyes studied her for a long moment, her expression tender and contemplative. Then she reached out, her hand gently resting on Kara’s, her fingers warm and reassuring. “But should it be what’s happening?” she asked softly, her voice almost a whisper. “Should you have to hide these parts of who you are-what makes you feel safe and happy- just to fit in or stay safe?”

Kara felt a lump rise in her throat, a mixture of emotion and vulnerability threatening to spill over. She looked at Lena, her heart pounding softly in her chest. In that quiet, tender space between them, she realized that maybe, just maybe, they were both learning something vital- that honesty, however fragile, was the only way to truly connect. That sometimes, letting go of the need to hide was the bravest thing of all. But how could she ever do so if this was the world she was living in?

Chapter Text

Leo’s family was intense. They had always been that way - loud, passionate, and seemingly incapable of attending an event without turning it into a full-blown parade. Self-made signs, drums of all sizes, banners fluttering wildly, and chants so fierce they could probably shake the walls of the universe - these were their trademarks. There had been more than one occasion where family members had been politely asked to leave facilities because their enthusiastic support had turned into a full-blown riot of noise and movement. The local library? Too much cheering. The grocery store? An impromptu marching band. It was all part of the chaos.

Every week, without fail, there was a dinner - sometimes more than one - where someone was crying, someone else was arguing, and everyone knew everything about everyone else’s business, often before they even sat down. Game nights involved more shouting than strategizing, and birthdays were celebrated with enough confetti to wallpaper a small apartment. Afternoon meet-ups? Oh, you bet - they were like mini family reunions, but with more food and less patience for anyone who dared to forget a birthday or show up without a gift.

And yet, amidst this whirlwind of activity, Leo somehow grew up thinking that this was just normal. Everyone knew everything about everyone, and nobody really kept secrets - except, of course, when they did. Because under all that loud support and chaotic love, there was a tangled web of history, secrets, and scars.

Heck, when Leo had first come out, it wasn’t even on his own volition. It was because Nia had talked to his parents and said that he seemed to be rather uncomfortable in some social situations where they had introduced him as their daughter. And his parents, being the queer idols they were, had decided to sit him down to have a talk with him. Leo had been eleven and had just started entering the early stages of puberty and had not been aware that the feelings he was having were anything out of the ordinary. Being told by your parents that they would encourage you to explore your gender expression for a bit and see what fits, had definitely been an experience that had been… uncommon for most of his peers. And when he sat down the family five minutes prior to them playing monopoly to inform them of the fact that he would start going by different pronouns from now on, a few dollar bills had switched donors. The richest person had, to Leo’s surprise, been Alex. She’d shrugged and promised to take him out for ice cream later on.

So yeah, Leo’s family was messy and supportive and always up in each other’s business. But somehow it had never occurred to him that that was his family after a shitload of therapy. How they had been before all that, had not once crossed the boy’s mind. Because why would it?

Now, Leo was stuck in a strange, surreal version of the past - one filled with repressed emotions, unspoken fears, and family members who looked at him with suspicion, anxiety, or worse- outright fear. His family, the ones he knew in this moment, were not the vibrant, supportive chaos he’d grown up with - they were shadows of themselves: tense, guarded, and carrying the weight of secrets they’d rather forget.

At this very moment, Alex- his aunt, the formidable agent with laser-sharp focus- was staring at him from about three feet away, her hands resting on her knees, eyes locked onto his with a level of intensity that made Leo wonder if she’d suddenly developed superpowers. She didn’t blink. Not once. Leo had always been convinced that she didn’t have any superpowers- just an incredible competitive streak- until now. Maybe she didn’t need to blink. Maybe her eyes just... stayed that way, like a predator sizing up its prey. Or like a statue come to life.

“Uhm…” Leo hesitated, unsure how to breach the silence. What do you say when a stranger- an aunt who didn’t even know him- was staring at him like he was some kind of strange zoo exhibit? ‘Hi, uh… how’ve you been? Punched anyone in the face lately?’ Probably not the best icebreaker. Besides, getting punched in the face by Alex didn’t sound like a fun day, even if Leo healed quickly. Those two days of pain? Not worth it.

Finally, Alex blinked. Just once. Leo felt a tiny flicker of relief- at least she wasn’t some sort of eyes-wide-open statue. “There’s something off about you,” she said, crossing her arms with a scowl that looked like she was about to solve a mystery rather than just stare at her teenage nephew.

Leo scratched the back of his neck. “There is?” Of course there was. The question was, what was her deal? What did she see that was so weird?

“Yes.” Alex nodded. “I know Kara. I’ve been her primary healthcare provider for years and I have also checked up on Superman. I have all the files on Kryptonians on earth.” Her head tilted to the side, observing Leo as if he was some kind of wild creature and she was shooting a film for national geographics. “You don’t fit the mold.”

Of course he didn’t. Kara and Lena had used a highly advanced form of IVF- combining their DNA to make a fifty-fifty mix. It was a gamble, considering Kryptonian-human hybrids weren’t exactly common, and no one knew how that would turn out. Lena had documented everything from the moment she got pregnant with Lori, trying to ensure everything was perfect. They hadn’t tinkered with the DNA- traits just happened, randomly, like a genetic lottery.

Lori looked just like her mother, Lena, with pale skin and dark hair but she had gotten those very strange fingers that the other Kryptonian’s bore and her Yeyu’s eyes. She wasn’t much stronger than a regular person though but made up for it by being invincible. She was currently at university, studying law while also protecting the residency on campus. Her powers had begun to set in at the age of five, back when Leo had been just a little toddler waddling around and their parents had been entirely overwhelmed because having a child that just starts randomly flying up to reach the sweets on the shelf is apparently a bit more difficult to handle than a regular kid.

Anyway, they were half and half. A perfect mix. They combined their parents’ traits and in their own time, that was cool. It was celebrated by most - even if there were a few asshats that had an issue with it. But in this time it was dangerous.

Here, Leo wasn’t the a Luthor or a Danvers and now he had to pretend to be human to most of the world while also somehow making his family believe that he was fully kryptonian. The tension of that lie sat heavy in his chest. Something was bound to go wrong. It always did. It was just a matter of time.

“Don’t you know that all people are different?” He asked his aunts, hoping to sound self assured. “That counts for kryptonians as well.”

Alex raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “You folks are genetically engineered, it’s impossible for you to deviate from the mold.”

Leo shook his head. “Even in a seemingly perfect society some things can go wrong.”

“Maybe,” Alex admitted, “but not like this.”

Leo clenched his jaw, feeling the familiar sting of frustration. “Are you sure? We managed to blow up our planet. I’d say that’s pretty messed up.”

“Touchee,” Alex answered him, obviously still not completely assured. “But I still don’t trust you.”

The boy’s stomach tightened. “Have I given you any reason not to trust me?”

The elder Danvers grinned, a mischievous, knowing grin that made Leo’s skin crawl. “My entire knowledge of your existence is reason enough not to trust you. Who knows, maybe Lex designed another Kryptonian to go after Kara or maybe Lena did. Maybe you’re just a chesspiece in another ploy.”

He felt his jaw tighten. “Leave Lena out of this!”

“Why should I?” Alex’s eyes sharpened. “She’s felt betrayed ever since she found out Kara’s Supergirl. Luthors don’t take betrayal lightly, and they sure as hell don’t like supers. I thought Lena was different - thought she was one of us. But then she tried to shoot my sister out of the sky with kryptonite. So, no, I’m not exactly eager to trust her - or you - on blind faith.”

Leo chose to ignore the sting in his stomach as he heard his aunt talk about his mother like that. They were friends in his time - family. There was no animosity there, just a good old rivalry sometimes. They had worked it out, they would work it out. Leo knew that. But that didn’t change the here and now and Leo decided that he really didn’t like the way that his aunt was talking about his mother. “You said something about another Kryptonian? I thought there were only Kara and Superman,” Leo managed, his voice straining as he fought down the urge to punch his aunt in the face.

Alex bit her lip. “It was a complicated situation.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “I suppose that either you’re playing dumb and already know this or you’re being genuine, either way this won’t hurt. Lex cloned Kara.”

His mouth fell open. There were no words coming out as Leo stared at his aunt in disbelief. “You’ve gotta be shitting me.” His blinked a few times to try and will this revelation away. “Please tell me you’re kidding.”

The redhead gave him a tight smile. “I am not. Linda, or red daughter, was sent by Lex to spy on us, to take over Kara’s place in the world. During that time I couldn’t remember that Kara is Supergirl so that made me unable to recognize what was going on as well.” She sighed heavily. “In the end red daughter actually killed Kara.”

Leo went still. He sat there like a statue, his breathing seizing for the moment. What the fuck? What the fuck? What the fuck???? His Yeyu had died? But that made no sense? She was still there? Had red daughter replaced Kara? Had she been his Yeyu all along? His mind was spinning with different scenarios, getting more ridiculous by the second. None of this made sense. Literally none of this.

“It was lucky when Kara woke up that day. More than lucky.” Alex’s voice sounded somber and it looked like her thoughts were miles away. “I couldn’t even remember who she was until I saw her laying there, completely lifeless.” She inhaled sharply, it seemed as though she was unaware that Leo was even in the room. “I remembered all of her and there Kara was - dead. And all I could do was cry and beg her to not leave me.”

Leo’s hands had curled into themselves, his nails digging into his skin. “But she made it?” It wasn’t a statement but a question because this still didn’t make a lot of sense. What did Alex mean when she said that she couldn’t remember Kara? What the hell did his family keep hidden from him?

“Yes, she made it.” Brown eyes turned towards him. “And I promised myself that I would protect her more, that I would make sure that none of that happened again and then Lena went and attacked her and I can’t risk losing Kara. Not again.”

Dumbfounded, Leo nodded his head. He could understand that. Lori was the most annoying person he knew but she was also the one person that would always understand him in a way that no one else ever could. Family mattered but siblings were basically different parts of a whole. There was nothing getting between them. So while he truly didn’t like the way that Alex had been talking about Lena, he could understand her hesitancy to trust the Luthor again.

“Okay,” Leo said. “You don’t have to trust me but I still want to promise you that I don’t mean your family any harm.”

Alex laughed dryly. “That’s more easily said than done.”

“Maybe, but I did take a bullet for your sister so maybe don’t write me off completely.”

Chapter Text

Meanwhile, in the shadowed recesses of an abandoned warehouse, darkness pressed thick against the crumbling walls. A flickering, sickly green glow seeped from small, makeshift lamps, casting eerie shadows that danced along the graffiti-scarred concrete. Six figures sat huddled in a loose circle, their faces grim and tense, as if the very air around them had thickened with dread. They had been here for days, waiting in silence, the only sounds the faint drip of water from rusted pipes and the distant hum of a city that seemed unaware of their suffering.

Cole had shed his jacket, draping it over a battered crate to air out, the fabric heavy with dust, sweat, and the faint scent of unwashed desperation. The stifling smell clung to him, a reminder of the prison he had chosen - no, created - by his own reckless choices. The sweat had soaked into the fibers, embedding itself into the fabric like scars, and if he kept it on even just a little longer, his mind threatened to unravel with discomfort. Prisoner to his own making.

He watched the others in silence, their faces gaunt and eyes hollow, each of them caught in their own thoughts, waiting for the inevitable escape of air - or perhaps, for something else altogether.

And still, he had gotten himself stuck in this situation. Cole had wanted to make a bit of easy money, to get away from supplying a bunch of college kids with low level drugs and to live a life more similar to the ones he always saw people having on TV.

Getting involved in this dark web of crime had been shockingly easy - so easy that it had become a slippery slope. The dark web was a shadowy labyrinth, and all Cole had needed was an anonymous account. Three years ago, he’d thought he was just chasing a quick buck, a way to escape the dull grind of supplying college kids with petty drugs. But that simple act had spiraled downward. The jobs became less legal, more dangerous, and the payoffs fatter. Cole had no qualms about crossing lines; empathy was a luxury he didn’t afford himself. His wants were simple. The rest was noise.

Of course he had been aware of the Luthor-Danvers family, who wasn't? They were some of the most prolific people in the world, flying around and changing the world for the better, or whatever. Cole had never followed them too closely, concerning himself with other matters in the meantime.

That was, until he logged into his encrypted account and discovered the email. A contract - an order - crafted in cold, unfeeling code. They wanted Leo Danvers, the youngest of the family’s children, kidnapped. The media had kept them in the spotlight, caught in a web of curiosity and exposure. The kids were too curious, too reckless; their lives laid bare for every vulture with a camera. If the parents had been serious about hiding them, they’d have been more subtle, more careful. But no, they left their trail exposed, like breadcrumbs for predators.

Nonetheless, Cole had agreed to the job. He had packed his bags with all the necessities and gone to meet the rest of the team. Six people, all varying degrees of criminal. At least three of them had a background in the military or law enforcement and if Cole recalled it correctly, Shauna had been a scientist for Luthorcorp a few decades ago.

Their motivations differed. He was here for the money, Cole had no personal vendetta with the Luthor-Danvers family per se. He wasn't Anti-Alien and he wasn't pro-alien. If anything, Cole was ambivalent towards them. As long as they worked and paid their taxes, they could do whatever they wanted to. But the man had noticed that not everyone on the team agreed with that. The anti-alien rhetoric that Markus spewed around after hours was vulgar enough to make a politician blush. He was a boastful man, with broad shoulders, slicked back hair and a prosthetic foot. Markus hadn't given them much info about himself apart from his strong dislike towards aliens but Cole could assume that it had something to do with his former injuries.

But who cared? They didn't have to agree on everything little thing. They had been hired to do a job, although their boss had decided to remain anonymous. And they would carry out the job- come what may.

They had been given a week to prepare, to trail behind the teenager and map out the places he went on any given day. To scope out which people were usually around him and when the best time to take him off the streets would be.

Cole had watched him laugh with his friends, a comfortable bellow; and hug them goodbye at the end of the day. From what Cole could muster, the boy wasn't really anything special. If it wasn't for the fact that he had inherited a few superpowers, he wouldn't have stood out. His height was on the smaller side, his face was average at best and only the muscles that lined his shoulders could possibly make someone think that he spent a bit much time in the gym for a seventeen year old.

He had sipped his coffee while continuing to read the newspaper as the blond walked out of the café. ‘President Grant decides to run for another term!’ Huh, interesting. She was certainly an interesting politician, well versed in the language of the media and not afraid to speak sharply about the people that opposed her views. She was hard, honest and bordering the line between self-assured and arrogant on any given day. And yet the country was safer than ever. Cole had to admit, she was probably doing something right. During the last election his vote had gone towards a different candidate but perhaps…

He lowered the newspaper, listening to the song that the barista had just turned up over the speakers.

And the kids round here look just like shadows always quiet, holding hands
From the churches to the jails tonight all is silence in the world
As we take our stand down in Jungleland

It was two days later, when four out of six people were perched outside of the university library of National City. While Leo hadn't graduated yet, they had spotted him revising for his finals on several occasions, just like today. He had walked in with a messenger bag slung across his shoulder while wearing an old pair of blue jeans and a sweater that he had most likely stolen out of Kara Danvers’ closet. A thin pair of glasses had been balancing atop his nose and he was wearing headphones to drone out anything else.

The group members exchanged sly grins. Oh this was getting easier by the second!

It was just half past 9pm when the teenager finally came out, fiddling with his phone as he looked for a different song. One foot in front of the other, he kept on walking, paying absolutely no attention to the rest of the world as Leo stifled a yawn. Cole almost winced in sympathy - it had been a few years but he could remember the panic of revising. It hadn't been fun and he had slept for about a month straight after.

Cole could feel a pair of elbows digging into his side, Joanna, a woman with shoulder length hair that had been braided backwards was pointing at the boy and motioning for them to start moving. He shrugged. Sure, why not?

He jumped up, moving within the shadows of the late evening sun in order not to startle the target. Said target, was still none the wiser, lowly humming a few notes of music. It was then that all four of them opened up small boxes that each of them were carrying. The sickly green glow reflected on Cole’s face as he watched Leo look around in confusion as the world around him began to fill up with pain.

They stepped closer- Leo was still upright but his legs were shaking. His face was guarded and his arms raised in a defensive pose that wouldn't do anything for him now. “What do you want?” He missed at them, sounding like his vocal chords were straining with every move.

“Oh nothing,” Markus chuckled as he rotated the lead box in his hands like a fidget toy. “Just you.”

The boy’s face paled, his fists shaking as he kept them in the fighting stance, his feet wide apart and knees slightly buckling. “Why?”

Markus shrugged, cracking his knuckles as his lips twitched upwards. “Why not, you alien scum?”

Cole could see the boy’s Adam's apple bop but before he had the time to feel any sympathy arising, Markus had stepped forwards, his fist colliding with the boy’s face, a loud crack sounding through the evening air as the bones broke. Leo fell to the ground, collapsing like a marionette whose strings had been cut.

Markus wiped at his hands, pointing at the teenager. “Grab him,” he commanded and the others listened dutifully.

It was a few hours later that Cole watched the boy wake up, chained at his hands with cuffs that had been laced with kryptonite. He could see the wince and the neutral mask which settled on the teenager’s face as he realized what was going on. At least he was smart enough not to show weakness, Cole could applaud that. And he knew that the boy must have been aching all over. They had set him down in a way that was far from comfortable, the kryptonite was surely uncomfortable and his face was bruised, even if his glasses had somehow survived the brunt of the collision between fist and face.

Their eyes met, the teenager raised an eyebrow. “Where am I?” His voice sounded rough, as if he had just swallowed gravel.

“Well that’s just lazy,” Cole responded. “You don’t really think that I’m going to tell you that, right?” That would be an insult to everything that he had found out about Cole for the past week. Truly, an insult to them both.

Leo shrugged, struggling to look aloof. “Sometimes the bad guys give it away, it’s worth a try.” His eyes were squinting against the gloomy light, without his supersenses, it seemed that he was much less able. “Why did you kidnap me?”

Cole brushed back his hair while rubbing his hands together. “That doesn’t really concern you, does it?”

“I mean, I am the injured party so I would say that it does actually.”

“Fair enough.” Cole got up in order to inform the others of the fact that their target had woken from his slumber. “But that doesn’t mean that I’m going to tell you.” He grinned slily. “We’ll see what’s going to happen to you.”

The room was thick with silence, broken only by the faint drip of water and the distant hum of machinery - an oppressive, sterile hum that seemed to seep into the walls themselves. After what felt like hours, Cole’s eyes finally fixed on the figure slumped and chained in the corner. It was Leo, or what was left of him after Markus’s brutal display.

The boy’s face was a canvas of bruises - deep purple blossoms spreading across his jawline, a jagged cut slicing through his eyebrow, and tears marred into his clothes, torn and streaked with dirt and blood as the former soldier continued to kick and punch at the teenager. To his credit, Leo remained silent. He was still chained up and he was biting his lip hard enough to draw blood but his face remained about as expressive as a close fist otherwise. He stared back at Markus with dark eyes and answered each slur spat at him with silence. Cole was almost impressed.

Finally, Markus stepped back, sweat beading on his forehead as he spat a curse and roughly shoved Leo into a sitting position. The chains rattled as the boy’s hands trembled, his shoulders slumped from exhaustion and pain, but his gaze lifted - dark, steady, unyielding.

When Markus finally let the boy sit down, he could see the alien’s hands shake the tiniest bit. He stilled them as best as he could as he looked at his kidnappers from underneath bleeding brows. “What are you going to do with me now?” If his voice had been dry before, he sounded about forty years older now. It seemed that Markus had managed to injure the teen’s larynx.

Markus wiped his brow with a rough hand, eyes cold and unforgiving. “Not your business,” he muttered, voice gruff. “Just shut up and don’t do anything that might make us mad.”

The blond raised an eyebrow. “Difficult, because my sheer existence seems to be making you quite agitated, big man.”

Markus bared his teeth, a flash of anger crossing his face. “You have a pretty big mouth for someone who’s got no way out of here,” he snarled, fists clenched at his sides.

Leo cracked his neck, wincing at the pain that shot through his battered muscles. Despite everything, he managed a dark, dry humor. “I dunno. There’ve been smarter criminals, and I’m still here. Make of that what you will.”

If Cole had been on Leo’s side, he’d have slapped the boy. Did he have a deathwish? That’s exactly how people got themselves killed on a good day, this was not a good day. Had no one ever taught that kid to just shut up? Cole’s hand shot out instinctively, grabbing Markus’s shoulder before he could deliver another blow. His voice was low, urgent. “Do you want the money?” he hissed, eyes darting between the two men. The question was simple, but it flickered like a lifeline - something to remind Markus of the job, of the reason they were here.

Markus hesitated just a moment, then nodded roughly. “Make sure he doesn’t cause trouble,” he ordered curtly, before turning and stalking out of the room, leaving the battered boy and Cole alone.

Cole crouched down, eyes flickering with a mixture of frustration and concern. He sighed heavily, clicking his tongue. “You’d think you’d have learned to behave by now, if you’ve been kidnapped this often,” he muttered, voice tinged with exasperation

Leo looked up at him, bloodied but unbowed, offering a crooked, bloodstained smile. “I’ve been told I can be quite stubborn,” he replied softly, voice rough but defiant. Despite the injuries, a spark of stubborn resilience shone through his eyes - a quiet refusal to give up, no matter how much they battered him down.

A day later, they had moved Leo to a different room - one that Shauna had carefully prepared for her experiments. The space was sterile, clinical but oddly intimate, with shelves lined with vials, minerals, and strange devices humming softly in the background. Shauna had set up a small, makeshift lab on a sturdy table, her eyes sharp with focus as she meticulously examined her captive.

She had taken his blood, measuring every drop with clinical precision, her gloved fingers poking and prodding at the bruised, battered teenager. Leo, despite the pain and exhaustion that clung to him like a second skin, remained wide awake, his dark eyes tracking every movement she made with an intense, almost predatory focus. His face was swollen, bruises blooming across his jaw and cheek, and dark circles under his eyes betrayed the toll of sleepless nights. Yet, he refused to close his eyes or look away. Instead, he watched her with a mixture of defiance and curiosity, the remnants of his stubborn spirit flickering faintly behind his gaze.

Shauna kept questioning him, her voice a steady, clinical drone that contrasted sharply with his sarcastic retorts. Each barb he threw seemed to be aimed at provoking her, a deliberate effort to get under her skin. It was almost as if he’d decided that if he was going to die here, he might as well go down swinging. Cole found himself watching the scene unfold, bemused and slightly perplexed - why was the kid trying to antagonize his captors? Did he truly believe he could outsmart them all? But if he was truly so eager to get himself killed, who was Cole to stand in his way?

Without warning, Shauna reached for a large, intricate machine, hooking him up with thick cables that snaked from her device to four points on Leo’s body. The machine’s core was a behemoth of blinking lights and humming coils, seemingly powered by some form of electromagnetic energy. She clicked her tongue, her expression a mixture of concentration and mild annoyance.

“Do you know what this is?” she asked, her tone almost teasing.

Leo squinted at her, lips curling into a sardonic smile. “Your evil invention to take over the world?” he quipped, voice rough from disuse but still dripping with sarcasm.

The woman shook her head. “This is going to suck all of the solar power out of your cells.”

“...Seriously? Haven’t you heard of actual solar panels? Much more effective, I promise you!”

Shauna’s jaw tensed while Cole muffled his laughter. “This is going to take your powers away temporarily and if all goes well, they will be stored inside this machine and we will be able to transfer them to another person! A regular person that’s much more deserving than you half-breeds.”

Leo rolled his eyes. “Do what you must.”

It seemed that all was going to plan, golden light was seeping out of Leo’s body and travelling towards the core of the machine. Cole frowned when he noticed that the green light of the kryptonite handcuffs was also being drawn into the stomach of the machine. Maybe this was what Shauna had intended? He had never been particularly good at science but this must have been the plan!

He continued to watch until the lights began to flicker and sparks began to spring from the machine in the middle of the room. Leo’s face was white, his hands tearing at the handcuffs so much that they were drawing blood.

Suddenly, the glow flickered erratically, sparks shooting from the device like jagged lightning. The room filled with a tense, crackling energy. Leo’s face lost its color, his hands trembling violently as he desperately tried to rip at the chains, blood trickling from his torn skin. The sparks grew wilder, the hum of the machine escalating into an deafening roar.

Then, everything exploded. A blinding flash of white and gold erupted, and the machine burst into flames, metal parts scattering across the room like shrapnel. The spiraling tornado of energy - an ominous mix of gold and green - raged outward, threatening to swallow everything in its path. Shauna’s confident expression crumbled; her eyes widened in shock as the fire intensified, spiraling into a deadly maelstrom of destruction

Cole’s instincts screamed at him to run, to escape the inferno, but he was frozen in place. It was as if an invisible force rooted him to the spot. Around him, the others seemed equally trapped, their faces pale and eyes wide with terror. The roar of the energy tornado grew louder, a deafening, otherworldly scream that echoed in his ear

Leo let out a raw, primal cry as the last remnants of his power surged through him, the energy ripping from his very core. The tornado twisted into a lethal, swirling vortex - an unstoppable tempest of fire and lightning - consuming the remains of the machine. The fiery vortex spun faster and faster, its colors shifting from gold to emerald, then to a sickly greenish hue, like a portal to some hellish dimension.

Cole’s skin prickled as the energy brushed against him - not hot, but cold, bone-chilling like ice. An unearthly frost seeped into his bones, numbing him with its icy touch. He felt himself being pulled- no, drawn - toward the swirling chaos. His body was weightless, tumbling through the whirl of destruction, helpless as the world spun around him in a dizzying, disorienting blur.

His eyes squeezed shut, and with every ounce of strength he had left, he prayed - begged - for the nightmare to end. The last thing he saw was the swirling mass of energy rushing toward him, a deadly tornado of power that promised only destruction, and in that moment, he wondered if he would ever wake up again.

That had been days ago. Days filled with restless waiting, with the haunting silence of uncertainty pressing heavy on their shoulders. He had woken up in a place that looked somewhat familiar - faint echoes of their own world, tangled somewhere between memory and nightmare. The others had been lying nearby, battered and exhausted, their bodies bruised from whatever ordeal they’d endured. But Leo was gone. Somehow, the boy had managed to escape. They had tracked him, tracing his trail through the chaos, all the way to L-Corp - an imposing fortress of glass and steel that shimmered ominously under a clouded sky.

Their mission had been clear: find Leo, bring him back, and restore whatever fragile balance they had left. This time, there was no dramatics, no theatrics to distract or delay. Just relentless pursuit, cold and precise. But it had failed. Everything had gone wrong, and now the boy was missing - vanished into the shadows of the city, leaving behind only whispers and rumors. The team was left to wait, to listen for clues carried on the wind, for any hint that might lead them to him. Every minute stretched painfully long, each one filled with a gnawing sense of dread.

They all wanted to go home. Back to their own time. This detour, this nightmare - they hadn’t signed up for it, and each of them knew deep down that if the only way to return was to eliminate Leo, then so be it. They would do it without hesitation. Because survival, in their minds, was the only priority left.

Markus sat heavily beside him, chewing absently on a piece of stale bread, his face shadowed and grim. His jaw clenched tight, eyes darting around the ruined room as if searching for some solution that wouldn’t come. “We have to do something,” he said quietly, more to himself than anyone else, voice rough with frustration.

Shauna, sitting nearby, shrugged slightly, her gaze distant as she absentmindedly fiddled with a small device, perhaps a remnant from their last encounter. “But what?” she responded, her tone edged with fatigue. Joanna, meanwhile, had cracked open a battered water bottle they’d stolen from a store somewhere. She took a long, measured sip, her eyes flickering with a mixture of hope and despair.

Cole leaned back on his hands, stretching out his legs lazily as he craned his neck to observe the others. His expression was thoughtful - calculated, yet haunted. Finally, he broke the silence, voice low and contemplative. “We could focus on his mother,” he muttered, almost to himself.

Shauna raised a brow, considering the suggestion. “That’s not a bad idea, actually,” she said softly, her mind already racing. She reached inside her jacket, fingers brushing over a pen - small, unassuming, but deadly in the right hands. “If we attack L-Corp, draw the boy out. That kid isn’t going to stay hidden if it’s about his mother. He’s too protective - too reckless.”

Markus chuckled darkly, a bitter edge to his voice. “We’ve got a plan now,” he said, voice edged with grim determination. “Let’s put it into practice. No more delays. No more excuses.” His eyes burned with a ruthless resolve as he pushed himself to stand, ready to make their move. “It’s time to finish this - once and for all.”

The room fell into a tense silence, each of them lost in their own thoughts, but beneath that quiet, a dangerous energy simmered - a shared understanding that the stakes had never been higher. They knew that failure wasn’t an option anymore. The countdown had begun, and soon, they would act.

Outside the street’s on fire in a real death waltz
Between flesh and what’s fantasy and the poets down here
Don’t write nothing at all, they just stand back and let it all be
And in the quick of the night they reach for their moment
And try to make an honest stand but they wind up wounded, not even dead
Tonight in Jungleland

Chapter Text

Leo was reluctantly picking at his salad for lunch, Nia sitting beside him and keeping him company. The brunette had been kind enough to go out and get him some food, but unfortunately, she hadn’t asked for his preferences beforehand. So now, he found himself staring down at a plate full of green stuff - kale, to be precise! His Yeyu would have been freaking out at the sight of it. It wasn’t that the teenager was entirely opposed to healthy food; it was just that Kryptonian taste buds were way more sensitive than human ones. And this green stuff? It was so bitter that it was nearly unbearable.

Nia, meanwhile, was shoveling bites of her own meal into her mouth, throwing glances his way every now and again. It was obvious that she had questions - a whole bunch of them. But despite her curious nature, Nia was capable of some self-restraint.

“So… you’re Kryptonian?” she finally asked, breaking the awkward silence that had settled between them.

Leo knew that his aunt was usually warm and kind, but right now, this wasn’t the woman who had taken him to the skatepark when he was seven or sat through scary movies with him when he was twelve. No, this was a woman in her early twenties - still young, still figuring things out, but holding herself with a certain cautiousness. .

He nodded slowly, the fork in his hand pausing mid-air. “Yup,” he confirmed, voice a little hesitant. “Another alien in your midst.”

Nia continued twirling her fork among her salad, her brow furrowing slightly. “Anything you can tell me that Kara hasn't already revealed? I feel like she’s holding back some stuff about her powers - I could tease her about it if I knew more.”

“Mhh, that’s tricky,” Leo replied, shoveling another forkful into his mouth. “Maybe the fact that our taste buds are about a thousand times more sensitive than humans’?”

“They are?” Nia was looking at him in surprise.

Leo cleared his throat. “Yeah. We taste a hell of a lot more than you do. Which can be both a blessing and a curse,” he added, grimacing slightly at the bitterness of his salad.

The reporter was squinting at him. “So food that is already a little bitter-”

“Could be compared to acid, if I am being completely honest.”

“So… salad?”

He chuckled softly. “Not exactly what I’d choose to eat on my own. Sorry. I know you meant well.”

She waved him off with a smile. “It’s okay. At least you told me why. Kara only complains about it in a way that makes it sound like she’s just whining for the sake of it. Now I know not to offer it to her again.”

Leo set his fork down and watched as Nia finished her meal, her brow still furrowed with thought. Then he shifted gears. “So… you work with Kara?”

The brunette nodded while chewing thoughtfully. “Yeah. She’s kind of my mentor - both with the superhero stuff and at my actual job. She’s really good at both. Though I think she’s not keen on letting people see just how talented she really is or could be.”

“Why is that?” His Yeyu was very famous for being a genius in both aspects in his own time. Did her need to hide truly extend this far? How had she ever thought that all of those sacrifices were worth it? The woman that told her kids to always be true to themselves and what they could do - hiding behind a facade of nervous giggles. The thought of it made his stomach churn.

Nia shrugged. “Not that she’s ever talked to me about it but I do believe that she feels ashamed for taking up space on his planet. She wasn’t born here, and ever since she’s gotten here, Kara has always been told not to stand out. So that definitely has a part in it but I don’t want to speculate on that. I just hope that she gets her ass to therapy one of these days!”

Leo giggled in response. “Maybe one day.”

Nia set down her plate, rubbing her stomach with a satisfied sigh. “Maybe you’ll help her embrace some of her Kryptonian roots. She doesn’t talk about it much - maybe talking to you will help her open up.”

“Yeah… maybe,” Leo replied, a bit wistfully. Deep down, he was feeling more and more sorry for his Yeyu. For all she’d sacrificed, for all she’d kept hidden, and for how little he’d ever considered what the world had been like before he arrived. The fact that alien rights had only been established a few years before he was born, that it was a subject taught in school but seemed so distant - like a story from another century - made him realize how much he’d taken for granted. Kara Zor-El had always made sure to instill pride in their heritage, emphasizing that what made them different was also what made them strong. Differences didn’t make them better than others, but they certainly made them unique. Culture was an intrinsic part of identity, and that was true for aliens just as much as for humans.

He thought about the children in the Luthor-Danvers family, who’d been taught Kryptonian from a young age - the sounds rolling off their tongues as easily as water. Their mother, Lena, was part Irish, and after reconnecting with that part of her heritage, she’d learned Irish herself. The children had joined her, traveling to Ireland to see where their mother was born, learning the stories, the dialects, the traditions. It was a rich history of trauma and triumph - nations overcoming adversity, carving out their identities through resilience. Ireland, as Daniel Day-Lewis once said, was “a place for the renewal of hope,” and their time there had always been a source of inspiration.

Meanwhile, Kryptonians had been fiercely proud - so proud that they’d pushed themselves to the brink of self-destruction. Their planet hadn’t fallen quietly; the screams of their dying civilization still echoed across the galaxy as a warning. Even the mighty could fall, a lesson etched into the stars. Kara would someday make it her mission to spread this warning - because what had happened to Krypton could happen to Earth if people weren’t careful. If they continued to sleep on the threat, ignoring the signs, they’d face a terrible fate.

Leo had been so engrossed in his own swirling thoughts that he hardly registered the arrival of the two new people standing nearby. His mind had been miles away, caught up in memories and questions he didn’t quite know how to articulate. So, it wasn’t until he looked up and caught sight of his mothers - both of them standing side by side - that his heart skipped a beat.

Kara Danvers and Lena Luthor were standing in front of him - neither of them screaming or crying or accusing one another of betrayal. Their postures were stiff and Leo knew that both of them were itching to lace their fingers together. Despite the awkwardness, they were standing together closely, Lena was ever so slightly in front of Kara, as if she was trying to keep some of the emotional weight off her shoulders, while Kara loomed protectively behind her, shoulders squared and eyes alert. Leo smiled at the somewhat familiar image of them. At least they had figured out one piece of the puzzle that was their relationship. That was progress!

“Ehrosh :bem,” Leo greeted softly, giving a little nod toward his Yeyu, his tone warm and respectful. He watched her eyes widen in recognition as she understood his words.

Kara practically lunged forward - one step, then two - eager to respond, her face breaking into a wide, joyful smile. “Ehrosh :bem, Odhyv,” she exclaimed, her voice bright with happiness, adding the Kryptonian word for ‘boy’ at the end. It was a standard greeting, sure, but in this moment, it carried a weight of affection and relief. The simple words seemed to bridge a gap, filling the space with a warmth that made Leo’s chest tighten slightly.

Lena was scrutinizing them with a raised eyebrow, her gaze bouncing between Kara and Leo. “I’m guessing that’s a Kryptonian greeting?” she asked, her voice tinged with mild curiosity but also a touch of amusement.

While Kara blushed, Leo merely scratched his nose. “Correct as always,” he replied with a tiny smirk, feeling a little proud.

Lena shrugged, a small smile tugging at her lips. She looked Leo over, her eyes lingering just a moment longer on the healed scars that decorated his face- still red and a little tender, but healing rapidly. “I’m glad to see you up and about,” she said softly, her tone filled with genuine relief.

The boy winked at his mother playfully. “Not as glad as I am, trust me!”

The woman rolled her eyes but Leo could see the fondness within the gesture. “You’d think that you’d stop joking at some point.”

“Oh, that would be so very boring, wouldn’t it?” Leo shot back, glancing at his Yeyu with a mischievous grin. “Dhugh?” he asked, feeling the familiar thrill of speaking Kryptonian again, the sounds deep and sharp, almost animalistic - like a language meant for warriors or something more primal.

“Zhi,” Kara agreed without hesitation, her tone easing as she relaxed her stance. Her shoulders dropped, and she stopped fiddling with her hands. She looked at Leo with a softer expression. “Although I wouldn’t say that you almost dying was very funny,” she added, her voice gently chiding but with a glimmer of affection.

Leo rolled his eyes again - this was nothing new. It wasn’t the first time they worried excessively, and he was sure it wouldn’t be the last. Near-death experiences? Basically a family rite of passage. He made a dramatic gesture, voice dripping with mock despair. “None of you get my humor,” he declared, a playful pout on his face. Then, with a grin, he added, “By the way, thanks for not telling anyone that kale tastes like shit - I had to eat it for lunch.” He looked at Nia who was still sitting in the corner, who was currently sticking out her tongue at him like the serious adult she was.

Kara looked genuinely apologetic now, her cheeks warming slightly. Lena, meanwhile, arched an eyebrow at her. “What does he mean? I know you don’t like it, but it’s not like it’s going to kill you.””

Leo crossed his arms, giving his Yeyu an expectant look. She stammered a little, trying to explain that she just didn’t enjoy the taste, but Leo finally had enough. “Just be blunt: our taste buds are superhuman, and this stuff tastes like acid,” he said flatly.

Lena chuckled, amused. “Is that right?”

Kara nodded earnestly. “It is.” She offered an apologetic glance to both Lena and Nia. “Sorry, guys.”

Nia waved her off, seemingly unfazed, but Lena sighed with a mix of exasperation and fondness. “I understand why you didn’t say anything before,” she said, “but next time, just tell me. You deserve to be comfortable - food included.”

Kara looked a little sheepish, her shoulders still relaxed but her expression a tad apologetic. “Okay,” she muttered, then shot Leo a sarcastic grin. “Nahkluv,” she said dryly, her tone playful.

Leo responded with a wide smirk, tipping an imaginary hat in a playful mockery of a gentleman’s gesture. “Always a pleasure,” he quipped, grinning at her with genuine affection that lingered just a little longer than necessary. His eyes twinkled with mischief as he added, “By the way, when can I leave? Not that I don’t appreciate this… very uncomfortable bed, but I do miss having a mattress that doesn’t leave me feeling like I’m seventy.”

Lena clicked her tongue, crossing her arms in a mock disapproving manner. “I don’t know,” she said with a teasing smile, “this might do you some good. Maybe it’ll teach you a little humility - give you a taste of what it’s like to face the consequences of your own actions.”

Leo grinned wider, leaning back with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes. “Oh, I am very grounded,” he shot back snarkily, wiggling his toes as if to prove his point. “Not even floating a little bit - see?” He pointed confidently toward his feet, which were firmly planted against the ground. “Now, please! I just wanted a few hours of uninterrupted sleep and a meal that actually tastes like real food!”

He gave them both puppy dog eyes, hoping to sway them with his charm, but really, he was just enjoying the playful banter. He could see Kara struggling against her inner Kryptonian voice - her instinct to care, to make sure he was comfortable - clashing with her desire to get him out of there as quickly as possible so he could rest properly.

“Alex is going to check you over one more time,” Kara said softly, her tone gentle but firm, “and if she agrees, I’m taking you home.”

Leo’s shoulders sagged slightly, a mixture of relief and a faint twinge of disappointment flickering across his face. He looked up at Lena with wide, hopeful eyes, a quiet plea tucked into his expression. “Actually, if I could stay with Lena?” he asked softly, voice tentative but earnest, like he was testing the waters of her patience and kindness. He paused briefly, giving her a small, almost shy smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, but conveyed sincerity nonetheless. “Just - I already know her place, and it feels… safer there. Only if it’s okay with you, of course,” he added, his gaze locking onto hers, hoping she’d understand.

Lena’s face softened immediately, her smile warm and genuine. Without hesitation, she nodded right away, her eyes shining with kindness and a touch of affection. “Absolutely!” she said warmly, stepping closer and giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Her voice was gentle but firm, full of a quiet confidence that seemed to wrap around him like a blanket.

Then, she turned her head slightly, her eyes locking onto Kara with a playful glint. “You can come by all the time, of course,” Lena added with a teasing smile, “but my apartment is a better choice. For one - I actually have a second bedroom.” She grinned flippantly at both of them, the kind of grin that hinted at mischief and affection all rolled into one.

Kara paused for a moment, her brow furrowing in playful mock defeat. Then, with a grin that sparkled with mischief, she raised her hands in surrender. “I know when I’m beat,” she said with a teasing tone, her eyes glinting with affection. “And I have to admit, Lena’s stuff is way more comfortable than mine - there’s only so much luxury that money can buy, after all.” She shot Lena a quick, flirtatious wink, her voice dropping just a little lower as she added, “Guess I’ll have to do some convincing-“ she paused, giving Lena a knowing look, “-with Alex and J’onn. Tell them that our millionaire friend has a much more comfortable couch than me.” She grimaced, a little exaggerated for comic effect. “Wish me luck with that - no, scratch that, wish me supernatural, kryptonian luck.”

Lena chuckled softly, her cheeks tinged with a hint of pink as she stepped closer. Her voice was playful but warm, filled with affection. “You’ve got this,” she said softly, reaching up to gently squeeze Kara’s shoulder. Her fingers lingered just a moment longer than necessary, a subtle but deliberate gesture that hinted at her feelings. “And if you need backup, you know where to find me.”

As Kara stepped out of the room, her cheeks were flushed a furious shade of pink - whether from embarrassment or the lingering warmth of their flirtatious exchange, Lena couldn’t quite tell. Leo watched his parents with a curious, amused expression, observing the subtle chemistry that crackled like static between them. He shook his head, a mixture of exasperation and fondness flickering across his face.

God damn it, these two needed so much help. How could two people be this clueless? he wondered silently, a bemused smile creeping over his own face. It was clear there was something deeper beneath the surface - something unspoken, something that only grew stronger with every teasing glance and playful touch. And Leo couldn’t help but think, with a quiet chuckle, that if they only knew what was waiting for them in the future - their heads would explode. But they'd figure it out. Eventually. Maybe sooner than any of them thought to be possible.

Chapter Text

It wasn’t unusual for Leo to see his parents making home made pizza. He had seen it happening many times, had seen them bicker about which toppings to put on it and how much cheese would need to be strayed over it in order to no longer qualify it as a pizza but as a fondue. It was an ordinary sight in their household, familiar and warm, with the golden bracelets shimmering softly against their wrists and their touches fleeting, almost like a whisper carried on the breeze. Those moments felt like snapshots from a different time - twenty years from now, when love had settled into a gentle, golden glow.

But this? This wasn’t that.

No, this was different. It was hesitant, tense, awkward - like two people tiptoeing around the unspoken, caught in the delicate web of unresolved feelings. Leo couldn’t help but notice how these two, so seemingly confident and sharp, revealed their vulnerabilities in these small moments. They were both awkward, open messes, and honestly, it both confused and amused Leo to no end. His parents, in all their fiery, complicated glory, somehow still managed to be adorable in their own fumbling way.

Kara was currently kneading the dough, her forearm muscles flexing in a rhythmic, almost hypnotic motion. Leo caught himself checking up on his mother. Kara’s concentration was so intense that she didn’t notice Lena standing beside her, supposed to be preparing the sauce. Yet Lena was too busy ogling Kara’s muscles, her gaze lingering just a little too long, eyes tracing the curve of Kara’s arm as if trying to memorize every line. Leo wrinkled his nose at the sight of his mother’s obvious distraction—those onions in the pot were practically begging to burn, and Lena’s attention was nowhere near them. Honestly, he didn’t need to see this. But Lena Luthor, ever the unabashed flirt, was currently very openly ogling the hero’s bicep; if Leo didn’t know better, he’d swear she was contemplating licking her lips. How obvious could they actually be?

“Is something burning?” Kara suddenly stopped, her nose lifting into the air as she sniffed for the culprit. Her eyes finally settled on the stove behind Lena. “You gonna get that?”

Lena blushed, stumbling slightly as she hurried to lift the pot off the heat, grimacing at the charred remains. “Well, that’s not edible anymore,” she muttered, tossing the ruined sauce into the trash with a practiced flick of her wrist. Then, with a determined look, she reached for another onion, beginning to chop it with renewed focus, trying to ignore the faint flicker of a smile tugging at her lips as she kept her eyes on Kara. It was as if she was determined not to let herself get distracted again.

Meanwhile, Leo and Kara exchanged a look, a silent exchange of amusement and mild confusion. Kara raised an eyebrow at him, her expression playful but inquisitive. “What’s up with her?” she mouthed, nodding subtly toward Lena.

Leo shrugged in return, taking a bite from a ripe-looking tomato, savoring the juicy burst of flavor as he chewed. “No clue,” he mouthed back, trying to keep his expression neutral, though the amusement was clear in his eyes.

Blue eyes were looking at him with a horrified expression. “What is wrong with you?”

Leo paused, tomato still in hand, blinking in confusion. “Huh?”

“What is wrong with you?” Kara repeated, pointing accusingly at him, which drew Lena’s attention as well.

Leo frowned, feeling a little defensive. “I don’t know what you mean?” Had he done something wrong? Had he missed a cue? His heart started pounding, unsure of what he’d missed.

Lena, ever the observant one, was already walking over, wiping her hands on a towel. She stopped right beside Kara, her hands on her hips, green eyes flickering with concern and curiosity. “What’s going on?” she asked softly.

Kara continued waving her hands frantically, as if trying to emphasize the gravity of what she was about to say. “Are you not seeing what I’m seeing?” she pressed.

Lena shook her head, amused. “You’ll have to be more specific, dear.”

Kara groaned dramatically, her hands now on her head. “Who eats a tomato like that?” Her voice was aghast, eyes wide with horror. “I think that’s practically a crime - legally speaking!”

Lena chuckled softly, a playful glint in her eyes. “I don’t think that’s how it works,” she teased, waving a hand dismissively before turning back to the ingredients. “But if you want, you can hand me some of those tomatoes. I need them for the sauce,” she added with a smile, quietly thanking Leo as he handed her a handful.

Walking back to the stove, Lena bumped her hip lightly into Kara’s, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I eat tomatoes that way as well. They’re delicious - and good for you!”

Kara threw her hands up in mock horror, letting out a loud, exaggerated screech. “That’s actually criminal! Seriously! I don’t think anyone has ever committed such an atrocity before!”

Leo couldn’t help but laugh at the scene, the warmth of it all making his chest tighten with affection and amusement.

“Are you forgetting who you’re talking to?” Lena had a sly grin on her face. “I think my family has me beat.”

“No actually,” Kara corrected her. “This may just take the cake. I don’t think I even know you anymore.” The blonde dramatically slumped against the counter. “You may be evil after all.”

Lena rolled her eyes at her before winking at Leo. “You know us Luthors, always being bad.”

Leo glanced between Lena and Kara, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. “You know,” he said softly, “for a couple of ‘criminal’ tomato eaters,we are pretty adorable I think.”

Lena’s eyes sparkled as she leaned in just a little closer. “Oh, Leo, don’t listen to her, she’s just jealous that she’s not part of our illicit tomato club,” she teased, giving him a wink.

The playful tension hung in the air, thick with unspoken possibilities that neither of them dared to fully acknowledge. Lena’s gaze lingered on Leo a moment longer, her smile softly teasing, hinting at something just beneath the surface. Then, with a graceful turn, she refocused her attention on the stove, her fingers brushing lightly against the handle of a pot as she stirred the simmering sauce. Kara, meanwhile, watched Lena with a mixture of amusement and something softer - an almost hesitant curiosity that made her cheeks flush just slightly, as if she was caught between admiration and nervousness.

Leo observed the subtle shift in the atmosphere, feeling the electric tension crackle between Lena and Kara like static in the air. The way Lena leaned in just slightly, her voice dropping to a teasing whisper about the “secret tomato club,” made Leo’s pulse quicken. He caught Kara’s lingering look - a brief softness in her eyes before she hurriedly masked it with her usual confident façade. It was as if both women were dancing around their feelings, caught in a delicate web of flirtation and hesitation

“Anyways,” Kara broke the moment with a quick clearing of her throat, trying to steer things back to normal. “I think we should have a movie night.”

Lena raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms with a playful smirk. “Tonight?” she said, her tone light but edged with challenge. “Don’t you have work tomorrow? And Leo just got out of the DEO - shouldn’t he be heading to bed early?””

Leo pursed his lips, a mischievous glint flickering in his eyes. “I really feel fine,” he insisted, puffing up his chest slightly. “We can definitely do a movie night!” He shot Lena a hopeful glance, eyes bright with enthusiasm. “Please? I’ve been stuck in that hospital bed for days - my brain’s starting to turn to mush. I need something to keep it from atrophying!”

Kara nodded eagerly, her face lighting up. “Exactly! And honestly, what could be better for that than a good old-fashioned movie musical?”

Lena rolled her eyes once more, a faint smile playing on her lips. “I feel like I’ve already lost this debate,” she sighed with mock resignation. “Alright then. But just one film, and after that - Leo, you get your bandage changed. No arguments about it, okay?”

Leo saluted with a grin. “Aye aye, captain. Wouldn’t dream of complaining,” he said, sounding both sincere and teasing.

Lena chuckled softly, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Mhhh,” she drawled, turning back to the stove. “So, when you were in the DEO, that wasn’t you complaining? I must have misunderstood something.” She gestured vaguely toward the bubbling onions in golden butter. “Please continue making the dough now. Or we might not get to watch your movie - you know, unless I decide to pick a documentary instead.”

The two kryptonians exchanged sly glances - silent communication passing between them - before both of them nodded in unison. “Yes, boss,” they said together, their voices dripping with playful obedience.

The room was softly illuminated by the flickering glow of the television, casting warm, shifting shadows across the cozy space. The gentle hum of the movie’s soundtrack intertwined with the muffled laughter and the occasional burst of song from the musical playing in the background, creating a layered tapestry of sound that felt both familiar and comforting. The soft light made everything seem more intimate, more relaxed. Lena, leaning back comfortably on the couch, had her head tilted gently against Kara’s shoulder, her eyelids growing heavier with each passing second as the movie’s heartfelt scene unfolded before them. The tender vulnerability of the characters on screen seemed to echo in her own heart, making her feel safe and cherished in this quiet moment.

Kara, feeling Lena’s weight against her, gently adjusted her position so Lena’s head was better supported. Her own heart fluttered at the closeness - at the feeling of Lena’s presence so near, so trusting. She carefully brushed a stray lock of Lena’s hair from her face, her fingertips lingering for a moment, savoring the softness. The glow of the TV flickered across Lena’s features, highlighting the peaceful, almost content expression on her face. Kara’s chest tightened with affection and a subtle ache of longing - wishing she could hold onto this moment forever, knowing that beneath the surface, feelings that went beyond friendship simmered quietly, as they had for years now.

Sprawled on the floor with a bowl of popcorn in his lap, Leo watched the scene with a knowing smile. His eyes lingered on Lena and Kara, absorbing every detail - the way Lena’s breathing slowed, the gentle way Kara’s hand rested on her hair. He knew how much this moment meant to both of them, especially after the past few months. This was something older - familiar and yet it felt brand new. Leo’s expression was soft, tinged with a mixture of admiration and a quiet understanding that only he seemed to carry. He looked away briefly, pretending to focus on the movie, though his mind was elsewhere - trying to read between the lines, trying to gauge what was really happening beneath the surface.

As the film’s emotional crescendo reached its peak, Lena’s eyelids fluttered closed. Her breathing slowed, her head resting lightly on Kara’s shoulder, a peaceful, almost content expression on her face. Kara paused the movie for a moment, simply gazing at Lena with a mixture of affection and quiet wonder. She carefully brushed a stray lock of hair from Lena’s face, feeling her own chest tighten with emotion.

Leo, sitting nearby on the floor, watched the scene unfold in silence. His expression was thoughtful, contemplative - perhaps a little mischievous. After a moment, he leaned forward slightly, his voice casual but carrying a hint of curiosity. “Hey, Kara… can I ask you something?”

Blue eyes never left Lena’s peaceful face, but Kara nodded gently, giving him permission to speak.

“Just… how long have you been in love with her?” Leo’s tone was straightforward, but there was an underlying sincerity behind it, a quiet confidence that suggested he already knew the answer but wanted to hear it from Kara herself.

The superhero looked at him, wide-eyed and momentarily startled. “What do you mean?”

The boy chuckled softly. “Come on, I’m not blind, and I’m definitely not stupid. You don’t hide that kind of thing very well. So just tell me.”

Kara hesitated, her gaze flickering between Lena’s serene face and Leo’s expectant eyes. She took a deep breath, feeling her heart pounding a little harder. “It’s complicated,” she admitted softly, almost a whisper. “There’s a lot I haven’t told her - things I’ve kept hidden for far too long because I thought it was for her own good, for her safety.””

Leo tilted his head, curious now, leaning in just a little. “Like what?”

Kara’s voice was tinged with vulnerability. “I never told her that I am Supergirl. She was my best friend. We shared everything - dreams, fears, secrets - and I kept a pretty significant part of my life from her. I was afraid that if she knew, it would change everything… and I didn’t want to risk losing her. We’re just starting to find our way back to each other again, and I’m not sure if adding a romantic confession on top of all that is the right move right now.”

“You adults make everything so complicated for no reason,” Leo said with a wry smile, crossing his arms.

“You say that now,” Kara responded with a soft chuckle, her eyes slightly distant as she looked back at Lena. “Wait until you’re our age. You’ll understand.” She sighed, her voice heavy with unspoken worries. “I don’t know if I deserve someone like her. Honestly, I feel so lucky just to have Lena in my life at all.”

Leo gently nudged her with his foot, meeting her shin with his own. “Isn’t that something Lena should decide for herself?”

Kara looked at him, a mixture of affection and self-doubt flickering across her face. “There’s a lot of fear that goes along with that,” she admitted quietly.

“Well,” Leo said, voice steady, “Aren’t you Supergirl? Channel some of that Supergirl bravery. Tell her how you feel.”

Kara gave a soft, dry laugh. “I think you underestimate just how afraid Supergirl is - pretty much all the time.”

“All the time?” Leo echoed, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah. All the time,” the reporter said softly, her gaze returning to Lena, who was still peacefully asleep against her. “I don’t think I could survive losing her again. I don’t even want to imagine it.”

Leo tucked his head against the back of the couch, watching the two women with quiet understanding. It was still so strange to think about his Yeyu as this vulnerable twenty-something year old. Kara Danvers was invincible, she always had been. She was a powerhouse to be reckoned with. She chased away the monster underneath his bed - how could a woman like this be afraid of something so entirely natural? It was like seeing a god kneeling down, begging for something even they couldn’t create. A woman that had seen blood flood the streets was frightened at the idea of loss. It made sense in a way, though Leo felt baffled anyways. “I don’t think that you’ll lose her,” he said softly.

“But you can’t know that,” Kara responded, her voice barely above a whisper.”

Leo looked at her, a knowing look passing fleetingly across his face - one she didn’t see, but that she felt deep down. He knew more than he let on, more than he was ready to say out loud. But he simply nodded, silent in his own understanding.

Meanwhile, Kara gently stroked Lena’s hair, watching her sleep peacefully. She leaned in slightly, pressing a tender kiss to Lena’s forehead.