Author's Note: Yesss the chapter title was inspired by Taylor Swift's song "Afterglow", because I'm that nerd :P

Man, I know that this is delayed because 5x04 was like... over two months ago but I DON'T CARE I wanted to post this anyway. Also... 5x04 saved my heart because they figured things out and yayyyy :)))) (and then proceeded to not have another scene together in over a month. But that's a moot point *glowers*)

Summary: After the bar scene in 5x04, Brainy and Nia go home.

Spoilers: 5x04. ...In case that wasn't obvious.

After a few too many drinks had been consumed and everyone had given James a goodbye hug, the Superfriends gang started to filter out of the bar. Nia found Brainy by the trashcan, slowly throwing all of the tissues stuffed in his various pockets away. He had made good use of them after James' impromptu speech, and again when saying goodbye to the taller man.

"Hey," Nia said softly, walking over to stand by him and putting her hand on his arm. It was nice to just be with him again. Even though it had only been a few days since that moment in their apartment, it had seemed like years. She really had miss him.

"Hello, Nia," Brainy replied, depositing the last tissue in the trash can. He looked her over and frowned a little. "I see that you have... rejected my floral offering?"

"Huh?" Nia shook her head, then turned and pointed. Her purse was resting unsupervised (perhaps unwisely so) on a table, the daisy leaning against it with it's petals in the air so the flower head was crushed. "It's right over there."

"Oh." Brainy followed her finger with his gaze and then gave a quick nod. "Good. I am... glad to see that."

"So, um..." Nia gave his arm a squeeze before awkwardly dropping her hand and clasping her fingers together in front of her. Brainy must have been rubbing off on her. "Should we... should we go home?"

Brainy looked up at her sharply before his gaze dropped. He began to fiddle absently with the almost-empty packet of tissues in his hands, and Nia felt doubt set in. She hurriedly backtracked. "I mean- I mean obviously if you don't want to that's fine," she babbled. "I just thought that- it's just been so weird without you, I mean, it's our apartment, and I've been living in it all alone, and if you don't want to move back in together I shouldn't, like, automatically get to live there because you need a place to stay too and-"

"Nia," Brainy said softly, and Nia's flow of words abruptly stopped. His eyes were still red rimmed from the earlier "springing out" of his feelings, and it made him look heartbreakingly vulnerable. "I would... love to go home with you. I was not aware that you would want me there."

Nia nodded shakily. "I would," she told him. "I really would."

"Alright then." Brainy tucked his tissue packet into his pocket and reached carefully for her hand. "Can I-?"

Nia nodded, letting him wrap his fingers around hers. They walked out of the bar together, waving to Kara who was watching them from a corner booth with a smile on her face.

When the two of them landed at their apartment ('landed', because Brainy decided that flying would be the most efficient way to get home), Nia unlocked the door and lead the way inside. She pulled her hair out of its ponytail and took off her brown sued jacket, bundling it up and tossing it haphazardly onto the bed as she walked by. Brainy took a seat and titled his head slightly, watching her until she turned around and gave her an uncomfortable smile. "What?"

"What?" Brainy repeated, blinking. "I didn't say anything."

"Yeah, but you were just... looking at me," Nia said, pushing her fingers through her hair.

"You are... beautiful," Brainy murmured, tilting his head a little more. "And I... never realized how much not seeing you made me ache to... see you."

Nia smiled a little more naturally, walking over to the chair to press a kiss on his forehead. "Come on," she murmured, rubbing his arm. "Come get ready for bed with me."

Brainy smiled back at her and got to his feet, following her into their bedroom. It had been awhile since they had been able to peacefully get ready for the night together. For the last week, the comfortable silence had been filled with Brainy's incessant poetry. Now, the quiet was soft and Nia felt her shoulders relax as she gathered up her pajamas and slipped into the bathroom to change.

Brainy was very modest. She liked that about him; it was refreshing. But it also meant that if she started to change in front of him, he would turn his back. He had told her before that it wasn't for lack of wanting to look, but it was his respect from her and females as a whole that kept him from ogling her. So, to ease his temptation, Nia had started changing in the bathroom with the door mostly closed.

After she had gotten her pajamas on, Nia walked out of the bathroom to find Brainy shrugging one of his cotton t-shirts that he liked to sleep in. She leaned against the doorframe, it being her turn to just watch him. He looked over his shoulder, hair falling into his face and smiled at her. Nia smiled back, cheeks pinking a little at getting caught staring.

Nia turned to go back into the bathroom but Brainy stood up and took hold of her arm. "Thank you," he said gently, reaching forward to brush a bit of hair out of her face.

"For what?" Nia asked, looking down bashfully and biting her lip to keep from smiling again.

"For allowing me back into your life," Brainy elaborated. "And not only that, but for... understanding. Sometimes it feels as though... you're the only one who truly understands me."

Nia finally let herself smile, covering the hand that was still resting on her cheek. "I will always let you back into my life," she told Brainy, gently but firmly. "And no matter how much we have to work and how many times we want to give up... I will always keep trying to have this with you." She put her other hand on Brainy's, over his heart. She could feel it beat under her fingertips. "I love what we have, Brainy, crazy lives and all."

Brainy stepped forward and she could see his Adam's apple bob as he pressed his forehead to hers. "As do I, Nia Nal," he murmured, tilting his chin just right so he could brush their lips together.

And, honestly? After over a week of too much... that was all Nia needed him to say.

Author's Note: Well wHo kNeW that after almost TWO MONTHS of this fanfiction stewing half-finished in my pages document that all it would need was, like, two more paragraphs to be done. I feel stoopidddddd XD