Surprise! Two chapters in one day. This one just will not leave me alone today. This chapter is mostly just fluff. But... I promise the next one will be a little more meaty.
When Lena wakes, Kara is still nestled into her side, her breathing even and quiet. Is this what it would be like to wake beside Kara every day?
Lena smiles at the thought.
She had no idea what time it is, except that a stream of bright sunlight is coming through the window to her left. She is struck by the uncomfortable realization that there is something she's forgetting. What was she dreaming about before she woke up? Was it about her mother? She hadn't thought about the fairy tale for many years and is surprised it had come back to her so easily.
Lena watches Kara for a few minutes, stroking the soft, blonde hair that frames her face.
With her phone in her travel bag, which is somewhere in the living room, Lena makes a mental list of her plans now that she's here. Her stomach does a little flip flop. Does she still have family here? Grandparents perhaps? She doesn't dare hope. She has no memory of grandparents or aunts and uncles. Just the vague memory of her mother and two half remembered stories.
She wants to find the cemetery, see her mother's grave. She's never visited. That's her first priority. Then a trip to the local library to see if there are any records of newspaper articles about her mother's death. Maybe there is some kind of historic society? Or maybe she will need to use her charming smile and confidence to get what she needs. Either way, she will find out what she needs to know. Who her mother was and if she has any family left.
There's a small voice in the back of her head. The same voice that's stopped her from doing this for years. The fact that it's been thirty years and still she hasn't heard from any family here. That's what worries her. There are only two options that she can think of. One she doesn't have any family. Two, they don't want her. Well, there are three and four, but they seem unlikely. Three, her family don't know about her. Four, her Luthor father threatened or paid them off in some way to make sure they never contacted her.
Next to Lena, Kara stirs. Her eyes dart open and for a moment, Lena senses a panic in her. She stills, her breath evening out in time with the thump of Lena's heart.
"How are you feeling?" Lena asks.
Kara makes no move to shift away, her arm tightening around Lena's stomach in her slow return to wakefulness. "A little better," Kara admits. "Sleep helped."
"It usually does," Lena agrees. "So does food."
Kara perks up a little. "Would that involve getting up?" she asks. Her fingers have begun a lazy caressing of Lena's side where her shirt has ridden up slightly.
"Yes." Lena's breath hitches at the contact with Kara's fingers.
"Then I don't want it."
"Kara Danvers passing on food? Are you sure you're okay?" Lena jokes.
Kara wriggles closer. "More than okay."
Lena's heart thrums erratically in her chest and she knows Kara can hear it. Knows that Kara knows it's because of her.
"You never finished your story last night," Kara says, eventually.
"I did, I think you slept through it though. I could hear your cute little snores."
"I think you're mistaken, I don't snore," Kara replies.
"Whatever you say, Supergirl."
"Will you tell me the rest of the story?" Kara asks.
"Another time," Lena promises. "I can't have Supergirl fainting from starvation on my watch. Besides, I spied cupcakes in the kitchen when we came in."
Lena knows this will get Kara's attention. Kara springs up, her fingers brushing high on Lena's ribcage as she moves. Lena tells herself she's cold, but she's lying to herself.
"What flavor?" Kara asks.
"Why don't we go find out," Lena suggests, rolling easily from the comfy bed and searching for a pair of thick, woollen socks.
Behind her, she hears Kara whoosh away, then back. "They're so cute," she squeaks. "And there are brownies too, and Danishes."
Lena laughs. "How about I whip up some French toast as well? You can't survive on sugar alone." Lena knows that's a lie though. The truth is, Lena can't survive on sugar alone.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?"
Lena trails Kara to the kitchen. "I do know how to cook," she reminds the blonde.
"Are you sure? I've never seen you do it."
Lena chews on her bottom lip before answering. "There's a lot of things you've never seen me do. Doesn't mean I'm not good at them."
The double meaning is only partly intentional.
Kara blushes.
Lena busies herself in the unfamiliar kitchen while Kara leans on the island bench top. Lena is all too aware of the eyes on her as she works.
"You know you'll never get rid of me if you cook for me, right?"
Lena laughs. "And who says I want to get rid of you? You're my best friend and I only just got you back."
Kara's eyes darken at the mention of her time away.
"I should get back to work. I'm God knows how many hours late. I still have an article to write."
Lena shrugs. "It's taken care of. Nia's written it and dropped it off with Andrea already."
"What? How?"
Lena laughs. "The power of text messages. I sent her a message while I was making tea."
"Thank you," Kara whispers.
"That's what friends are for," Lena replies easily. This dance between them is familiar and Lena knows all the steps.
"I should still head home. After breakfast," Kara says. She's fiddling with a loose string at the bottom of her pajamas. "You came here to get to know your family and I'm interrupting."
"You're my family too," Lena whispers. "You don't have to go."
Lena means it. Having Kara here is more of a comfort than she expected. She had planned to do it all alone but maybe having Kara here is good too.
"I have work," Kara says, still giving Lena an out.
"I can call Kelly, she'll write you a note. Mental trauma after your time with Cat Grant?" It's not so far from the truth, she knows. "You don't always have to be strong. You've been through a lot, if you need time off, no one will mind."
Kara leans on the bench, her head buried in her hands. "What if the world needs saving?"
Lena makes her way around the bench, grasping Kara's hands gently, until Kara meets her gaze. "Kara, listen to me when I say that you are exceptional but Dreamer, Brainy, J'onn, and Alex can cover you for as long as you need a break."
Lena holds Kara's gaze, until the blonde woman nods. "You're right. Of course, you are."
"When was the last time you even took a break?" Lena asks. "Took a vacation, or just… relaxed?"
"I… don't know," Kara admits.
"Stay with me?" Lena asks. She holds her breath, still worried after all this time that there is something irrevocably broken between them. Something has changed in their relationship since she apologized, but Lena still isn't sure what. Sometimes they feel closer than ever and others, she worries Kara is just playing her, like Lena played Kara so many months ago.
A smile spreads across Kara's face. "Seriously? I would love that. I've never been to Ireland."
Lena laughs at Kara's admission. "You're Supergirl, you can go anywhere you want within what… a few hours?"
Kara shrugs. "What fun is seeing the world if you're doing it all alone?"
Lena sighs. "Lucky you have a best friend who is right here ready to show you the sights."
Kara beams and Lena pulls away, heading back to the kitchen for the abandoned makings of French toast on the counter. She makes twice as many slices for Kara as she does for herself and wonders, not for the first time, how this woman manages to keep herself fed.
When they settle in at the little dining table with a plate each of French toast, a box of cupcakes and pastries, and a pitcher of orange juice, Lena thinks this might just be the best day of her life.
Kara does a little happy dance when she takes her first bite of French toast. "This is amazing," she squeaks. With her second bite, she moans around the bread and egg. The sound sends a wave of desire right through Lena. She did this to Kara, she made that sound happen.
Lena watches as Kara polishes off most of the French toast and all but one of the cupcakes.
"A girl could get used to this," she says, smiling widely at Lena. Already, she's looking more like herself, and Lena doesn't want to push her by asking about what brought Kara to her doorstep in Ireland.
"I didn't bring any clothes with me," Kara says as they finish eating. "I didn't even bring my suit."
Lena smiles. "I can lend you something. What do you say about a quick flight to Dublin for some shopping?
"Retail therapy?" Kara asks. "Count me in."
Lena searches her suitcase for something that might fit Kara but also suit her style. In the end, she tugs out a casual sweater and tank that Lena had intended to wear around the cottage and a pair of workout leggings that are a little on the tight side for Lena but will hopefully suit Kara for long enough to get their shopping done.
"Sorry, I can't help with the bra situation, or your shoes." Lena blushes, her eyes darting to Kara's chest. "It's getting late, but we probably have time for a quick shower." The moment Lena says it, she realizes how it sounds. By the time she reacts, Kara has already grabbed the clothes from Lena, dashed off, and returned, dressed and ready to go.
Lena's stomach does a little flip flop at the sight of Kara in Lena's clothes. The sweater hangs a little loosely, but it looks intentional.
"I guess I'm the slow poke," Lena jokes, grabbing for a casual pair of jeans and an oversized white blouse that she hopes is casual enough not to draw too many stares.
For the second time in less than a week, Lena flies in Kara's arms. This time the journey is barely a couple of minutes as they drop into a deserted alley way beside a large, shopping mall.
"Come on," Kara says, dragging Lena eagerly towards Primark.
Lena's not sure she's ever set foot in a store where you can buy a top for less than $10, but she allows herself to be led inside and marvels at the options available. Kara shops with a kind of efficiency that Lena could never manage.
"Here, let me help," Lena offers, grabbing for one of the shopping baskets near the entrance (yet another foreign experience for her).
Gratefully, Kara dumps an assortment of button-up shirts into the bag. They delve deeper into the store and Kara tosses a few T-shirts into the bag, something Lena isn't sure she's ever seen Kara wear. A couple of sweaters follow. Then Lena's mouth goes dry as a faux leather jacket joins the fray.
"Where are all their pants?" Kara complains.
Lena points to a sign above them. "Jeans."
Kara sighs. "They're always so scratchy."
She adds a few pairs to the basket anyway. She sighs in relief when they find the workwear section and tosses one pair of each of the work pants into her basket. In the sportswear section, a variety of crop tops, leggings, and workout shirts make the basket almost too heavy to carry.
Lena doesn't complain when Kara takes it from her, carrying it as if it weighs nothing.
"Shoes," Kara says, suddenly, steering them between a few groups of people towards the messy shoe area.
Kara grabs for a pair of boots that are almost identical to a pair Lena has at home, except the for the much cheaper price tag and lack of branding. Boots, sneakers, a pair of pink loafers, and a pair of strappy sandals, all join the clothes in the basket.
Kara makes her way towards the socks and Lena hangs back a little, wondering if looking at lingerie together is a step too far even for friends.
Kara turns around and searches for Lena. "What do you think of these?" she asks, holding up a pack of Lilo and Stitch socks.
Lena laughs. "They're very you."
Kara tosses them in the bag along with a pack filled with mixed colors.
As Kara wanders into the lingerie section, Lena pretends to be very interested in the pajamas.
"Lena," Kara calls. "Do you know anything about UK sizing? What size do I need in these?"
She holds up a lingerie set in a pale blue and the blush that spreads across Lena's cheeks could cook an egg.
"Um… I wouldn't know," Lena says, her mouth suddenly dry.
"Hmm… maybe I'll stick with the bralettes."
Lena watches as the baby blue returns to the rack and wishes she could have given a more satisfactory answer.
A few more items join the stack. Lingerie sets, underwear packs, bralettes. Lena pretends not to see them. Pretends to be thinking of anything except Kara in her underwear.
"Come on, I have to try all this on. And I need opinions."
Lena allows herself to be dragged into the dressing room which is so far removed from any dressing room she's ever been in that for a moment she freezes in the middle of the long hallway. Kara drags her inside.
"Here, I'll only be a minute."
Lena wonders not only when they became the kind of friends who casually get changed in front of one another, but also what the people outside their dressing room must think with them entering together. Nobody seems to pay any attention as Kara tugs the curtain shut.
Kara shifts into gear, using her super speed to try on one outfit after the other. Lena barely gets a glance at any of Kara's bare skin as pants, shirts, and even a few dresses are pulled on, then off. Each item is added to a yes or no pile depending on the slightest nod or shake of Lena's head.
The keep pile is larger.
Kara leaves the underwear for last. Lena is ready to leave, but Kara grabs her arm. "You can stay."
Lena's tongue darts out to wet her dry lips. She nods.
Lena thinks she sees a pinkened nipple as Kara pulls on the first bralette, but it's gone just as quickly. A moment later a new bralette, then another.
"You know your heart is beating really fast, are you okay?" Kara pauses, wearing just her bralette and Lena's workout leggings.
"I'm… is it?"
Kara nods, her own tongue darting out to lick her lips. "Ever since I started trying these on."
Slender fingers trace the ribbed band that holds the tiny bralette in place. Lena tries to slow her thudding heart. She thinks about P&L reports, about spreadsheets, and the dictionary. Anything to distract her from Kara Danvers standing in front of her wearing nothing but a bralette and leggings in a Primark change room.
"Kara," Lena whines.
Kara searches Lena's eyes, and whatever she sees there satisfies her because a moment later, she's shoved all the things she wants to keep back into the basket and put all the ones she doesn't want back onto their hangars.
"Let's go. I'm starving," Kara says.
Lena shakes, breathing a sigh of relief as they head back into the store proper and join a queue to buy their items.
"What would you like to eat?" Lena asks. "My treat."
Kara groans. "Oh my god. Lena, I didn't bring any money. I didn't even bring my phone."
Lena smiles. "I'd already noticed that. Don't worry about it. Besides, what good is having a rich best friend if she doesn't buy you a few clothes every now and then."
Kara pulls Lena into a tight hug. "You're the best."
"There's a burger place downstairs, want to see if they're as good as Big Belly?" Lena suggests.
"Yes!" Kara says immediately. "A burger sounds amazing."
"Good."
After their burgers, they make two more stops, one at Marks and Spencer to get Kara a suitcase to store her new clothes, and another at Tesco to pick up more food and a few basic toiletries (Lena still draws the line as sharing a toothbrush with her best friend).
Laden down with groceries and clothes, the flight back to the cottage is less comfortable for Lena than the flight to Dublin. Thankfully, it's over in a few minutes and they're back home with enough supplies for at least a couple more days.
Lena sets about cooking dinner while Kara sorts her new clothes. It's been a long time since Lena let herself just enjoy cooking, and she's surprised to realize she's missed it.
Kara emerge from the bedroom just as Lena finishes up with dinner. Her hair is freshly washed and damp around her shoulders. She's wearing a new set of pajamas and a pair of woolly socks.
"Thank you, for everything," Kara says, settling in at the little table. "Really Lena… I'm so glad I have you."
Lena smiles. "Even though you're missing game night?"
Kara shrugs. "It's not the same without you there."