"So where's Diana?" Ruby asked. She reached forward, grabbing a handful of popcorn then leaned back into the sofa, nestling her shoulder against Lena's side. Lena smiled warmly down on her and put her arm around her kissing her forehead as she gently squeezed her further into her side. She turned to Sam with a smug expression and Sam pretended to be offended by her daughter's blatant show of favoritism and folded her arms petulantly as she sunk further into the armchair.
"She should be here soon. She got held up at the museum. A couple of artifacts that were on loan at the National City Museum and have to be transported back to the Louvre next week. She was asked to clean and restore a few of them before they're shipped." Kara supplied. "Are you excited to meet her or something?" Her voice ticked upward along with her whole body as she looked hopefully up at Ruby from her spot on the floor across from her. She and Alex were resting against the ottoman as they both wanted to stay within arms reach of the popcorn bowl.
Ruby shrugged her shoulders. "Not particularly." She tossed a few kernels of popcorn into her mouth and Kara visibly deflated but the smile on her face suggested she was more amused at Ruby's nonchalance to be particularly offended by it. Lena, however, squeezed her a little tighter. She knew she liked this kid. "I mean it is pretty cool that she's Wonder Woman…" Lena frowned at that. Well the jury's still out on the little twerp then. "I heard she has a lasso that makes people tell the truth?"
"Compels them." Diana said, smiling at the whip of heads all turning in tandem in her direction. She stepped into the loft, closing the door behind her. "And it's not something I enjoy enforcing on someone, no one should have their free will stripped away." She looked around the room. "Hello everyone, I'm sorry I kept you waiting."
"Hey!" Kara jumped up from her spot on the floor rushing to meet her by the entranceway. Diana's smile widened and she placed a hand on Kara's cheek to draw her in for a kiss. Kara pecked her lightly on the lips and took her things while Diana came around the sofa sitting on the edge of the open ottoman.
"You mean to say you've never used it on someone to hear what they are thinking?" Ruby asked with disbelief in her voice.
Lena smacked Ruby in the shoulder and craned her neck to look down at her. "Hey, manners. She just walked in the door."
Ruby flinched at the reprimand. Sam smirked at Lena's instinctive maternal skills. No matter how often Lena denied it, she was a great influence on Ruby and things like this assured her that she made the right choice in designating her as Ruby's godmother. Ruby looked at Diana, "I'm sorry. Hi. I'm Ruby." She flicked her thumb in Sam's direction. "Her minion in training." Diana's eyes bounced happily from all three and nodded her head in greeting as she smiled back at Ruby. "Hello Ruby, it's nice to meet you." She answered back.
"Satisfied?" Ruby asked Lena cheekily.
Kara laughed lightly at the pair as she sat back down in front of Diana, next to Alex on the floor, her hand reaching back to rest on top of Diana's leg.
Lena shifted her eyes away and nodded her head at Ruby.
"All formalities are sufficiently met?" Ruby inquired sarcastically.
"Yes, thank you." Lena said, her tone, in fact, sounding very pleased.
Ruby smiled brightly, seemingly proud of herself and shifted in Lena's side to focus her attention back on Diana dramatically, making a show of sucking in a deep breath before exhaling, "So…you mean you've never used the lasso on someone just for the fun of it to hear what they are thinking?" She repeated the question only this time her voice got more incredulous as she widened her eyes and exaggeratedly enunciated each word. Sam, Alex and Kara all threw popcorn at her in unison. Lena and Ruby instinctively raised their arms over their heads as shields.
"Hey, hey, hey! Friendly fire! Friendly Fire!" Lena protested as they all laughed and proceeded to sling more popcorn at each other.
Diana watched, lightly chuckling as she swatted stray popcorn away when one or two dared to get past Kara. She raised a perfect brow in tandem with the corner of her mouth as she fought back her own amusement at the interaction between the five of them. After a few more were thrown for good measure, Ruby looked down to see she had a smattering of popcorn kernels clinging to her shirt so she flicked it out with her fingers to rid it of the stray pieces, one of which flew up and into Lena's shirt in a perfect arch.
"Nice shot!" Alex laughed, applauding Ruby. Lena narrowed her eyes at Alex and reached down for it, pulling it out from where it fell in between the swells of her breasts and flung it at Alex's head and watched as it soared through the air bounced off Alex's head and smacked Kara on the shoulder. Lena winced and mouthed 'oops' to Kara who grabbed the popcorn and feigned to be hurt. Their shoulders shook as they laughed silently at themselves before Kara stopped Lena's heart all together when she decided to pluck it into her mouth and eat it.
"Two for two!" Ruby exclaimed as she raised her hand to high five Lena, completely oblivious to Lena's internal freak out session. Lena quickly high fived Ruby.
"I'm sorry I really do want to know, but apparently I'm the mature one tonight." Ruby deadpanned to Diana, inspiring a collective gasp in response.
Diana laughed fully as she took in the room. She looked down at Kara, her hand resting on her shoulder. "Is it always like this?"
"Oh it gets worse, this is just us getting warmed up."
"I'm in for a treat then." Diana said. She leaned back on her other hand slightly as she relaxed. She turned and focused her attention on Ruby. "Yes, when I was younger, I did abuse the lasso in such a way, but it's one of many regrets I have to live with. I have found, rather unfortunately, that most people's thoughts are often not what is actually spoken aloud. More often than not it is filtered. We tend to censure ourselves whether for the sake of others or for our own benefit. Either way, forcing those thoughts to the surface can oftentimes lead to more trouble than what it's worth. People are often dishonest with themselves and don't even realize it, especially in matters of the heart."
"So you've never used it on Kara?"
Kara choked on a kernel and Alex patted her back, snickering lightly to herself.
"Ruby!" Sam chastised. "You're bordering on inappropriate." She warned.
Diana didn't seem too concerned at least and shrugged. "I don't have to force what I already can see." She looks down at Kara who's looking at her with a soft look. "She shows me through her actions just as much as she conveys so with her words. And—"
"Actions speak louder than words." Ruby finished for her but Diana shook her head. Her lips pulled into a patient smile. "Actually I was going to say I'm not so insecure that I have to coerce Kara to affirm her affections by force."
"But what if Kara was harboring unrequited feelings for someone else?" Ruby glanced at Kara. "Wouldn't you want to know?" Kara looked like a deer caught in headlights.
"Kid! Can it." Sam reiterated her eyes shooting daggers at her daughter to hold her tongue.
Ruby ignored her and turned to Kara. "I mean what's the harm really when you know the answer is an obvious one right?"
"Uh…" Kara floundered as her eyes darted from Ruby's to Lena's, who stiffened the moment their eyes met before quickly averting her attention back to Ruby again.
"I'm just saying, like, if you were to ask Alex who her favorite sibling was, the answer is obviously Kara so what's the harm in asking with the lasso when the answer is known?"
"The lasso compels truth. Regardless of whether that person is willingly offering it or not. So even if, by your example Kara was compliant and freely spoke the truth, the lasso would make that confession come forth forcefully which is an exceedingly unpleasant feeling." Diana answered somberly. "It is why I only use it in the most extreme of circumstances. I do not take that ability lightly." She said, firmly ending the debate.
Ruby seemed to take the hint. "Oh. I'm sorry, that actually sounds like a lot of responsibility."
"It is. But it has other uses, ones not as intrusive but just as effective, that is not all it can do." Diana said hoping that would alleviate some of the child's sudden shyness. "You are a curious little one." Diana observed aloud appreciatively.
"Lena told me once that 'curiosity breeds innovation'." Ruby looked up at Lena who smiled fondly down at her, slightly surprised.
"That's right." She said. "I can't believe you remember that."
"I remember everything you teach me." Ruby nudged her shoulder into Lena's with a quirk in her smile.
Sam waved her arms and snapped her fingers. "Umm, excuse me, hello? Where does that excellent memory go when I tell you every Tuesday and Friday to take out the trash and you forget every time! Or when I tell you repeatedly that chips and coke aren't breakfast, or clean your room, or–"
"It's a selective memory mom. I remember things that cool people tell me." Ruby interrupts. Sam's eyes became saucers and her face morphed to an expression that screamed 'Oh hell no!' without the words having to be said. Lena's hand, that wasn't holding Ruby, shot up to her mouth to cover her own surprise and bubbling laughter.
Alex snickered and Sam leaned back in her chair to throw her leg out to kick her lightly in the side. Alex caught it and squeezed just above her knee causing Sam to squeal.
"Truce!" She yelled and Alex released her happily. Their eyes lingered on one another a moment too long, before Kara broke the moment. "Well I guess that means you remember what I tell you too then right kid?" Her eyes wiggled up and down as she sat up straighter with inflated confidence in herself.
Ruby looked at her stoically and replied matter of factly. "No, cause you're a dork."
More popcorn was thrown.
Eventually they pulled out the games and the familial bickering seemed to remain prevalent as the night progressed. Ruby and Alex teamed up as did Lena and Sam, leaving Kara and Diana coupled accordingly. Lena and Sam were taking the lead on the leaderboard, having won the game of Life, Scrabble, and Monopoly, even after a long protest and compromise of doing the shortened version of Monopoly for times sake. Kara and Diana dominated in pictionary, and Ruby and Alex boasted their victory in Apples to Apples.
Kara began putting boxes of pizza to the side and Lena made her way to the Kitchen to start tidying up as Diana, Alex, Ruby and Sam all continued to play ping pong tic tac toe. Nine red solo cups filled with water centered around the table in rows of three's as Diana and Ruby took turns bouncing the ping pongs off the table into the cups to try and get three in a row.
Kara sidled up next to Lena, grabbing a dish towel to help dry as Lena continued to wash and said in just above a whisper. "Alex and Sam seem to be sitting awfully close on the couch over there." Lena glanced over her shoulder to where Kara was also watching the two of them and smiled.
"Certainly seems that way." She confirmed. Her eyes darted to Kara's and they shared a conspiratorial look before Lena ducked her head down smiling at the dish she was currently washing in the sink.
"So what are the chances Sam and Alex both like each other? I mean I know Alex has been secretly crushing on her since they first met during that whole Reign debacle." Kara continued, as she set the plate down and grabbed a new one.
Lena looked up at Kara questioningly. "Surely not." She said, disbelieving.
"She's the worst at admitting feelings, especially when she doesn't think anything will come from it. She and Ruby did leave for a couple years, returning back to Metropolis. Didn't exactly leave room for her to test the waters so to speak." Kara pointed out.
"Well Sam is my best friend…" Lena turned her hip into the side of the counter to face Kara more and picked a small piece of popcorn off the surface of her shirt lightly brushing the spot free of wrinkles in the process. "…and I will not gossip about what I may or may not be able to confirm with one hundred percent certainty that she is absolutely interested." Lena said, pursing her lips together as she glanced up at Kara who looked positively gleeful.
"I knew it!" Kara exclaimed in a shouted whisper. They both giggled together quietly trying not to draw too much attention to themselves. "Oh we have to do something to get them together! They'd be perfect for each other! And Alex adores Ruby." Kara bounced on the balls of her feet.
"Easy there tiger." Lena said in a hushed tone. "What makes you think they need our help anyway?"
"Oh come on! My sister basically told me what's the point in dating anymore. After Maggie and Kelly both left her she's a little gun shy." Lena bit her lip as she looked at Kara expectantly. Kara stared back blankly before she realized what she said and rolled her eyes.
"Ok 'gun shy' was a very poor analogy in regards to my sister." She acquiesced. Lena chuckled, her eyes drifting back down to the plate in her hand to avoid the gravitational pull she always felt when in such close proximity to Kara.
"Well leave it to me then, I think I have an idea." Lena said, winking at Kara who nearly squealed with delight.
"It's all in the wrist Rubes." Alex coached from her spot on the sofa as Sam leaned slightly into her to view around Ruby to the plastic cups. Diana and Ruby had scratched three games so far and Ruby had a chance to win if she bounced her ping pong into the middle left cup.
Ruby stuck the tip of her tongue just outside her lips in deep concentration. She bounced the ping pong and held her breath along with her mom and Aex as they watched as the ball bounced on the table once then clinked the lip of the targeted cup and shot in a straight line off the table and onto the floor. A collective groan resounded from all three of them as Diana smiled silently at her chance to achieve her own victory.
"That's ok Ruby, you still got this it's not over til it's over." Alex encouraged as Ruby followed the runaway ball towards the open foyer between the living room and the kitchen.
Diana hummed. "I don't know, I think I may just put her out of her misery here and now…" She looked up to where Ruby stood, ball in hand where she threw her own challenging look back towards the Amazonian. However Diana's attention was fixed just behind Ruby where she saw Kara laughing at something Lena had said. They were standing close together doing dishes, but there was something in the way Lena looked at Kara and glanced back down and Kara's eyes lingered on Lena's face that made her gut clench uneasily.
Diana shifted her focus to the task at hand and tapped the ball easily into the cup on the top corner earning her the victory.
"Whoa!" Sam said impressed. "You barely looked! Did you just secretly play us all?"
Kara heard and turned around from her spot at the sink. A sweeping smile lit up her face. "You won?"
Diana gave a short smile and watched as Kara danced happily in her spot raising her arms in victory. "Yes!" She ran over to Diana and picked her up in a swooping hug kissing her soundly on the lips, making Diana laugh. "Ok, ok put me down!" Kara set her down obligingly and Diana kissed her cheek. "Thank you. If I'd known winning would produce such a reaction I'd have tried a lot harder at understanding the rules of the other games."
"Well looks like we will just have to practice then huh?" Kara flirted.
"I think I could be persuaded." Diana countered back.
"Easy there Kara, Lena and I still won over all." Sam said.
"By a technicality! Diana and I would've crushed you both in scrabble if we could've used words from other languages." Kara argued back.
"It's only fair." Lena said. "Alex and Ruby wouldn't have had a chance."
"Hey!" Ruby exclaimed. "I'll have you know I speak Spanish and Portuguese, thank you very much." Sam beamed at her daughter pridefully "that's right baby you tell them!"
"Mom! Don't call me baby in front of all our friends." Ruby chided.
Sam rolled her eyes, her heart leaping in her chest at Ruby's claim on her friends. She never thought she'd be so lucky to have such close friendships let alone that they would all take her daughter under their wing and make her just as much a part of the group as everyone else. "You'll be 65 and I'll still be calling you baby, so it's best to just get used to it."
Lena walked over to her honorary niece and leaned in but said loudly. "It was really more for Alex's sake." She glanced at Kara who bit her lip to hide her smile knowingly. Alex was so easy to provoke and Lena had that look like she was about to poke the bear. "Poor thing is the only one who isn't even bilingual. I was trying to not make her feel like the black sheep. She's got such a low self esteem as it is." Alex leaped off the couch and Lena squealed as she ran in a large circle while Alex chased her down, nearly catching her before Lena threw a pillow at her head and retreated behind the couch. "No, stop!" Lena exclaimed, knowing she was on thin ice and had to tread lightly. Alex stood in front of the couch crouched. Lena held her hands out in front of her, placatingly both of them trying and failing to hide their smiles.
"I may only speak English, but it doesn't mean I can't wipe that smirk off your face Luthor." Alex challenged.
Kara laughed as she squeezed Diana's hand. "Aaannnd this is where game nights always become epic. Alex and Lena showdowns are award winning."
Alex moved to the left in an attempt to begin the chase again and Lena moved in tandem. "Wait!" Lena protested flinching when Alex looked like she was about to move again. She stood firm and gave her most withering Luthor stare. "I can and will use my vast resources to destroy you. Do not come any closer."
"You can't threaten me. Or are you forgetting I have my own set of unique skills Lena?"
"Alex, I'm warning you, I won't be held responsible for my actions." Lena said, her eyebrow raising in a silent challenge to take the bait.
"Just take back what you said…"
Lena bit her lip knowing her next words would send Alex over the edge and she glanced around the room as everyone watched with varying degrees of enjoyment, Kara was practically beaming sunlight. She smirked then and proceeded to shrug ever so slowly leveling the older Danvers with another challenging glare. "How can I when it's the truth?"
Sam's chuckled "oh no." was what sent Alex leaping over the couch. Only to be thrown back against it in short succession. Alex gasped stunned as she looked up from her crumpled spot on the floor to a smug billionaire.
"I've been on the receiving end of countless assassination attempts, Alex. It'd serve you well not to underestimate me."
"Whhaaat just happened?!" Ruby exclaimed happily as she bounded behind the couch to see Alex picking herself up still stunned from the quick maneuver and ass kicking Lena just dealt her.
"Alright. That was… yep. Good one Luthor. I think I bruised a rib." Alex deadpanned as she took hold of Lena's offered hand to stand up. She winced and tucked into her left side a bit, her arm coming up protectively over her ribs.
Sam came to Alex's side and put an arm around her. "Are you really hurt?" She asked, concerned. Alex looked up at her suddenly flustered and trying her best not to wince. "Oh this is nothing. You should see the other guy."
Sam scoffed and smiled "she's right over there and looks like she could go a few more rounds." She eyed Lena warily, who just winked in response and dusted off her hands.
"Well let me and Ruby take you home at least. There's no way I'm letting you ride that death trap home all banged up." Sam suggested softly neither one seemed to acknowledge the rest of the room.
"Y-yeah, alright." Alex smiled back. "Hey Kara, can you?" Alex turned to her sister.
"You're good. Just banged up." Kara stated simply.
Lena's mouth dropped and she looked back at Kara. "Did you just X-ray your sister for injuries?" Kara looked slightly shamed and raised her shoulders. "She just asked me to!"
Lena whipped her head around "I barely touched you, you baby!" She exclaimed at Alex.
"Game night, next month. Beware Luthor. Beware." Alex teased as Sam walked her towards the front door never having attempted to remove her arms from Alex's waist.
"Bye guys." Kara went around and gave hugs to the three of them and walked with them to the door. Alex and Kara shared a look between them when Sam turned away to grab her things as well as Alex's helmet.
"I should be heading out too." Lena said as she also collected her things from the hook. She walked over to Alex and smiled. "I am sorry I hurt you." Lena pulled her in for a hug and whispered "Though I suspect you'll be in capable hands." She pulled away and eyed Sam suggestively and if Alex's whole body could it would have shaded a deep crimson.
Sam turned around with everything in her hands and looked softly at Alex. "Ready?" Alex swallowed harshly and nodded, allowing Sam to guide her out the door. "Bye to you too Sam!" Lena called after her.
"Later gator!" Sam called back. Lena wanted to laugh at her friend's obvious favoritism. "Bye Ruby, stop by for lunch next week my treat." She kissed Ruby on the top of her head.
"Steak and truffle Mac and cheese?" Ruby asked excitedly.
"I've spoiled you too much haven't I?" Lena laughs. Ruby gives her a cheesy grin. "And I'm still a sucker for that face!" Lena said as she squeezed Ruby's chin between her thumb and finger affectionately.
"So yes?"
"Just name the day and I'll have Jess set a reservation." Lena said and her eyes twinkled when Ruby did a small fist pump and thanked her before trailing behind Sam and Alex.
"She gets reservations, while I've become your personal super door dasher." Kara says as she walks over to Lena giving her a hug and Lena's stomach swoops with nervous energy as she wraps her own arms around Kara all too aware of a set of hazel eyes observing the interaction. She quickly untangles herself, suppressing the feeling of loss she instantly feels and smiles back at her. "Ruby will always get special treatment."
"She's lucky to have you." Kara says softly a flash of something crosses her eyes but it passes too quickly for Lena to read it. "Good night Lena."
"Good Night Kara." Lena says softly and quickly peels her eyes away to meet Diana's. "It was nice to see you outside the office for once, Diana."
"Yes, I enjoyed everyone's company immensely, it was…illuminating." Diana says, a pleasant smile on her face as she stepped forward and offered her own hug to Lena. She stepped back and Kara tucked her arm around Diana's waist casually. Lena's eyes couldn't help follow the movement.
"Enjoy the rest of your evening." Lena escaped into the hallway and breathed in a heavy gulp of air before exhaling it slowly shutting her eyes and shoved the sharp twinge of pain away into a tiny box. Leaving the two of them alone shouldn't be this hard. She needed a distraction. She pulled her phone out and quickly pulled up and dialed the number from her contacts, willing the small voice of reason to shut up for once as she made her quick escape.