Silence has always been an enemy, a space in which danger lurks and lets her mind run rampant to torment her up until her ears are once again filled with something other than her thoughts and memories she would much rather forget.
Nights alone at her loft are spent with the TV left on, the quiet droning often just enough to chase away her nightmares and intrusive thoughts and days where that's not possible, her super hearing is perfect for filling that gap, listening to the latest gossip around town.
The only times she has a real problem are when she's had a particularly hard fight, when her days have been so long and dreary that she comes home with tired bones and a distinct lack of energy that prevents her from listening out, forcing her to drown in the silence she tries so hard to avoid.
Those days were always the hardest, so bad at times that she started asking Alex to stay over, to keep her company, to at least have the sound of her sister's breathing to keep her company in the midst of her despair, but Alex has her own life, a portion of her time dedicated to her own family, to herself. Kara can't be mad about that.
Then she met Lena.
Seeing Lena's struggles and the way she wades through them awakened something in her. Seeing the way Lena will happily struggle alone not to burden anyone else with her issues even though Kara would never turn her away made her realize that maybe she too can ask for help without it being a burden, that maybe Lena wouldn't mind spending a couple of days with her when she needs the company.
It all led to her asking Lena one night if she could come over or maybe Kara could head over to her, that she needed a friend. Of course Lena said yes, already on her way before they could even end the phone call.
It started a tradition, one where all Kara had to do was ask and Lena would come over as soon as she could. It was a dangerous precedent to set though because Lena's presence has always been welcomed on days of both good and bad, meaning that there may have been a few requests that weren't solely because Kara was trying to avoid the quiet.
Now, over three years after their friendship first bloomed, they spend at least every other night with each other, whether that is at Kara's place or Lena's. Neither one of them complain though and at this point, there is no need for any kind of excuses or reasoning for it, they just do it.
With Lena, the silence doesn't bother her, it hasn't for a long time. Having that warm body next to her to keep her warm, to protect her from everything she feared keeps her sane and safe.
In fact, until now, Kara hasn't even really thought about it in quite some time, maybe that has something to do with the soft body pressed to her back, warm breath pouring over the back of her neck and reassuring slide of their skin pressing together in the cosy space in the bed.
She can tell by the even breaths that Lena is still very much in the grasp of the dream world but her twitchy fingers around Kara's own waist tell her that won't last long, she always gets twitchy when she is getting close to waking up.
Since she knows that she doesn't have much longer, she presses herself back into Lena, snuggling down into the embrace, committing it to memory even though she knows that she'll find herself right back here again tonight since it's a Saturday and they always spend their weekends together.
There's no place she feels comfier than in Lena's arms, surrounded by the warmth that she brings and the sanctuary she provides.
Lena makes herself known when she wakes up, pressing her lips to the back of Kara's neck a few times, kissing the exposed skin with as much love her sleepy form can muster.
"Morning."
Kara peeps over her shoulder at the groggy eyed brunette nuzzling into her. "Good morning."
"How long have you been up?" Lena murmurs, her voice still shrouded with sleep.
"Not too long, I'm happy to start the day off with snuggles and a lie in." Kara grips Lena's hands that are still around her waist, keeping them where they are.
Lena hums contentedly, happy to just keep lying here with Kara. "I'm so glad we don't have anywhere to be today, we can finally catch up on some of the shows we've fallen behind on."
"Sounds good."
They keep lying there, relishing in the morning sun that beams in through the bedroom window, lighting up the bed in a thin layer of warm light.
Lena's arms don't move at all, but her head does get tucked into the back of Kara's neck more firmly, so her nose rests against her, able to breath in Kara's natural honey-like scent.
"We should get up." Kara whispers after a while, getting a little bit hungry and craving Lena's famous pancakes.
"Just a little longer," Lena whispers right back, locking her hands together to stop Kara from separating them. "Tell me what you were thinking about before I woke up."
Kara giggles when Lena's hands press into her stomach even harder, loving how wanted she feels. "I was thinking about you, how you used to come over when I was having bad days, and how I barely have them anymore but when I do, they aren't as hard because you're always here."
Kara turns in Lena's arms only to find Lena's eyes welling up with tears, a few starting to drip down her cheeks from the memories alone. "I always hated those days, seeing you like that, all sad and hopeless, but not nearly as much as I loved having the chance to hold you and put your pieces back together again. Seeing you relax and all the tension drain out of your bones when I wrapped my arm around you made me feel powerful and useful in a way that I didn't even need. Thank you for letting me do that for you."
"Those days were always hard because the silence used to eat me up, make me relive moments that are better off left in the past. The immense loneliness that came in the quiet was the worst part, even when I was surrounded by people I felt alone but not when I was with you and now, knowing that you'll always be here, that I can come home to you almost every night, it makes me less alone."
The next words out of Lena's mouth are not at all what Kara is expecting, or even what Lena herself is expecting either.
"Move in with me."
"What?"
Lena takes a deep breath, then tries again. "We are practically living together anyway, and we've been together for almost a year. I would really like it if we could live together properly, not just doing this constant back and forth between out places, and I just really like waking up to you."
"You mean it?" Kara asks, not believing that such a wonderful woman really wants to live with her. She can barely believe that Lena has stuck with her for as long as she has, so to have her professing her desire to come home to her everyday is so much more than a dream come true.
"With all my heart." Lena answers, brushing her nose against Kara's. "How about we go make breakfast and talk it over?"
Kara nods, a hopeful smile taking its place on her face.
Lena finally releases her, climbing out of her side of the bed and grabbing the nearest shirt to cover herself, an old one of Kara's that she had long since claimed as her own, only letting Kara wear it every once in a while to get the 'Kara smell' back.
Taking her lead, Kara clambers out of her side, grabbing her robe instead of a shirt, always a little chilly in the mornings despite her powers. She can only blame the absence of Lena's warmth as to why.
Lena gets started on the pancakes, already knowing what Kara wants. She always asks for pancakes at the weekend. Kara heads right for the expensive coffee machine that Lena bought her a few months ago, fully aware that it was more a gift for herself than Kara because Kara's crappy machine has always made terrible coffee.
They fall into their normal rhythm, both thinking over Lena's request all the while, letting it sink in and swirl around their minds, doing mental pros and cons but both coming up with the same answer. They should do it.
As soon as the plates touch the table and they have sipped their respective coffees, the conversation starts right back up.
"So, about what you asked me." Kara starts, taking a second to clear her throat. "I think it's a great idea."
Lena lets out a relieved breath, insanely happy with the response and glad to get rid of the worry that had built up in her gut from not getting a direct answer a little while earlier. "I'm glad you think so."
"I do, but –"
"But what?" Lena's voice comes out higher than usual, nerves trickling out of her pores.
Kara nudges Lena's coffee closer to her. "But… you're being skittish so drink your coffee while I tell you that we need to plan where we are going to live together since we both currently have our own places.
A laugh bubbles in Lena's throat, amused at her own morning anxiety that is making her second guess herself. "Sorry, yes. We do need to talk about that."
"Well, I guess we have three options really: my loft, your penthouse or a totally new place."
"I imagined that you would come live with me in my apartment since it's bigger, closer to work and I already own it outright, but I get it if you would rather start fresh somewhere else together."
"That sounds like a very reasonable proposal, and I'd say that you have me sold on it. I'm not that fussy and if I'm being honest, I outgrew this lace a long time ago but never had a good enough reason to move on. You're a very good reason to move on."
Lena tilts her head to the side, confused. "I would have thought that you would think on it longer."
"There's nothing to think about. I don't care where we live as long as it's together, besides, we will probably move again someday anyway. Maybe somewhere with a good school nearby."
Lena's face lights up with recognition. "A school? You want to have kids with me someday."
Kara nods, grinning. "Yep, so let's get started on officially starting out lives together."
"Ok then, I guess we are moving in together."
"I guess we are."