Prologue
Anyone up for an angsty Karamel Human AU? I don't want to reveal much here but know the first chapter is probably coming out in August but I'm teasing it now because I kinda already have a lot of ideas.
Mon-El inserted the key into the lock, swinging open the door to Kara's apartment. With a hopeful tone, he called out her name, but the silence that greeted him made him pause.
As he stepped inside, his eyes fell upon the chaos that adorned the living room. Her belongings and clothes were strewn haphazardly, hinting at a night of passion or a wild evening drowned in alcohol. A soft chuckle escaped his lips at the rare sight before him, knowing that such situations were few and far between. Most of the instances he had witnessed were arguably influenced by Alex.
Surveying the scene with a discerning eye, and the lack of unfamiliar garments, he deduced that Kara was likely dealing with the aftermath of a hangover. So with a slight detour, Mon-El headed toward the kitchen and swiftly prepared a hangover-friendly breakfast. He meticulously crafted a veggie omelet with just the right amount of seasoning, a steaming cup of coffee to chase away the remnants of the previous night's indulgence, and a tall glass of refreshing water to rehydrate her most-likely parched body.
Although, Kara was already running late for work, Mon-El figured she might as well have a nourishing meal to ease her morning-after discomfort.
Setting the tray of food down on her cluttered coffee table, Mon-El took a moment to gather some of her scattered belongings, a gesture that triggered a bittersweet smile. Oh, have the tables have turned. Once upon a time, it would have been Kara cleaning up after his drunken escapades. A somber sigh escaped him when acknowledging she had assumed that role far more often than necessary.
With the living room now slightly more organized, Mon-El quietly ventured into Kara's room, diligently returning her clothes to their designated places. As he entered her personal space, he couldn't help but let out a restrained laugh at the sight that greeted him.
There she lay, sprawled across the bed, her legs stretched out sideways, and her head lolling off the pillow and a generous stream of drool leading up to her parted lips.
Mon-El couldn't help but acknowledge Kara's effort as he observed her clad in her pajamas. To her credit, she had managed to slip into them, although one sock remained partially hanging from her foot. A comical sight that he couldn't help but find amusing. He suppressed another chuckle, appreciating the little quirks that made Kara so endearing.
Calling her name once more, Mon-El approached her, his steps gentle so as not to disturb her slumber. He settled down beside her, captivated by the tranquility that washed over the room.
"Good morning, sleeping beauty" he whispered, his voice carrying both tenderness and amusement."You're late to work." He added.
Kara emitted an almost a guttural groan, her grip tightening on the pillow as she turned away from him.
Mon-El's laughter rippled through the air, filling the room with warmth as he positioned himself on her other side, facing her once more.
"No Kara, seriously." he gently prodded, his words laced with playful affection. "You're unbelievably late to work, wake up." He continued, adding a boop to her nose.
Reluctantly, she cracked open one eye, peering at him with a pout that tugged at his heartstrings. "Five more minutes, please," she pleaded, her voice laced with a mix of longing and weariness.
Unable to resist her charm, Mon-El's laughter swelled, his joyous mirth intertwining with her sleepy resistance. But with determination in his eyes, he attempted to rise from the bed, intent on lifting her gently in his arms. However, before he could make his move, Kara shimmied closer, wrapping her arms around his waist, effectively pinning him down.
"No... just a second, okay?" she pleaded, resting her head gently on his lap and emitting a soft hum. "You smell good," she murmured, the words tinged with a mixture of exhaustion and lingering effects of the previous night's indulgences.
A warm smile graced his lips as his fingers instinctively found their way into her silky tresses, his touch tender as he brushed strands of blonde hair away from her peaceful face. "And you smell like vomit," he teased.
After witnessing her expression morph into a mock pout, he reassured her, "But nothing a shower couldn't fix..."
"But I'm so tired, and you're so soft." Kara whined, as she instinctively buried her face deeper into his side, her voice muffled by his warmth.
Mon-El shook his head, determination in his eyes. "Come on." He said, a little more firm. If he allowed her to linger any longer, she would never rise from her slumber. "I made you breakfast. It's going to get cold," he insisted.
With one last, melodramatic groan, Kara relented. "Fine, you win." She reluctantly crawled off her bed, her feet dragging her wearily toward the awaiting bathroom.
Seizing the opportunity, Mon-El tidied up a bit more and reheated the omelet, having underestimated the time it would take to coax her into action. Yet, he knew it was better than having to endure her complaints about missing breakfast before having to face Snapper.
As he busied himself, time ticked away, and soon Kara emerged from the bathroom, her appearance transformed. Without hesitation, she walked over to the kitchen table and planted a tender kiss on Mon-El's cheek.
Mon-El felt a faint blush creep across his cheeks, surprised by the unexpected display of gratitude. "What was that for?" he asked, curiosity evident in his eyes.
A radiant smile played upon her lips as she spoke, her voice filled with warmth and appreciation. "For being such a good friend. I definitely would have kept sleeping and missed my deadline this afternoon."
Mon-El waved it off, his gaze softening. "It's no big deal, Kara. Just looking out for you."
Their gazes held for a lingering moment before Kara's attention shifted, her eyes filled adoration at the food in front of her.
"Listen, I'm going to be late for game night... I'm covering Megann's shift." Mon-El said. "She has a family thing."
"No worries." Kara nodded, fully comprehending the situation. "Take your time. And if you end up missing it, it's not a big deal, you were busy," Kara shrugged nonchalantly, as if attempting to downplay the significance of the event, but Mon-El saw through her facade.
"Right, and it has nothing to do with Barry pulling my name out of the game partners' bag," he added playfully.
A frown adorned Kara's features as she grumbled, "He stole you from me. You're my partner!"
Mon-El chuckled, his laughter filled with affection. "Come on, Kara. It's not really fair for us to win every time. You'll have fun!" Kara rolled her eyes, a playful glint shimmering within them.
"I have Alex," she retorted, her voice tinged with a mix of skepticism and fond exasperation. Mon-El tried his best to stifle his laughter, realizing the unpredictable dynamics that unfolded whenever Kara and Alex were paired together.
"Don't laugh at me!" she protested, punctuating her words with light taps against his arm. Mon-El quickly ceased his laughter, adopting a contrite expression.
"Ow! Okay, I'm sorry!" he exclaimed, surrendering to her playful assault. He ceased laughing when she released his arm, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I promise to be super late," he assured her.
Kara chuckled, a warm sound that resonated with his own amusement. "Thank you."
Glancing at his watch, Mon-El realized he needed to depart swiftly. "Gotta jet. Megann's shift starts now." As he kissed the top of Kara's head, intentionally ruffling her curls, he swiftly evaded her retaliatory swipe, sprinting away from her playfully outstretched hand.
Later that night, as the designated time for their gathering neared, neither Alex nor Mon-El had showed up, leaving Kara growing increasingly concerned. She called them both repeatedly, her worry escalating with each unanswered ring. Frustration and anxiety filled her voice as she finally reached Alex, who informed her that she had been caught up at work and couldn't make it.
Kara's concern shifted entirely to Mon-El, her mind plagued with thoughts of his whereabouts and well-being. With a furrowed brow, she enlisted the help of Winn and Barry, determined to find him.
The trio embarked on a search, starting at the local bar where Mon-El had been working. However, their inquiries yielded no trace of him. The bartender mentioned that he had left at the end of his shift, hours ago.
Puzzled, they moved on, checking Winn and Mon-El's shared apartment as a possibility, but Mon-El was nowhere to be found. Kara's worry escalated, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios. She was ready to involve the police, fearing something terrible had happened her best friend, but Barry interjected, explaining the protocol of waiting 24 hours before reporting a missing person.
The frustration and impatience welled up inside Kara, her emotions threatening to overflow. Just as she was about to voice her dissent and call the police anyways, her phone pierced the tense silence, jolting her into attention. It was Alex again. Kara's heart skipped a beat, relief washing over her momentarily at the thought that maybe Alex knew where Mon-El was. But in an instant, her hope got shattered by the next words that fell from her sister's lips.
"Kara..." Alex's voice trembled as she delivered the gut-wrenching news. "M-Mon-El is in the emergency room...i-it's not looking too great."
The world seemed to crumble around Kara as she absorbed the gravity of the situation. Without hesitation they raced to the hospital, fear and desperation etched onto Kara's face.
Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill over as she frantically approached Alex, pleading for access to see Mon-El. Alex's sigh was heavy with both sorrow and understanding, realizing that there was no point in arguing. She summoned her resolve and managed to convince a nurse to allow them entry into the room.
What Kara witnessed upon entering the hospital room was a sight too horrifying to put into words. Mon-El's face, swathed in multiple layers of gauze, stood as an unrecognizable mask. His fractured arms lay limp and immobilized, bearing witness to the pain inflicted upon him. A deep, savage gash marred his hand, a stark reminder of the brutality he endured. Both of his legs were ensconced in rigid casts, elevated in an effort to alleviate his suffering.
Kara's voice became lodged in her throat, rendering her incapable of uttering even a solitary syllable to Alex. With trembling steps, she approached the bedside where Mon-El lay, her every movement tentative and laden with trepidation, afraid of inflicting further harm upon his fragile state.
But before Kara could reach him, her heart shattered into a million pieces. Mon-El flat-lined, plunging the room into an abyss of despair.
Time seemed to freeze as her eyes widened in disbelief, refusing to accept the harsh reality before her. Desperation clawed at her very core, propelling her forward in an attempt to reach him, to offer any modicum of solace. However, Alex swiftly interposed, firmly holding Kara back, shielding her from the anguish that coursed through her being.
"Alex no!" Kara's anguished cries filled the sterile air, their echoes reverberating off the unforgiving walls as a flurry of medical professionals raced into action to revive Mon-El. Chaos swirled around Kara, her voice raw with anguish as she screamed his name, "Mon-El", an anguished plea for him to come back to her.
Alex's own tears threatened to spill over, her heart wrenching at the sight of her sister's unimaginable pain. This level of grief was incomprehensible, unveiling Kara's vulnerability in its rawest form.
"No! Mon-El! Please, don't leave me a-again!" Kara's voice splintered, each word choked by desperation and sorrow. Her body trembled, weakened by the weight of her anguish.
In a united effort, Barry and Winn assisted Alex in pulling Kara away from the devastating scene. Kara's body thrashed and contorted in anguish, her cries piercing the air, her entire being consumed by a grief so profound that Alex questioned if she had witnessed such pain from her sister before. Tears ran down her own cheeks as she held onto Kara, both physically and emotionally, trying to provide a shred of comfort amidst the unyielding pain.
"Let me go!" Kara fought hard against the confines of her friends' embrace, her heart wrenching to be reunited with Mon-El's side. "Mon-El! Wake up!" Hot tears streamed down her face, blurring her vision as she strained to reach him, as if her touch could breathe life back into his broken form.
But Mon-El remained motionless, his body unresponsive to her anguished cries and and the futile sparks of electricity coursing through the medical equipment. Time seemed to stand still, encapsulated in an eternal moment of sorrow.
"Don't go..." Kara whispered, her voice, raw and shattered, reverberated through the hospital corridors, carrying her shattered soul's cry for the love she had lost.
The relentless passage of time seemed to mock Kara's shattered world as the doctors exchanged somber glances. With heavy hearts, they approached Mon-El's lifeless body, their hushed murmurs carrying the weight of an irrevocable truth. At precisely 11:05 pm, the words that shattered Kara's spirit fell from their lips, cutting through the air like a knife.
Mon-El was gone.
The finality of those words crashed over her with brutal force, plunging her into a desolate abyss.
The early morning sunlight spilled through the curtains, casting a feeble glow upon the man with disheveled brown hair and weary gray eyes. His reflection stared back at him through the bathroom mirror, the lenses of his prescription glasses tinged with a hint of sorrow. Drops of water trickled down his tired face as he mechanically dried his hair, their descent mirroring the heaviness that weighed upon his soul.
He moved through the motions with a sense of resignation, selecting a button-down shirt and dark jeans that concealed his true emotions. The fabric clung to him like a mask, disguising the turmoil that brewed within. As he peered into the mirror, the glimmer of confidence in his eyes flickered momentarily, overshadowed by a profound sense of loneliness.
Leaving the solitude of his bedroom, he ventured into the kitchen, greeted by the bittersweet aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the remnants of a solitary meal. He poured a bowl of cereal, its taste dull against the backdrop of his solitude. Each bite felt hollow, a reminder of the emptiness that lingered within him, despite the nourishment his body received.
Time slipped away, signaling the approaching hour of departure. As he gathered his belongings, his gaze wandered to the window hanging near the front door. The outside world beckoned, filled with faces and connections he yearned for but couldn't have. With a lingering glance, he absorbed the view outside, a tableau of life and companionship that felt forever out of reach. It served as a cruel reminder of his isolated existence.
With a heavy sigh, he straightened his posture, the weight of his circumstances pressing down upon him. The facade he wore grew heavier with each passing day, concealing the depth of his longing. Yet, in that moment, a flicker of determination ignited within his eyes, a faint glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, things could change.
As he crossed the threshold of his home, he stepped into a world that offered no solace, no understanding of his hidden pain. Each stride carried him further from the window, from the faint glimpse of a life he had once known. Deep within his fractured heart, a yearning burned relentlessly, an ache for the connection and belonging he had lost.
But as he passed the window, Mon-El's desolate gaze fixated on the outside world, a silent plea for someone to see through his disguise, to offer him respite from the solitude that consumed him. The truth of his predicament, the lack of agency that brought him here, festered beneath the surface. And so, he trudged forward, bearing the weight of his involuntary solitude, his true emotions concealed within the shadows, longing for a glimmer of hope to guide him through the darkness.