#...actually i figured i was saving the softest & cutest for last with this one but then i started writing and??

[byanyan]

“ your full name’s yeong-hwang, huh? ” he takes a good look at them, taking in every little detail of their face. yeah, it’s hard to picture them being a yeong-hwan. “ byan’s perfect for you, you do not look like someone with a name like that. ”

call byan by their full name, see how they respondㅤㅤ∘ ˚ ( accepting!! )

ㅤnerves jitter beneath their skin, hearing their birth name coming out of sol's mouth. it's uncomfortable to hear it from anyone, but to come from the one who knows them best (yet still not fully... there's so much left to share with him that they're not quite sure how, or if they'll ever be able to)... there's something uniquely distressing about it. byan can practically feel the fight or flight instinct kicking in, gaze dropping the moment he starts scrutinizing their face. despite knowing that sol isn't likely to think any differently of them, as he's only ever been incredibly accepting of every piece of them, there's a fear that tightens in their chest regardless — the same one that always seems to rear its ugly head when any of the more real details about them are laid out on the table for another to ingest. it's so... exposing. it shouldn't be, it's not exactly a secret when yeong-hwan is arguably what most people have known and referred to them as throughout the vast majority of their life, but it's more complicated than just being a name that they hate, there's so much more tied to it, and the 'what if's start to creep their way in against byan's will.

fortunately, sol's voice breaks the silence again before they can spiral too far. before they can freak themself out so badly that all they can do is flee.

for a long moment, byan merely sits with the words, eyes intent on hands that have curled into anxious fists in their lap. they're very simple, all things considered. arguably one of the most normal comments someone has ever made in regard to their names. but that's... not a bad thing. on the contrary, there's something relieving about it, something that lifts the crushing weight of fear from their chest and allows them to breathe again.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤbyan's perfect for you.

ㅤ—oh god. ohhh no. a lump has formed in their throat that wasn't there before, and they can feel that tell-tale sting pricking in their eyes. son of a bitch. why the hell are they on the verge of crying over this? it's not as if they haven't had people opt to use their nickname before, or even had people tell them that byan suits them better than yeong-hwan does! they sure never cried in those moments — felt more emotion over it than they cared to admit, sure, but never cried! why on earth is sol's response the one causing such a ridiculous overreaction?!

ㅤ...they know why, of course; it's because it's him. him, sol, their boyfriend, the one who they've allowed further in than anyone else, who has only ever wanted to know and understand more about them, and who has accepted every single piece of them he's ever been presented with, no matter how awful or strange or pathetic. he's the one they care about most, love the most, and are most terrified of eventually crossing that line with where they become too much for him. of course his response is more meaningful to them than any other.

it's still stupid, to be so affected by something so small as his reaction to learning their full name. it's such an inane little thing, but to byan... it's more symbolic than that. it's a further acceptance of them for who they are. it's him perceiving them in the way that they want to be seen. it's all of these things that they've always craved but never been given, but here this dumb boy is, giving all of it to them at once.

ㅤgod, how did they ever end up here with him? they don't deserve him.

heat entering their face in all the embarrassment that washes over them at the sensation of tears only continuing to well up, byan licks their lips and opens their mouth, but no words come out. they're... not sure of what to say, and truthfully, even if they did know what to say, they don't trust that their voice wouldn't tremble should they make any effort to speak. part of them wants to get up and leave, to come back once they've calmed down, and for a moment... they almost do. lurching forward in their seat, they have to dig their nails into their palms to fight the urge off. (they're trying to get better about this. about being open. about letting him see those parts of them they're still afraid to share. that includes their emotions and their moments of vulnerability.) face still turned downward in an effort to hide the tears that haven't quite started to fall, they remain frozen in a state of uncertain hesitation, unsure of how to proceed but most certainly not wanting sol to just watch them cry.

then, as if coming to a decision all at once and not wanting to give themself a chance to reconsider, they're moving forward again. rather than standing up and bolting out of the room, however, they all but lunge at sol, arms swinging to wrap around his shoulders and pulling him in against them. biting the inside of their cheek, byan holds onto him tightly, burying their face against his shoulder and breathing in the scent they've come to find so soothing. they still don't trust themself with words just yet, but... for the time being, they figure he'll get what they're trying to convey just fine without them.

ㅤㅤㅤthank you... i love you.

[writersrealmbts]

Joining His Pack: Trials

Description: Sanctuary Series: Joining His Pack. Things have been crazy since you fell ill, and there isn��t really an end in sight.

Warnings:

Posted: 05/12/2020

Tags:  Hybrid Namjoon, Wolf Hybrid Namjoon, Wolf Hybrid Reader

Angst/Fluff: 2,845 words

A/N: Only one part left after this one!

You looked around with wide eyes, wrapped in a thicker coat than would normally be necessary for this time in May. But ever since your mini-heat reaction to the suppressants—which just meant you’d have a bigger one in a few months, that’s how you always reacted—you’d been a little temperature sensitive. You walked around Namjoon’s apartment wrapped up in blankets, and wore lots of sweaters and all of his sweatshirts (he didn’t seem to mind).

But you were starting to get better, finally. And court dates had been set.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see,” Namjoon replied, grinning.

You huffed and leaned back.

He turned down a gravel drive.

You sat up straighter, frowning slightly, until finally a house came into view.

Your house.

Your den.

Home.

You looked at him excitedly. “Is it...?”

“It’s ours, baby. We closed the day after you were discharged, but I wanted to get the windows in before I brought you.” He parked, and turned to grin at you.

You’d still been out of it when discharged, but it wasn’t anything that the doctors were concerned about. Just more side effects from the suppressants, but it had kept you mostly bedridden and groggy and not too aware of the passing of time. The pack had been visiting to keep you company while he was at work and whatnot, especially the pack pups because they helped give you more clarity throughout the day. Plus, who wouldn’t want to cuddle pups?

But this was exciting. This explained why the past couple of days you couldn’t find things that you swore you knew the locations of. This explained why he didn’t want you going to your place to get things.

“We’ve got it fixed up enough to live in, not perfect, but enough. Enough for us to be comfortable. And we moved your stuff in already. My family has been sneaking stuff out of my place all week.” He looked pretty proud of having surprised you with this.

You squealed and threw yourself across the console to kiss him. “This is the best surprise ever. I love you. I love you. I love you.” You peppered his face with kisses, ignoring his embarrassed laughter and finishing with a quick peck on his lips before you hurried out of the car to take in the sight of your house.

Even though he said they’d only done a few things, you could tell it had to be more than that. The windows looked completely replaced, the siding looked like it had a fresh coat of paint, and the porch had temporary supports. Everything looked cleaner, and the garden beds had been cleared of weeds and carefully planted.

“You happy?” He asked softly, wrapping his arms around you.

“Aren’t you?”

He nodded, pressing a kiss to your shoulder. “I’d carry you over the threshold, but—”

“You’ll do nothing of the sort. You already re-injured yourself while taking care of me during that mess, I’m not risking your well-being now.” You hit him lightly, then bounced. “Let’s go in!”

He laughed and took your hand, leading you up the porch and to the (brand new) front door, unlocking it and letting you enter first.

You looked around, breathing in air that smelt slightly of your pack, slightly of cleaners like pine-sol, and fresh air. Then lilac, from the bouquet of lilacs on the fireplace mantle. “Just enough to live in, huh?”

He was quiet, and when you looked back, he looked just as shocked at the sight of new flooring, and freshly painted walls. “I…they…must have worked on it more since last time.”

You grinned and wrapped your arms around his waist to just take it all in for a moment before gasping and rushing through to see the kitchen again.

The thorough cleaning made your adorable kitchen even better. They’d replaced the dingy light-fixture with a new one, which was really nice because if you remembered correctly it didn’t even make it to the counter below it.

And the master bedroom had a bed in it—that you promptly flopped on—and the room smelled like you and Namjoon, with subtle undertones of the pack (especially the littlest two of the pack pups, which you figured wasn’t too surprising since this blanket was the softest one you owned.

“Happy?”

“Ecstatic,” You exclaimed into the bedding, breathing in his scent. The way it mixed with yours. The slightly milky smell of pups.

He flopped down next to you.

“But…what are you going to do about your apartment?”

“Oh, well, Jimin’s landlord actually is a jerk and he tried to rip them off, so they’re going to move in there for now. Save up for a place they actually want for a while, and then Yoongi’s said he wants it if he can manage to get a transfer.”

You made a happy sound, and wiggled closer, resting your head on his arm. “So, are we sleeping here?”

He nodded. “If that’s okay with you?”

You nodded. “Do we have clothes here?”

“You definitely do. I’ve got some clothes here. Enough to supply me for work for the next few days.” He sighed as he relaxed. “But I can also stop by after work tomorrow and get more of our stuff.”

“You’re sure they’re okay with you missing as much work as you have?” You asked quietly, resting a hand on his chest.

“They understand, and I’ve been working from home most days where I couldn’t leave you, so I’m not exactly behind. Actually, they seemed pretty happy to let me have Tuesday off because apparently I’m ahead of everyone.” He stretched, making your head drop to the bed.

You sighed, pouting slightly at the loss of your pillow before rolling back to your feet and bouncing out to the kitchen. “Do we have food here?”

“Knowing my family? Probably.”

You opened the fridge and freezer simultaneously and grinned. “Your pack is the best.”

“They’re your pack too, baby.”

“Not yet.”

“You know I couldn’t mate you while you were sick,” He called softly.

“I know. And I do consider them my pack, but it’s still more natural to call them your pack. Oooh! Ice cream!” You grabbed the container and hugged it briefly before putting it back. “So, I was thinking.”

“Uh oh.” He came in and leaned against the counter while watching you pull out one of the dishes someone left for you two.

“Preheat the oven? 375,” You told him, reading the instructions. “Anyway, Ariel mentioned that her one friend just started her own little shop where she sells jams, preserves, candies, and ice-creams and that she was looking for someone to help for the summer. Maybe I could see if she would hire me?”

“Are you sure?”

“I mean, I’m basically fired from the clothing shop, and even if it is just for the summer, it would still be some little bit of income. Enough to help us with groceries, because lets face it, we eat a lot of meat.” You went to him and kissed him gently. “Besides, how crazy do you think I would go without something to occupy my time? I mean, we’re going to have some gardens and I really do want to work on our Christmas trees, but it’s going to take some time.”

He was smiling down at you softly, and his fingers gently brushed your cheek. “This is the most rational you’ve sounded in a while, baby. It’s nice to hear.”

You hugged him. “Sorry I’ve been such a mess.”

He chuckled. “Hey, you put up with the messes I make.” Then he kissed the top of your head. “You’re my little wolf. I would cross the world for you. I can handle a little messiness.”

You relaxed, breathing him in until the oven beeped to let you both know that it had finished preheating.

He put the dish in the oven while you set a timer and got out the strawberries and started washing them.

“But the store thing, good idea or not?”

“As long as it doesn’t become too stressful for you, baby, I think you should try for it. After we settle all of this legal stuff.” He took a strawberry and popped it into his mouth.

“I didn’t take the stems off,” You said, staring at him in surprise. “I mean, they’re edible...but probably pretty bitter.”

He nodded, turning away to pull the stem from his mouth.

You smiled at your mess of a mate. “My dorky baby.”

He chuckled, looking slightly embarrassed.

“Hungry, honey bunch?” You asked, wrapping your arms around his waist. “You ready to eat?”

“Isn’t that why you’re washing the strawberries?” He countered, but he was still flustered as you pressed flirty little kisses to his neck. His hands found your waist.

“Mmhmm,” You agreed, on your toes to nibble on his ear.

“Babe…you’re still recovering.”

You nodded, humming agreement before sliding your hands over his torso and promptly turning away and running with the bowl of strawberries. “Mine!”

He sputtered, then laughed and chased after you, catching your waist and then pulling you to sit down beside him on the couch. Then he stole a berry and took a bite.

You giggled and took your own berry, looking around the room. “This is a nice couch.”

“We needed a second for this room, especially if we’re going to have family visiting. Micheal said he’d get our furniture moved this weekend. He’s got a couple of guys he needs to train, and Becca’s going to oversee it all for us. But I thought it’d be best if we weren’t around. Don’t want to wolf out on them.”

“Maybe we should go visit Yoongi and Taehyung,” You said between bites.

He smiled. “I’ll see if they’re free. We’ll have to take Eunyeong something.”

“Of course, she’s the cutest kitten and deserves all the love,” You chirped, snuggling up to him. “But maybe don’t check until after the meeting with the lawyers and the court stuff on Tuesday.”

He nodded, smile fading. “Yeah. Probably a good idea. Might want to stay home. Near the majority of the pack.”

“In which case we’re going to Emma’s and cuddling the twins.”

He nodded again, but looked distracted.

You watched him, just admiring his face while also trying to guess what he was thinking. “Are you worried about Tuesday?”

He took a deep breath and held your hand. “The last time anyone I loved was part of a court case…it was Emma. And it ended in this town giving the rights back to hybrids. Jin was the only one that went with her, he was certified as an aide-hybrid. Not because Emma really needed him, I mean, she did, but mostly because she wanted to give him as much freedom as she could. Yoongi-hyung and I were watching…but Hoseok, Jimin, Jungkook and Taehyung couldn’t sit and listen. It was taking too long and some of it hit too close to home. They were outside, working in the garden just to avoid it.”

“I remember,” You whispered, squeezing his hand.

He squeezed it back. “That day changed our lives and…whatever the outcome on Tuesday…that will change both of our lives. Again. And I’m hoping for the better, I do trust these people. But…if we lose…I think I’ll lose more than I would have if we lost that day.”

You hummed. “You’re going to have to be on your best behavior.”

He nodded, but he didn’t seem very confident.

“But Namjoon, I think…I think you might need to stay away. Other than when you’re called upon. This is going to be…bad. It’s going to be really bad. And if either of us misbehaves we risk everything.”

He sighed, eyes closing and holding you tighter. “I know.”

“Maybe they can arrange for a separate room for you to watch in?”

“Maybe, I’ll ask Emma later.” He sounded a little relieved, and managed to relax a little as you snuggled in, scenting him a little.

You sighed softly, enjoying this moment, just in case.

His fingers lightly caressed your hair.

You frowned. “The fireplace mantle is crooked.”

He started laughing. “House still needs some improvements, baby.”

“But how is the mantle crooked!”

————

“They can’t prove it!”

“Neither can we,” The lawyer said calmly. “We can deny any false evidence they bring forward and hope our true does as well. We can only hope that the judge is as upstanding as they say and that the jury can see past the falsehoods created by the opposition.”

Emma huffed and sat down again, crossing her arms and thinking.

Jin calmly rubbed her back. “Y/n, is there any sort of concrete evidence you can provide?”

“Bank statements and pay stubs, which would show that I didn’t have any money other than what I was paid when I opened the account, and that she wasn’t originally on my account. The rental agreement with the Sanctuary. That’s about it,” You answered quietly.

Namjoon looked up. “All of these are trumped up charges. Theft? Assault? Public indecency? Disturbing the peace? Prostitution?!” He stood and went to the window, obviously angry.

“These papers will help disprove many of those charges. However, the one I’m most concerned with is the assault charge. We’re countering their charges with our own charge of defamation and wrongful arrest, but the case for the assault is fairly solid.”

“How so?” Emma asked, sounding tired.

“They have medical records from injuries incurred by here—or so they’re claiming. And they have a video of her attacking someone.”

You frowned.

“What?” Namjoon growled.

“Y/n, I need you to tell me right now, have you ever stabbed anyone in the leg?” The lawyer asked.

“No, I threatened to, but only because he was was being an asshole. I never did it and I left to make sure it would never happen.”

“And this video of you punching a security guard at the Sanctuary.”

Namjoon growled. “He understood. They’re twisting the situation.”

“Which security guard was it?” Emma asked.

“Yugyeom,” You answered. “And I gave him cookies to make up for it.”

Jin nodded and pulled out his phone.

Emma rolled her eyes. “He probably deserved it. But we can get him here and have him testify. I’m sure JB and Mark will sign off on that.”

“Is he still under their guardianship?” Namjoon asked.

Emma nodded. “All of them are, technically. But since they’re close it’s not an issue. It just means that they’ve got a safety net. Same as you all, we freed you but we also adopted you as our children.”

Micheal nodded. “They’re more like brothers so they didn’t want to go that route.”

Jin was talking lowly and you were grateful you couldn’t hear the conversation. You were stressed enough.

Emma quietly took your hand, giving it a squeeze.

“Alright, he’s on his way.”

The lawyer nodded. “I’ll go notify them that I have another witness.” He gathered his things and walked off, signaling Micheal to walk with him.

Namjoon was taking slow, deep breaths. “I hate this.”

You closed your eyes.

“I know,” Emma said softly, lightly smoothing your hair. “I know you’re both frustrated. I am too. But we’re going to take care of this, even if it takes us more time than we originally thought.”

Jin was watching Namjoon. “Sit down, Namjoon,” He ordered, a slight edge to his voice.

Namjoon did as told, only hesitating for a second before complying with the pack leader’s order.

“You’re making me anxious just watching you,” Jin explained, sounding relieved now that Namjoon was sitting. “Emma, why don’t you stay back here with Namjoon and I’ll go back out.”

She nodded. “I’m going to call and check on the kids.”

He pecked her on the lips, then met your gaze. “It’s about time to head back.”

You nodded, getting up with extreme reluctance and nuzzling Namjoon’s head before following Jin out.

Jin waited until you both were out of earshot before pausing, turning to you. “You don’t have to pretend you’re okay. You have every right to be more frustrated and upset than any of us.”

You sighed, looking at the ground. “I just want to go home. We thought this would all be settled on Tuesday. Last Tuesday.”

He reached over and adjusted your scarf—bathed in the scent of your mate to help keep you calm—then rested his hands on your shoulders. “I know it’s asking a lot, but please try to bear with us for another hour. Okay?”

You nodded, feeling safe at the very least with your pack leader looking out for you.

“But if they try to take you anywhere, you get over that barrier and behind me. They can’t legally take you anywhere, okay?”

You closed your eyes and nodded. “Okay.”

“Hey, court’s in session,” Micheal called.

You followed them back to the court, awaiting your fate.

——

Previous Part.   Next Part.

Masterlist.  Series Masterpost.

[maraudersandlily20]

Hope

Okay, here’s the thing. About 2 years ago, when I was in the THICK of the HPRP community (which is dead now, honestly. RIP.), I found myself drawn to weird characters, SUCH AS: Charlie Weasley, Regulus Black (this one is still very much happening), and Hope and Lyall Lupin. I was doing a bunch of research and investigating on Remus’ parents, and the way those two met and fell in love was ADORABLE. So I started to write that story, and I asked Carolina (aka @the-moon-and-stars-my-love ) to read and edit it for me. I should have known that she would go above and beyond, as is per Carolina. But I was rereading HOPE, the story, a few days ago and decided that the only way I could post it was if I actually PUT Carolina’s commentary into the story. Because it makes me laugh and people need to see it. 

I’ve only written 2 parts of this story, because I hit a block after I finished the second part. So I’ll post what I have. 

Here’s Hope, part 1. Carolina’s commentary will be labelled, bolded, and italicized for less confusion. 

Part 1

If there was one thing that was certain, it was that Hope Howell wasn’t foolish. She wasn’t foolish. She knew better than to be out this late, especially in these woods. There were reports of robberies, rapes, and even murders that happened when people were out too long. But this time, it wasn’t people, it was her.

“You’re really done it now, Hope. Really. You just HAD to go to Carreg today to write. You couldn’t have just stayed home and had tea with mum?” Hope was babbling, of course, which she was hoping would soothe her nerves and help her dismiss the small sounds from the dark crevices of the forest. There were plenty of animals and bugs in this forest, they were probably just making a debut. And if it wasn’t animals, that didn’t necessarily mean it was anything bad.

“It doesn’t matter,” she reasoned. “There’s nothing bad in this forest. People just say there is to keep naughty children away or have them return at a reasonable hour. And I’ve never been reasonable, I’m a rebel. I go home when I want to, dark or not.” She was hoping, somewhere in the back of her mind, that if she could convince herself, even momentarily, and boost her confidence, she wouldn’t feel so completely stripped of all protection. 

She should have accepted Miles’ offer to go with her to Carreg, but she had been adamant that she would be perfectly fine. Besides, he would have read too much into it, and she wasn’t going to string him along. She shook off those thoughts and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. 

“I AM perfectly fine.” she reasoned. “They’re just old wives tales and superstitions. And I, Hope Howell, am not a superstitious person,” she said as if trying to reason with some stubborn part of herself. 

A branch broke, making Hope freeze in her tracks. She felt her pulse quicken, but refused to look in the direction of the noise. 

Carolina: girl these are your flight or fight instincts kicking in liSTEN TO THEM

She was just jumpy from remembering the stories and legends that were very much NOT true, she told herself. The noise was nothing. Just an animal. Or, maybe a bug. “I’m not superstitious. I’m not. Truly.” 

Carolina: sure jan

However, to give herself some form of comfort, she picked up a large branch on the side of the road and wielded it as though it were a weapon. It didn’t mean she was afraid, it just meant she was smart, she thought. 

Carolina: hahahahaha I'm just so amused because she is a stubborn woman who refuses to be afraid i love her

Her feet seemed glued to the ground and no matter how many positive thoughts she whispered into the air, she couldn’t will herself to move forward.

Carolina: ooo i see what you did there! with the boggart. uh huh uh huh yes good nice i like it she's already feeling the effects because she's probably looking at it but not realizing she's looking at it so she's already scared. nice little detail!

Suddenly, there was a low groaning noise and Hope’s eyes widened in fear. Slowly, reluctantly, knowing she should have already been running at this point, she turned to look into the darkness. 

There was nothing visible to her beyond the shadows of the trees, of course, but the possibilities of what could be lurking just out of view flooded  her mind . “I’m not afraid, I’m not afraid, I’m not afraid,” she whispered, over and over, but her mind didn’t seem to believe her. 

Frozen in place, Hope swallowed. “H-hello? Is there anyone…. Is there anyone out there?”

Nothing.

Silence. 

“I mean it. If you’re out there, this isn’t funny. If you’re looking to kill me or… or rob me or anything, let’s just move on with it.” she was impressed with how clear her voice sounded despite her high adrenaline. “I don’t even have any money on me, so I’m not sure why you would even want to rob me. But, you’re more than welcome to try.” She sounded ridiculous, she knew, but she wasn’t sure what else she could do. 

Again, nothing,

Just the silence.

Hope shook her head, loosening her hold on her makeshift weapon with the softest sigh of relief. “Silly girl. Of course there’s nothing out there. You’re not superstitious. People don’t just go around hiding in forests like it’s some fairytale. This is 1958 for Christ’s sake. Who in their right mind would-” She stopped dead as another noise manifested itself from the space right before her.

“Hello?” She said again, trying to keep her anxiety at bay, but failing miserably. “Hello?” It was practically a squeak.

And then, there, from the darkness, emerged a huge cloaked figure, with broad shoulders and gleaming eyes. It loomed over Hope and she felt all the blood rush from her face. She couldn’t help herself. She screamed.

She screamed and screamed and the figure moved closer to her. Finally, her heart couldn’t take it. Hope collapsed onto the ground, her vision fading in and out. Hope was swimming in and out of consciousness.  Almost as if it were a dream, she watched a man break through the trees, holding what appeared to be a small stick. He brandished it toward the cloaked figure and shouted a strange word into the air. A bright light filled her vision, and then the figure disappeared into the trees without a backward glance. 

As Hope tried to push her eyes fully open, the face of the man appeared above her.

“Are you alright?” were the last words she heard before everything went black. 

-

The air was cold against her skin, and it roused her from her sleep. It must have been a few minutes before she regained consciousness, as the man who had miraculously saved her was now sitting nearby with his back to her, his gaze trained on the forest, as if watching for more perpetrators. 

Hope shook her head, trying to dispel the dizziness that fogged her brain. She pushed herself up into a seated position with a groan. A pair of hands reached out to steady  her and there were definitely words being spoken to her, though it took a moment for her mind to unscramble them.

“Easy there,” the man said, trying to sound reassuring by keeping his voice low. His hands were calloused and rough, she noted, which was strange compared to the gentleness he was using with her. Her eyes trailed up his arms, taking in the overcoat he wore and the sweater beneath that looked hand-knitted. Her gaze slowly continued upward, and she couldn’t help but feel both fascinated and silly at her interest of his neck and his jawline. She prayed he hadn’t noticed her perusal of him when she finally met his gaze. Hope looked into warm brown eyes of this stranger and was struck dumb. This man had saved her? He was…. Beautiful.

Carolina: listen this is the cutest thing and i am so here for the moment of "shit they're beautiful" and i'm so glad you included it because yes she was aw awestruck of him as he was of her

Also Carolina: can i get uuhhhh mUTUAL PINING???

While they sat looking at each other, it wasn’t lost on her that there was a chance this was another ploy to rob her. But, at the same time, she was so relieved that the much larger and, frankly, more terrifying man hadn’t hurt her. The man in front of her was so handsome and gentle that she really couldn’t find it in her to care if he was going to rob her. 

Carolina: hOPE MY GOODNESS IF I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS MA BOY LYALL I'D BE CONCERNED BUt also it's Lyall and he's been so good this whole time and it he wanted to do something he wouldn't have been there when you woke up bUT STILL (not a bad thing just a realization lol)

“I’m alright,” She whispered, holding a hand to her head.

“Are you sure? You took quite the fall, you know. And over a simple boggart too.” He chuckled, not registering the look of confusion on her face and then seeming to remember something. “Oh, here,” he muttered, reaching into his pocket and fumbling for a moment before pulling out a small wrapped candy. He noticed her wary gaze and shook his head. “Don’t worry, it’s just chocolate. Eat. You’ll feel better.”

Carolina: cries bc throwback/foreshadowing to remus saying this to harry about boggarts too

He handed it to her and she took it, though she wasn’t sure why. 

Carolina: dID YOUR MOTHER NOT TELL YOU NOT TO ACCEPT SWEETS FROM A STRANGER??? Hope i love you but dear goodness woman

When he looked away from her, apparently sorting through the contents of his pocket, she stuffed the chocolate into the pocket of her coat. It wasn’t that she wanted to be rude, but she was wary of accepting any sort of food from a nameless, though very handsome, stranger.

Carolina: !!! yes good on you Hope you gots to be careful! stranger danger

As her pulse settled into a normal rhythm, and as she realized there was no imminent danger, she took a moment to take in her surroundings. They seemed to be in the same piece of wood she had fainted in, but somehow, it looked brighter. Maybe it was just the beautiful man sitting beside her that made her think that. She couldn’t be sure.

Carolina: gOD Hope could you BE any more enamored by this man??? how dare you make this so cute, Jo???

And then she remembered what had made her faint. “You-” She turned back to him suddenly. “You rescued me!” 

The man laughed with a sheepish smile. “Really, it was nothing. You must have just lost your wits. You would have been fine without me.”

“Are you out of your mind? That man was HUGE! There’s no way I ever could have gotten rid of him without you.”

The stranger stopped. “Man…?”

“Yes, the big cloaked man that you chased off with your little… little stick?” her nose wrinkled as she remembered. “You were holding a stick, weren’t you? How did you even do that? And what did you say earlier? That he was a … a Boggart?”

They looked at each other and Hope felt as if she was being sized up. Some sort of clarity seemed to hit him. “Oh, uh, it wasn’t a stick, it was a knife. I always keep one in my pocket . An old habit I developed from the war.” He pulled out a small knife, holding it out towards her by the wood handle. She nodded. “As for the… the boggart part. In my hometown, Boggart was a name we called scary looking men who were weak.” 

Carolina: hA. Nice save Lyall v slick i like it. also, really clever on you for coming up with that being the explanation Lyall would have given her!

Hope nodded, as if she understood, but thought it was a right silly thing to call anyone. 

There was a pause. “Are you sure you’re alright?” he asked.

A little laugh left her throat. “Yes, I’m sure. I kept telling myself over and over that I wasn’t afraid and that there was nothing out there to worry about. But at the first sign of danger, I went and fainted.”

“I hardly think your reaction was unreasonable,” Lyall reassured her. “I had the benefit of being rescuer, and not the damsel in distress. It’s always easier to save someone else than to fight things off yourself. I very well might have reacted the same way.”

Carolina: Lyaaalllll what a sweet lad validating her feelings and admitting to probably reacting a similar way if he had been in her shoes. what a man :')

Hope smiled, finding it funny that he was trying, in a way, to save her pride. She had already fainted in front of him, she assumed that all presumptions of pride were long behind them. “Well, it wasn’t an ideal reaction either. You are right thought. Being a damsel in distress is hard work. Who knows what would have happened to me if you hadn’t come along. ” This made the man snort with laughter, which then made Hope giggle, which was something she never did. 

Carolina: pRECIOUS the absolute NERDS

Gratitude shone in her eyes as she smiled at him. “Thank you, by the way. For saving me.”

If Hope had been paying more attention to the handsome man’s face as she smiled at him, she would have noticed the flush that covered his cheeks and the nervous way he bit his lip. 

Carolina: cuuuuuute. he's already so into her and it's adorable and sweet and pure

However, Hope wasn’t always the best at picking up romantic signals from men. 

Carolina: lmao Hope is me can't pick up signals aT ALL xD seriously love when they're both pretty much oblivious at the signs

He studied her for a moment before clearing his throat. “It was my pleasure, truly.”

They continued smiling at each other, there in the fading light of the evening, neither sure what to say or what to do, but feeling very warm. It was almost like if they moved, they would break the sort of spell that they were wrapped up in, and so both were reluctant to move even an inch.

“I’m Lyall.” he finally said, his voice soft. “Lyall Lupin.”

It was a name that suited him, she thought. “I’m Hope Howell.”

Carolina: dO YOU HEAR MY CRYING??? MY PRECIOUS BABIES

The man, Lyall, her mind supplied with a giddy jump of her heart, got to his feet and extended a hand down to her, which she accepted. Once they were both up and dusted off, Lyall rubbed at his neck. 

Carolina: *nervous boi is nervous around cute gal he just met 

[h e a r t e y e s]

Hope’s eyes snapped to trace the movement, but she immediately tried to act like she wasn’t blatantly staring. He grinned. Not wanting to embarrass her, he played it off that he hadn’t noticed. He had definitely noticed. 

Carolina: seeeee?? she thinks you're handsome and wonderful tooooo you've got a shot boy-o!

“Well, I think, Hope Howell, that it may be time to get you home. Would you mind if I escorted you there?” 

Carolina: *insert more happy crying here* WHAT A GENTLEMAN! PUT ON A RING ON IT, HOPE

Her cheeks flushed red as her name rolled off his tongue and she nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’d appreciate it.” 

So the two walked together, side by side, along the forest path. Hope couldn’t help but notice that the trees no longer appeared menacing and somehow everything seemed lighter. Even though the stars twinkled down at the both of them and the air was growing chilly, the two new acquaintances didn’t seem to mind. They seemed to be desperate to speak to each other and so they talked. And talked. And talked. Back and forth they asked questions and told stories about things they normally wouldn’t have said to someone they had just met. But they just had a feeling.

Carolina: THE FEELING IS LOVE IT'S OKAY YOU CAN SAY IT

Hope couldn’t remember a time when she had laughed so much. She had been pursued by multiple young men in university, and even Miles was now pushing for them to “see where things went”, as he so eloquently put it. However, none of them, not a single one, had the ability to make her feel as warm as Lyall Lupin did. For some reason, she felt as though he were looking at her and seeing more than anyone else ever had. 

Carolina: do you know that this sentence made my heart melt just a bit more???

Hope led them along the path back to her village, where her farmhouse sat on the outskirts, away from the main square. She almost wished it had taken them longer to arrive, but she tried not to seem too disappointed.

“Well, here we are,” she said, standing at the end of the walkway that led to her door. She didn’t want to bring him too close to the windows, in case her nosy mother were peering out. She had made it very clear that mothers had a seventh sense when their daughters brought home boys. Hope had laughed at the time, but currently, she wasn’t anxious to test that seventh sense out.

Carolina: jokes on u Hope - mOMS ALWAYS KNOW IT'S THEIR SUPER POWER! but also if hope not wanting to bring him closer a'int a mood lol

“Oh.” He seemed as reluctant to part as she was. “It’s been a pleasure meeting you, Hope.”

Carolina: oKAY NOW ASK HER OUT LYALL DO IT

Also Carolina: go on and kiss the girl (on her hand bc that's cute as heck and she is a lady, lyall lupin

“You as well.”

“Don’t go wandering around in the woods in the dark anymore, alright?” he quipped, eyes gleaming with amusement.

“Wouldn’t want to attract any more Boggarts, now would I?” she replied, teasingly.

Lyall started a bit at the word and then let out a laugh a second later. “Exactly.” 

Carolina: lmao he must have been TERRIFIED for a moment. "oh no i just broke the statute of secrecy" must have been his internal monologue for a moment there

They stood, staring at each other for a moment, that same warmth covering them, and both wished that this didn’t have to be goodbye.

“I should… probably get going.”

Carolina: oh my gosh...that reluctance...my inner hopeless romantic is scREAMING

Hope nodded, sure that her disappointment was clear, though she was attempting to play it off as tiredness. She did not succeed. Lyall turned to leave before stopping. In a second, he was facing her again.

“Would you mind if I came to see you again? Just to check up on you? Would that be alright?” he asked, nearly stumbling over his words and his barely concealed excuse.

A grin covered Hope’s face and she didn’t even care to try and hide it. “I’d really love that.”

He laughed, his grin matching hers. “Good. Then, I’ll see you soon, Hope Howell.”

“I’ll see you soon, Lyall Lupin.” 

Carolina: full names?? fULL NAMES?? BECAUSE THEY JUST WANT TO KEEP SAYING EACH OTHER'S NAMES??? HI YES PLEASE AND THANK YOU

She bit her lip, trying not to burst into excited giggles, because, really, that was so uncharacteristic of her. After a beat she turned and walked swiftly to the front door. When she reached the handle, she couldn’t help herself and turned to wave at him. He was still standing exactly where she had left him, watching her as she went. He wiggled his fingers in return and she sighed, content.

She pushed into the front room, feeling the warmth from the fireplace cover her in an instant. Everything was where it had been that morning. Her house was still her house, the couches and tables and blankets were all exactly where they had been before she left for Carreg. But she was different.

Lyall Lupin made her feel different.

Carolina: can you hear my squeals of delight over how gosh darn lovely their feelings for each other are???

“Is that you, calon bach?” came her mother’s voice drifting out from the kitchen.

“It’s me mam.”

“How was Carreg? Did you have a nice time?”

Hope bit her lip, shaking her head in disbelief as she remembered the warmth and compassion she had seen in the eyes of Lyall Lupin. 

Lyall Lupin. 

Lyall Lupin who wanted to see her again, just as much as she wanted to see him.

Carolina: i love that her thoughts keep going back to Lyall it's cute

Her hand drifted into her pocket and pulled out the small wrapped chocolate, the wrapper shining in the light of the living room. She turned it over and over in her hands, grateful for the anchor to reality, the promise the chocolate seemed to portray. It was a promise that Lyall Lupin was real. And he was going to come back to her.

Carolina: imma just go and say it. chocolate is incredibly important to the lupins as a family even before remus became a werewolf and i think that's wonderful because it just carries on into each aspect of their lives. i really like that you brought it back to the chocolate

“Yeah, mam. I had a real nice time,” came her belated reply and she stuffed the chocolate away again, heading toward the kitchen.

Lyall watched as the beautiful woman disappeared from his view and the door closed behind her. He couldn’t help the grin that covered his face. He must have looked nearly manic, going on so.

“The lads will never forgive me if I carry on like this,” he whispered with a laugh. And then, suddenly, the place where Lyall Lupin was standing was empty, the young man appearing to have evaporated into thin air. 

-

Okay, well. That’s part one. Lemme know if part two is of any interest to you. I mean, I’ll probably post it anyway, but whatever. I hope you enjoyed Carolina as much as I always do!

[artificialqueens]

surprise, surprise (branjie) - evan

In which Brooke and Vanessa spend Easter together.

AN: AN: Guess who’s back in the queue!! It’s been impossible for me to write recently, but this disgustingly sweet one shot started pouring out of me this weekend and I figured it was worth it to go ahead and post it. By the time it’s out there it’ll probably be debunked irl, but here’s the softest thing I’ve ever written, and I hope you like it!

1.8k. Find me @formercongressman.

—–

Brooke kisses Vanessa at the LA airport at nine in the morning in front of a crowd of strangers in their Easter best and she’s never felt more right.

It’s a movie-quality, sweep-her-off-her-feet, slow-motion music-swells kiss. Brooke hears an old woman behind them say, “oh, that’s sweet,” and then nothing else because she’s so focused on Vanessa’s mouth on hers again, the warm and sweet and familiar pressure that she thinks about all the time. No memory compares to the real deal.

When they pull apart, Brooke is smiling so wide that her eyes are barely open. Vanessa is this gorgeous and giddy ball of energy and light. She wraps her arms tightly around Brooke’s waist, holding her as close as she physically can.

“I missed you,” Brooke murmurs into Vanessa’s hat.

“I missed you, too.”

It’s been far too long. They haven’t been in the same place since that night Brooke and Nina had come to Vanessa’s show in New York and Vanessa had smiled into that measly filmed kiss that Brooke had since watched over and over. It’s nice to have a memento. And they Facetime whenever it’s possible, but their schedules keep them busy and it’s always a struggle to find a shared break of time. It’s never enough. There’s just something indescribably better about having Vanessa close, being able to feel her heartbeat and smell her excessive cologne, that makes Brooke want to barricade herself in a room with Vanessa and never leave. They can’t, not for months and months, but she’ll take whatever short visits she can get.

They can’t keep their hands off of each other. They know they’re making a scene at baggage claim, Brooke wrapping her entire frame around Vanessa, distracting her as she tries to spot her bag. She’s never been less concerned about what other people are thinking. She and Vanessa are finally, finally in the same place and damn it, they’re going to soak up every minute.

Brooke calls an Uber and rolls her eyes as Vanessa insists on carrying her own heavy bags.  Their driver is surprisingly unobtrusive, eyes forward the whole time as Vanessa presses five, ten, twenty kisses into Brooke’s jaw.

The driver pulls off of the interstate and Vanessa notices.

“Wait, this ain’t the way to my apartment.”

“Oh, I thought we could go to my hotel room first? It’s, uh, it’s a bit closer to the airport?”

“You’re that hungry for it?” Vanessa’s eyes are bright as she laughs into Brooke’s shoulder. “Alright baby, you know I can’t say no to that.”

Brooke smiles and pulls Vanessa closer, but she feels a twinge in the muscles in her shoulders. She’s got a surprise planned and her anxiety piques as she thinks about the short two days they have together before Vanessa leaves for Europe, and the pressure for everything to go perfectly, just according to plan.

For once, LA traffic isn’t miserable. It’s Easter Sunday, and people are at church or sleeping in or going to potlucks with their families. They get to Brooke’s hotel in what must be record time.

In the otherwise-empty elevator, Vanessa tightens her fist in Brooke’s t-shirt and drags her down to her level to meet her in a firey kiss. She rolls Brooke’s bottom lip between her teeth and Brooke can’t help but let out a small sound. It’s everything Brooke can do not to forget about the surprise completely and fall as quickly into bed with Vanessa as possible.

Brooke struggles to fish her room card out of her wallet while Vanessa is trying to hold both of her hands at once. Just as soon as the door clicks closed behind them, Vanessa has Brooke pressed against the door, lips and hands in places Brooke hasn’t felt them in over a month, and she’s almost completely swept away in the sensation of being finally, finally alone together.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Brooke says. She detaches herself from Vanessa with a smile, but Vanessa is actually pouting like a little kid, and it’s the hardest thing in the world for Brooke to not give her everything she wants immediately. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”

“This better be good.”

“Come here.” Brooke leads Vanessa into the room, and grabs a pink plastic egg off of the hotel TV stand. She pops it open, revealing the small Cadbury eggs inside. “Since it’s Easter morning, I thought maybe we could be a little bit traditional, and do an Easter egg hunt?” Her heart flutters a little bit, nervous, worried Vanessa is going to think this is dumb, or childish,

“You made me… an Easter egg hunt?” Vanessa asks.

“Yeah, I do it with my family and my little nieces and nephews every year, and it’s always really fun, but I’m not with my family this year and I thought maybe you might want to, um, do a family thing with me?”

Brooke pauses, holds her breath, tries to read Vanessa’s face. A family thing. She knows it’s a risk, knows it’s a step, and hopes with every fiber of her being that Vanessa is on the same page.  Vanessa’s mouth is hanging open in a little “o” and Brooke can tell that her mind is racing and she wishes, as she frequently does, that she could read what was going on in there.

Brooke starts again, “And if you don’t like it you totally don’t have to do it–”

“Baby.” Vanessa breaks into a wide smile and stands on her tiptoes to cut Brooke off with a kiss. “This is the cutest shit I’ve ever seen.”

“You like it?”

“Yes, bitch, I love it. And I love you.”

“I love you.” Brooke wraps her arms tightly around Vanessa’s shoulders, trying to drink up every second of the moment. “So much.”

Vanessa grabs a piece of chocolate out of the Easter egg in Brooke’s hand and tosses it in her mouth. “When did you even get up to do this?”

“At like seven this morning–”

“Oh! Found one!” Vanessa immediately spots a bright green egg tucked behind the window curtain, and then she’s off, digging through every nook and cranny of the admittedly small room.

Soon there’s a pile of plastic easter egg shells on the hotel bed, candy emptied out into a paper coffee cup, as Vanessa moves in a flurry around the room to find all the eggs that Brooke has hidden. Brooke watches from a perch on the hotel bed, smiling as Vanessa struggles to reach one egg she hid on the top edge of the hotel picture frame.

“You did this one on purpose, didn’t you?” She’s on her tiptoes, the egg just beyond the reach of her fingertips.

“Maybe.” Brooke reaches far over Vanessa’s head to retrieve the egg out of her reach.

“Is that all of ‘em?” Vanessa asks.

“There’s still one left.” Brooke nestles back down on the bed.

“I give up, gimme a hint. Hot or cold?” Vanessa asked as she started moving toward the bathroom.

“Colder.”

She pauses, then turns back toward Brooke.

“Warmer.”

Vanessa starts taking painfully slow steps directly toward Brooke, who is chuckling every time she has to say “warmer” again before Vanessa will take a step closer. Then Vanessa is frustratingly close, bringing her lips to just barely hover over Brooke’s, and Brooke is ready to throw the whole game and pull Vanessa down into the bed with her.

“Hot or cold?” Vanessa barely breathes.

Brooke controls herself, presses the tiniest peck to Vanessa’s lips, and smiles mischievously. “Well, it’s not inside my mouth, obviously.”

Frustrated, Vanessa rolls her eyes and falls back onto the pillow on the other side of the bed with a sigh.

“Warmer,” Brooke said softly.

Vanessa looks up at her with narrowed eyes, but then begins feeling around on her side of the bed. It doesn’t take her long to find the teal egg under the pillow that Brooke had banked on her saving for last. Vanessa holds it up triumphantly. “Alright, do I win my prize now?”

“Open it.”

There’s no candy in this one. Instead, Vanessa finds two rolled up pieces of paper. Her forehead creases as she looks over at Brooke with a question in her eyes as she unravels them.

“It’s plane tickets,” Brooke explains. “They’re for two weeks in early December, after we’re done with all the touring and we’ve got a long break and we can just kind of… go away together. No gigs, no drag, just us. And it’s for Cape Town, it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world and I want to share it with you and…” Brooke stops. She realizes she’s rambling again. “I know that it’s a lot.” she says simply. “But I kind of want a lot with you.

It’s a moment like this that they couldn’t have shared over Facetime. Vanessa curls herself tightly against Brooke’s side, nesting her head perfectly into Brooke’s shoulder. Brooke can feel her smiling, feel the warmth of her small body against her own, and she wants to bottle this moment and take it with her everywhere she goes. This is her Vanessa, the kind that stayed hidden from the cameras for the most part, the impossibly soft and gentle core underneath her vibrant exterior.

“I want a lot with you too,” Vanessa says so softly against Brooke’s neck that she almost can’t make it out. “Thank you, baby.”

Brooke feels the same kind of twist in her gut that she felt the felt the first time Vanessa had whispered “I love you,” to her in that hazy midafternoon sunlight in Nashville. Now, Brooke is hit with these sudden flashes of a future, of laying on a beach in Cape Town, making breakfast in Vanessa’s apartment, and next Easter watching Vanessa trying to outmuscle Brooke’s hockey-playing teenage cousins as they fight over who found the last Easter egg.

They stay in that warm moment for as long as it will hold, until Vanessa presses a quick, soft kiss to Brooke’s lips. “Now, please tell me you have some kind of sexy bunny shit planned too, because I still have needs.” Brooke feels Vanessa’s fingers at the bottom edge of her shirt.

Brooke gleams and traces her thumb across Vanessa’s cheek. “Hm, what do you think about something along the lines of a sexy resurrection, ‘he is risen’ kind of thing?”

Vanessa goes stone-faced. “I swear I will go and get right back on that plane to West fucking Virginia before I–”

But then Brooke rolls on top of her, kisses her deeply, slots her body perfectly against Vanessa’s, and all the jokes fly out the window. This one is a different kind of movie-quality kiss. Their lips slide together slowly, like they’ve got all the time in the world, because in the grand scheme of things, they do.

[kuromikoneko]

Diving into Fresh Water

Again, I am behind in cross-posting my works (apparently stopping at AO3 and not posting on ffnet or here). So I am terribly sorry that these will be posting throughout Saturday, but if you’ve not read them, I hope you enjoy and share!

“Cat once told Kara she will always have a job with her. Now that she's left CatCo, Kara is considering taking her up on the offer. That consideration leads to her realizing the true meaning behind her feelings for Cat. Needing help unraveling her feelings, Kara is afraid to once again put the focus on her own needs so rather than turning to Alex, turns to her sister's sweet, understanding, new girlfriend, Maggie.“

Diving into Fresh Water

Kara felt lost and adrift at sea, or...space if she were to equate it with actually true experiences she had vague memories of. Her career at CatCo seemed to be plummeting, or perhaps floundering is the better turn of phrase in this instant. Winn was coming into his own at the D.E.O. becoming more confident and honing his skills, even going so far as to start some physical training with Alex. Alex...oh sweet Alex, was  dating. And Kara couldn't be happier about whom Alex was dating. Maggie seemed so sweet and protective and compassionate toward Alex. They really got each other in a way not even Kara would understand, at least in regards to their workaholic tendencies, and Alex was so much happier now!

James was being suspiciously vague and adamant toward The Guardian's escapades and Kara was certain he was pulling away from her as though hiding something. Perhaps breaking up with him had been a poor decision no matter how wrong it felt once they were dating. It was as though he was attracted to the idea of them being together, of her being Supergirl more than her being...her. Mon-El was...frustrating at best, infuriating at worst and would never listen to her. Perhaps his working at the alien bar was a good idea for now. If he didn't want to be a hero, see what the thrill of helping others was like, Kara decided it wasn't her place to push him or berate him. Not any more.

Her boss was seemingly despondent and shut her down at every angle. She made her stand the other day about what type of reporter she wanted to be, a subtle comment from Snapper after she exited (because, yes she did hear) but Kara was only getting about one article a month published and it was grating on her nerves. She wanted to do more, be more useful. Never was there a dull moment as Cat's assistant.

“ Whatever comes next—for what it's worth—you'll always have a job with me if you want it”

Kara was near close to damning her superior alien brain for remembering such powerful words, the urge to find Cat stronger than ever now. It had been subdued before, suppressed due to the uptick in alien attacks, of the change in job, and Alex's personal journey, but it was always there at the back of her mind. As cliché as it sounded—accompanied by a classic Cat Grant eye roll—Cat was Kara's compass in so many ways. She was the glue that kept Kara Danvers, ex assistant/failing reporter, and Supergirl, not feeling so super alien, together. Cat's advice grounded her in the same way that Alex or Eliza's hugs did, in the same way that talking about their lost worlds with J'onn felt.

But leaving CatCo to...what? Be Cat's assistant again? That wasn't wise decision, not when Cat had put so much expectation and pride into knowing Kara was meant to be a reporter, sending her off into the world to dive into those crazy water metaphors she was fond of. And it hadn't helped the Cat was in that deep blue form fitting dress that night, the lights of her office casting the softest of glows on her flawless skin, the green of her eyes adding to the effect. But this was diving in a sense, right? Just...not the way everyone expected. Kara wondered for a brief moment if this is how Alex always felt in regards to Eliza. That overbearing responsibility to be the perfect daughter, be the perfect sister, be the perfect student and be the perfect doctor before things went to shit. She made a quick note to thank J'onn once more for helping save Alex's life before she fell any further.

Perhaps it was more than a lack of helpfulness in her job, there seemed to be less passion flowing through her veins. Kara still got a rush of joy when she rescued citizens and enjoyed it very much, overhearing the previous week from Maggie that the crime rate in National City was at an all time low thanks to Supergirl. But Kara Danvers was drowning by the anchor that was her brought on responsibilities. Perhaps...perhaps she should be like Alex and do something for herself to be happy, be like Cat and dive. But that meant going after Cat.

And going after Cat would mean facing possible disappointment, possible rejection and fear gripped at Kara's heart, a strange churning of her stomach giving her pause. She had always admired Cat, looked up to her and wished to be like her one day. Be the badass boss bitch, confident in her swagger and life to not let anything affect her overtly. It was starting to happen as Supergirl, in part because of the suit and the people she surrounded herself with at the D.E.O. but she had been wavering lately without Cat's consistent presence. Kara had gone to the trouble of flying home in order to collect their old VHS tapes of Cat's old show just to recall her voice. It was strange hearing the younger version, but she knew the woman so well she could hear the precise inflections that outlasted her youth and mingled with her voice at present.

Throwing her career away for a woman. Some would say that was foolish, something seen only in cheesy romcoms. But then Kara thought about her lingering looks at Cat in hip hugging dresses, dipping down to show the briefest hint of cleavage, the way her legs looked propped up in far too high heels and she realized the warmth in her body wasn't the warmth she felt toward her friends or even her family. It was...how Alex looked talking about her crush on Maggie before they were together, it was the way Alex looked talking about Maggie now.

 Oh Rao!

Kara didn't have a crush on Cat, she...she couldn't. That's insane, that's totally inappropriate, they're coworkers...but not...anymore. It could never work though right? Kara had never considered herself interested in women, not that she was opposed. Krypton was all about equality and freedom of self and body, half of the community in same-sex marriages for crying out loud. Though Kara had always been predisposed toward male celebrities, pressured to pick her favorite or moon over the cutest—Oh! Was that what heteronormativity was? She really needed to figure this out, to talk with someone about it but she didn't want to bother Alex, the feeling of guilt settling in her gut as it pushed past the previous desire toward Cat to reign supreme. Alex had only just come out a few months ago and Kara had been playing her problems as low-key as possible to allow her time in the spotlight, time she had so often stolen incidentally. Often times this would be viewed as a power play for attention and though it was necessary to understand herself better, Kara couldn't allow herself to stomp on Alex's...triumph of sorts. This was her time to shine.

And that was how Kara once again found herself at the sparsely populated, thankfully Mon-El-less, alien bar awaiting Maggie Sawyer's arrival. She had been simple and concise in the text she sent Maggie, asking her presence at the bar as soon as she could manage to discuss an urgent dilemma. She had ordered the largest helping of fries once she arrived, begging the tender to allow the milkshake she had picked up on the way to be brought in as well. Kara was in desperate need of the comfort food and she would not relinquish her chance to wallow in her worries.

Slurping at her makeshift ginormous milkshake container (filled with three regular sized milkshakes), Kara was so distracted she missed the door to the bar opening and closing as a swift pair of boots made their way to the table.

“Mini Danvers, what's the matter?” Maggie asked in a swift breath of air, hair tousled and jacket still zipped up. If not for that last detail, Kara would have thought the woman had run over from work.

“Nothing serious, Maggie. Well...it's serious to me, but not like...like life threatening of anyone's and it's not about Alex. Don't worry,” Kara stumbled through her thoughts, jumping from one to the next to assuage the detective of her concern. She was surprised a little miffed that Maggie had phrased her question in a vague way instead of immediately asking if it was about Alex. But considering Kara hadn't called perhaps she  detected  that it wasn't as critical a meet up as it could have been. “Sorry,” she muttered.

Maggie sighed, running a hand through her long hair before loosening her jacket and sliding into the booth opposite of Kara. “You had me worried, kid,” she chastised lightly, trying to peer into Kara's face curiously. “Is this personal?” she asked softly?

Kara nodded before dropping her head pitifully to rest on the table. Surprised that Kara had come to her instead of Alex when she so obviously seemed to need the comfort and care of a sibling versus their sibling's girlfriend, Maggie extended a hand across the table to grasp Kara's hand in hers and squeeze as hard as she could so the alien could feel. Kara looked up, brows creasing down in mild confusion as to why Maggie was putting so much effort into holding her hand. Before she could ask, her fries were deposited on the table to her left.

“Thank you,” she muttered, carefully squeezing Maggie's hand back.

“Beer, Mags?”

“No thanks, Darla. Just a pop.”

The giggle that came from Kara caused a smile to alight Maggie's face. “Sorry,” she said again.

“Hey, hey...it's okay, Kara,” Maggie promised, making a mental note to use the term 'pop' more often around the younger Danvers sister to cheer her up. “What are you...struggling with?” she asked.

Kara took a moment to collect a few fries to munch on as she pondered how to go about this, hand fidgeting under Maggie's touch, not out of discomfort but revealing what was on her mind. She knew she couldn't be unspecific or last very long beating around the bush so she decided to  dive. “I have a crush on Cat Grant,” she admitted, almost too quick for Maggie to hear.

“Don't we all.”

Kara's eyes darted between the co-speakers Maggie and Darla who had arrived with the soda, placing it on the table before turning to return to bar side. “You...you...”

“It's no question Cat Grant is impeccably gorgeous. Any bicurious woman is attracted to her,” Maggie commented casually, eyes keen on Kara's reaction, a spluttering mess of non-words as she flapped her hands nervously.

“Wh...what are you talking about? That's silly,” Kara tried to wave off further questions, cutting herself off with a giant slurp of her milkshake. She endeavored to look anywhere but at Maggie's kind and compassionate face. She now understood how it had been so easy for Alex to tell Maggie she might be gay before her. There was no judgement, no amusement, no fear or pressure. It was...perfect. Rao, was Kara grateful for Maggie waltzing into her sister's life, finally both on the path toward mutual happiness with each other.

Maggie frowned slightly, realizing that Kara didn't want to talk about what was going on for some reason. A reason beyond feeling fear that her family would reject her, that Cat Grant would not reciprocate her feelings (though if memory serves, Kara was the longest assistant the mogul had ever kept). Something else was creasing her unfairly perfect face. It was obvious that Kara leeched her bravery from Alex, using her as an example to follow, and though it was easier for Alex to come out to Maggie, she felt Kara would need some gentle prodding, a different approach.

“Kara...” she used her first name purposefully to get her attention. “Are you bisexual?” she asked in a hushed tone. Kara's impossibly blue eyes widened, pupils dilating as she nearly inhaled a sip of her sweet treat before regaining control of her bodily functions.

Liquid consumed, she began to scoff and giggle and shake her head furiously, once again refusing eye contact. Maggie stared at Kara, carefully composed, waiting for Kara to calm down and begin to accept the possibility of something new in her life. When Kara was done with her jerk reaction of laughing uncontrollably and hardly voicing her denials, unable to wrap her lips around any of the LGBT words that could describe how she felt, Maggie smiled slightly and tilted her head to the side.

“May...maybe I am,” Kara whispered, more in awe than in fear, stunned.

“Are what?”

“What, uh...what you...bi...bisexual,” Kara bit her lip afterwards, trying to draw strength on her memories of Cat's prevalence for details and using words precisely.

Maggie grinned, dimples shining through. “Wow...quicker on the uptake than Alex. Good job, Supergirl,” she said with pride.

Kara blushed, head bowed. “Thanks...wait, what?!” she asked, looking at Maggie startled.

“Did Alex not...tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

“That I've known for a while. Told her after you came back from wherever you vanished to. The glasses really don't help much, Mini Danvers,” Maggie leaned closer with the comment about her 'disguise'.

Kara sighed. “It's a wonder everyone doesn't know,” she muttered.

“So, why did you come to me instead of Alex?” Maggie asked, figuring she should direct Kara's attention away from her failed attempts at staying hidden in human life.

“Uh...” she mumbled, fiddling with the fries in her hand once more. “I didn't...want to rain on her parade. It's...it's  always about me and I was the reason she never had a real relationship growing up because she never got the chance to figure that out because of protecting and prioritizing  me  and she never gets to be in the spotlight and this would feel like a betrayal, like a vie for attention and I can't do that to her, not again, I—”

Maggie cut her off with a finger to her lips, Kara looking her straight on once more. “I think Alex would be proud to stand at your side as you come into your own sexuality, Kara. She wouldn't feel slighted or jealous, I think she would feel even closer to you than she did before. Your support has been everything to Alex—I truly cannot thank you enough for being there for her—but knowing how she feels to come out at this age, to relate on that level...that is the best gift any family member could wish for,” Maggie said, voice growing soft and trailing off at the end. Kara immediately reached for Maggie's hand and gave it a light squeeze, drawing tiny smile from the other woman.

“Sorry,” Kara replied for sympathetic values more than forgiveness. Maggie nodded briefly. “You're probably right. But even if she is like that cause I know she will, what if she internalizes it and thinks that I'm simply copying her and looking for attention to be focused back on me, by our friends or by Eliza? She's very good at hiding that from me,” she asked, truly and fully concerned.

“I...I'm not sure,” Maggie admitted, not quite as adept in the Danvers family dynamic and this strange power position the sisters were in or how Eliza treated both. She had a feeling Alex was always pressured to be the perfect child, as much had been revealed by Alex, but Maggie sensed it went deeper than that too what with Kara in the picture. “But you and Alex don't have a typical sisterly connection, and not just because you're an alien or adopted when you both were teens. There's very little rivalry between you two and you hardly ever fight. And I believe that's what makes you stronger together, not tear...each other...up on the insi...What?” Maggie petered off her words as Kara had begun to giggle.

“The s on my suit. It's not an s,” Kara could barely get the words out through her laughter, the amusement at Maggie's unintended comment along with how perfectly she would fit into their strange little super space family the perfect combination to set her off.

“I figured as much,” Maggie said, a little impatience slipping into her tone as she leaned back with crossed arms. “Spit out, Mini Danvers,” she added.

“It's my house crest. It stands for our motto too, which is...heh...stronger together,” Kara finally explained, able to catch Maggie's eye when she finished to drive the point home.

“Ahh...I see,” Maggie smirked, understanding dawning on her face.

Kara smiled, reaching over to squeeze Maggie's hand again. “Thank you, for listening, helping. You...you're truly a great girlfriend,” she complimented, a tiny blush coloring her ears.

“Anytime, Mini Danvers,” Maggie replied, quirking an eyebrow in question as she peered at the large pile of fries still available. Kara bobbed her head in assent watching as Maggie stole a handful and began to talk about lighter subjects to calm Kara further.

After sharing a few innocent stories of Alex's youth, even comparing some of the major differences between Earth and Krypton due to Maggie joining the Super Friends (much to Kara's chagrin at using Winn's preferred term), Kara had made her way back to her apartment. She had already sent an email into work, calling out due to a case of strep throat after checking with Alex on the validity of the statement, and texted James so he could back up her story.

She was coming to terms with the fact that she was bisexual or...biromantic. Definitely demisexual because Kara was hardly ever attracted to people she didn't know which is why her feelings toward Cat were so surprising and confusing. She hadn't ever felt this way toward anyone before and now found herself unable to contemplate dating the woman, holding her hand, kissing her gorgeous collarbones, laying naked in her bed.

Kara shook her head, gulping in alarm. She took a deep breath of air and released it slowly, glad she had opted to open her windows when she got home; the fresh air was doing wonders for calming her nerves when they reappeared after her chat with Maggie.

So now she had an even bigger problem. Did she want to quit CatCo to work at Cat's side because of a probably forgotten promise and failing career, or because of her attraction toward the woman? Knowing her luck in affairs of the heart, it was probably a little of both, but would it be worth it?

Smiling shyly to herself, Kara hoped for the best, realizing it would be worth it, if only to be with Cat in a platonic sense. She could learn to tamp down her feelings and be professional. She had for two years though she hadn't entertained the thought of attraction beyond familiarity and admiration, though noticing Cat's obvious beauty daily. She had to try. She had to dive.

Sending a bold text off to Cat in regards to a visit from Supergirl, Kara reheated some leftover takeout and settled in for a comfy afternoon of binge watching Grey's Anatomy (a show Alex refused to watch purely for all the promiscuity in medical situations) while waiting for a reply. She planned to drown out her nervousness until the time came she could speed off to Cat and ask for a job with her. The feelings, she figured, may have to wait until she determined if Cat felt even remotely the same way.

The reply came in at 6pm, such a long wait that cause Kara to question why anyone would be texting her during dinner time but upon seeing it was indeed Cat, further shocking her, she knew that Cat was probably at dinner and bored out of her mind. A smile came to her face and she tapped out a quippy reply: “Your date so boring you'd rather text your former assistant? What did he do?

The answer was almost immediate: “Yes, she is,” causing Kara to drop her phone in surprise. Cat...was on a date? With a woman??

Collecting her phone she headed for the bedroom to change into her super suit, hoping it would add to her bravery rather than detract. Then she replied: “Want a rescue?”

“St. Regis. DC,” was Cat’s reply.

Kara hummed in approval, figuring it normal that Cat might try her hand at something political, her views often causing dissention in her publications. She had been especially amused when Cat organized a handful of women in Supergirl merchandise to march on Washington with signs reading “Don’t try to grab my pussy, it’s made of steel”. If she could have joined them as either the hero or as Kara Danvers she would have, but some aliens had taken what they assumed to be an advantage and attacked National City that day.

Her concerns for not being there supporting every suppressed person had been assuaged by Maggie's stories of the people, famous and otherwise, she had met during the Los Angeles March. The stories made her especially happy and now that she knew Maggie was privy to her secret, she understood why she particularly focused on the tales of Supergirl inspiring many present. But the bigger question leading off into this tangent was what precisely Cat was involved in currently.

Long since changed into her super suit and flying through the air, Kara stayed high in the sky to feel the chill of near space on her flushed cheeks. Flushed at the thought of sweeping Cat off her feet in front of a potential suitor. She knew it was petty of her and foolish to think Cat would feel the same, but Kara's imagination had always been a wily demon. Sliding in and out of the damp clouds, she felt plesantly refreshed before she was comfortable in her skin once more and she descended on the country's capital.

Kara's fear was edging back int her consciousness, heart pounding in her throat, blood rushing in her ears, drowning out all other noises except the steady heartbeat of Cat's. She sighed and focused in on the woman, to both locate and calm herself down for barging in and essentially ruining the date, but she wouldn't do it if not for Cat's request.

When she landed, she looked around for a moment, only a few passersby gawking at her sudden presence. Kara smiled and nodded her head before moving toward the entrance of the St. Regis. Normally she wouldn't have been considered to gain access much less waved through with a star struck expression on the man's face. They didn't even ask her the purpose of her arrival and though that unnerved her with last year's Bizarro incident and this year Cyborg Superman stealing her blood (because though she agreed to protect her mentee it was still a form of theft in her mind) to sneak into the Fortress of Solitude, Kara was relieved to not be questioned.

It was easy to spot Cat in the luxurious restaurant, a prime spot for all to see and snap photos of the stunning pair. A coil of jealousy formed in Kara's stomach as she watched Cat's date reach out and rest her hand on Cat's forearm, the twitch of muscle underneath the skin undetectable to the human eye. But Kara saw. She noticed everything about Cat. Shaking her head of her troubling thoughts, Kara moved toward the table and calling on her Supergirl confidence she placed a solid hand on Cat's shoulder.

“Miss Grant,” she greeted, not entirely sure what their escape plan was, a few ideas circling her mind.

“Ah, Supergirl. I wasn't expecting you so soon,” Cat drawled, turning her sparking eyes to gaze up at Kara, a smirk pulling at her lips.

“Is something the matter?” Cat's date asked.

“No, nothing imminent, however Supergirl and I have a meeting with a beautiful refugee family needing to look at apartments. They're sensitive to light and no realtors will show them residences at night, so I asked for Supergirl's calming presence,” Cat explained, taking another sip of her wine befor dabbing hr immaculately painted lips with her napkin and beginning to rise. “Oh, look at the time. I'm afraid I will have to leave early,” she said, fingers curling around Kara's bicep as she moved to leave.

“Oh—okay. I will talk to you soon then, Cat. It was truly a pleasure,” she responded, a little befuddled at the whole situation, stunned at the superhero's appearance.

“Don't mention it,” Cat replied, waggling her free hand's fingers in a dismissive manner. She would not be speaking with that woman again. “Shall we, Supergirl?” she asked, peering up with a sly expression.

“Yes, Miss Grant. Let's,” Kara said, swallowing her own surprise at Cat's brazen disregard for her date as it seemed she was flirting with her alter ego. Moving toward the door, the attendant collecting Cat's coat from the check-in and helping her before wishing the pair a good night.

Once they were out in the fresh winter air, far cooler than National City due to its more northern location, Kara attempted to pry her arm carefully from Cat's vice-like grip. She had the urge to put some distance between them for her own sanity and crush on Cat.

“Problem, Kara?”

Kara nearly tripped over her boots, glancing around them swiftly to see if anyone had heard but apparently the woman spoke softly enough only the Kryptonian could hear. “Not at all, Miss Grant,” she promised, trying to ward off her concern.

“Is my touching you uncomfortable?” she asked, stopping to look at Kara seriously. Kara followed suit but didn't turn to look at Cat just yet. She took in a deep breath before turning and found her breath knocked out again.

“You...you look stunning,” Kara found herself saying in awe, eyes wide. The moonlight reflecting off the small snowbanks on to Cat's defined features, the curve of her plump lips, the green of her eyes brilliant was an image Kara wished to engrain in her memory forever. It gave her the strongest desire yet to paint and it stirred the warmth in her belly once more.

Cat huffed out in annoyance, jutting out a hip and placing her hand on it. “Really?” she asked, the 'k' of Kara's name cut off before she could chastise the woman fully. She was speaking to loud and this wasn't the place. She sighed and shook her head. “Fly me to my hotel room. There's a balcony. Always a balcony,” Cat said, voice dropping an octave as she revealed the notion of Supergirl visiting had crossed her mind as she travelled.

Biting her lip, Kara nodded absentmindedly before stepping forward. Cat stepped up onto her boots and Kara wrapped her arms securely around Cat's middle, pulling the smaller woman flush with her front. It made her blush but she managed to assuage Cat's fear in a calm voice. “I will never drop you,” she promised, Cat's arms looped around her neck as she took off.

The flight was relatively silent except the pounding of both heartbeats in Kara's ears and the slight shiver from Cat as the moved through the chilly air. Thankfully Cat's room wasn't far off and they soon landed on the balcony and stepped inside. Kara was about to ask about the excuse Cat at made, if she had finally found her waters to dive into and how it was going but Cat spun on her and pointed accusingly.

“Not ungrateful for the save from the most boring date I've had in years, but what the hell are you doing here, Kara?” her tone started off anger and fizzled into something short of affection, hidden behind the sharpness of her eyes.

Kara gaped for a second at the juxtaposition of Cat's reaction. “You're welcome,” she managed to say with some spite, causing Cat's head to jerk back in mild surprise. Kara looked down and sighed. “I...texted you because I...don't get me wrong, I love that you think I'd make an excellent reporter and I want to report the truth, show justice to the kind, but nothing feels right anymore without you there, Miss Grant. I keep getting sidelined for the rest of the reporters, all of my articles falling flat on their faces per Snapper's hate for anything important and topical to today's issues. I'm only getting one byline a month IF I'm lucky and I still feel like I'm floundering. I just...” Kara flopped unceremoniously on the couch in the middle of the room with a groan.

“I never said it would be easy,” Cat hedged as she finally took off her peacoat and came to perch on the coffee table beside Kara.

“I know. But I enjoyed working for you, Cat. I hate it with Snapper and I know it's part of growing up and being able to work with different minded people but you actually care. Not about me because that's selfish but about the same issues and topics I want to bring to the forefront of media. I learned more in a single week as your assistant than I have in six months as Snapper's reporter. Cat, I...” Kara cut herself off, an arm moving to rest over her face in a failed attempt to hide the blush coating her cheeks, the fact she had used Cat's first name twice glaringly obvious now. She almost revealed how deep her feelings for Cat ran too. That would not bode well for her.

Kara sat up and faced Cat straight on. Straight, hah. “You once said that I will always have a job with you. I know this is selfish and probably sounds pathetic, but whatever you're working towards now, may I please work at your side again?” she asked as confidently as she could, thankful the suit gave her that extra boost of bravery.

Cat leaned back slightly on the coffee table, regarding Kara was an unreadable expression, lips pursed in concentration. Kara waited patiently, not backing down or looking away to drive her point home. It was strange but she didn't feel...complete without Cat in her life and perhaps this was an extreme measure to take, she honestly didn't feel another solution come to mind. Cat looked down at her clasped hands and shook her head.

“Always surprising me...” she muttered affectionately. When Cat caught her gaze again, Kara was stunned to see it as open and expressive as when she speaks with or about her sons. “I left...in part...because of you Kara. It was,” she paused trying to find the right word. “...suffocating being around you as you pined after James. As the hobbit attempted to win your affections.”

Her breath caught in her throat as she leaned toward Cat, eyes wide and searching unfocused green. “But you don't feel that way, do you?” Cat practically scoffed, raising her gaze to Kara's subtly pleased smile. “What” she whispered as Kara's hands came to rest softly on Cat's cheeks, leaning further toward the woman. Cat's eyes closed of their own volition and soon Kara's lips met hers tentatively, but not frightfully. There was definite purpose to the kiss but a sense of inexperience mingled in and so, as she always did as Kara's mentor, she kissed back firmly, a hand tangling in Kara's locks to hold her close.

Kara had never felt this connection to a person before, not with James, not with her first boyfriend, or the shared kisses with college students. It was entirely different and so, so much more, so much more intense and meaningful. Attributed to the overwhelming attraction that had been building between them for two years now, though only just realized by Kara, but it didn't diminish how fresh and new and electric their kiss was. She could easily drown with her want to never come back up for air again if only to keep kissing Cat for the rest of her life.

The warmth of their breaths mingling when they pulled back was intoxicating and Kara knew she would never get used to that feeling of perfectly melding affection intertwining with delicious heat bubbling below the surface, lighting her senses on fire. “I think it was always you,” Kara muttered, thumbs rubbing Cat's cheekbones lightly.

Cat peered into Kara's face, finding nothing but the truth there in how relaxed she appeared, in the depth of her tone and in the gentleness she handled her. She sighed and wrapped her arms around Kara's shoulders to draw her into a hug, needing a stronger centering of her world right then. Kara's hands on her back were light but noticeable and Cat made a note to ask about Kara's distribution and control of her strength at a later less prominent moment in time.

“Well I could use Supergirl's help as Alien Refugee Ambassador...” Cat said with a light smugness, quirking a brow when Kara pulled back in curiosity. “With the Alien Amnesty Act, I figured they would need help getting settled on Earth, and though our reach is mostly within the States right now, who would be better suited than I? And if I had a little alien of my own to step in and welcome them...all the better for everyone involved, yes?” Cat explained, smirk crossing her face.

Kara's eyes lit up in wonder and excitement. “That's so amazing, Cat. I think that's a great idea!” she said breathlessly, pride swelling in her chest at the strides being made for aliens globally.

“I have a direct line to the President and am fed alien intelligence through some super secret underground black ops unit I've yet to be briefed on. Probably some Men in Black type deal like Agent Mulder's elusiveness during Leslie's little meltdown,” Cat explained further, brushing off the Leslie/Livewire situation as though it hadn't given her nightmares for weeks, causing her to be more snappish than usual at work. Her precious two hours (if that was even true) of sleep saturated by the fear of being pursued and electrocuted, falling to her death in a corrupt elevator and seeing the life drain from Supergirl's body. Kara could only guess on many of those reasons but two years spent endlessly by one's side gave her an advantage few would understand.

Kara smiled stiffly but refrained from commenting, should she reveal too much too soon. She didn't want to step on the President's or J'onn's toes for when they do brief Cat and the woman gets the jump on their attempts at subtlety or dramatics. “I'm sure you'll learn about them soon enough,” Kara said, pulling at Cat's hands lightly so the woman would join her on the couch and save herself the discomfort of sitting too long on the wood table.

Cat nodded gratefully, a little too prone to staying in strange positions for too long, and moved to sit beside Kara. She leaned against Kara's side, right hand holding tightly to Kara's left, a calm settling over them both. “So...does that...mean...we are dating?” Kara asked cautiously optimistic. She didn't want this to be a one time deal (not one night stand because Rao, she was not ready for that intimacy).

“Do you want to date? Be my girlfriend?” Cat asked.

Her response caught in her throat at the idea of calling Cat her girlfriend. Now Kara knew why Alex had been so giggly and odd using the term girlfriend to refer to Maggie. She felt giggly as though she were struck by a love beam and she was unable to hold it anymore. Kara giggled, nuzzling into Cat's hair as she did so. “I'd love to be your girlfriend,” she admitted with a deep breath of air, eyes sparkling at the prospect of dating Cat.

“One stipulation, Kara...” Cat held her finger up, Kara's face nearly falling. “I want you to keep writing for CatCo,” she began, settling the digit against Kara's parted to argue lips. “Reporting on our progress. The advances we're making in alien affairs. That needs to be published. But you can write from home if you prefer,” Cat smiled while Kara's face lit anew. “But for the love of god, Kara, do not use yourself as a source again, so help me,” she finished, glaring at the woman.

Kara bit her lip, bowing her head shamefaced. “Sorry,” she replied sheepishly. Eyes darting between both of Cat's she questioned, “Can we go back to kissing now?”

Cat chuckled freely and nodded her head. “Of course,” and pulled Kara in for another mind-blowing kiss.