WHAT: More Theo talk and plans for house-hunting WHERE: L-Corp Penthouse WHEN: Backdated to Tuesday, February 6th bc I forgot to post WARNINGS: Nah STATUS: Complete
As Kara had promised, as soon as everyone was home, safe, and everything with the portal and its aftermath was situated, her attention shifted back where it belonged: to Theo.
Adoption wasn’t going to be a fast tracked process. That much had been clear from the beginning. Outlanders adopting natives was – well, Kara wasn’t sure if she’d say it was frowned upon, but there was no inherent trust there. Putting children in need of a home in the care of people who could disappear in the blink of an eye wasn’t a decision the legal system in Vallo took seriously. It was the smartest decision, the right decision.
That didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. That didn’t mean she didn’t wish there weren’t so many hoops to jump through. But it made her more determined than ever to follow every instruction to a T; whatever it took to finally make some progress.
Applying for their fostering license required steps. One of those steps was a home study, something Kara clocked on the list they had magnetized to the refrigerator this morning while she reached in for cream for her morning coffee. She let out a thoughtful hum as she carried it back to the kitchen table and poured a good bit into her still-steaming mug of coffee.
“So,” she said to Lena, snagging a croissant from the plate of breakfast pastries between them. “What do you think about looking for that house the kids mentioned?”
The past few weeks had been stressful, though Lena Luthor was accustomed to stress; she worked well under pressure and often did her best work under the excruciating weight of dire times. The stress tensing her muscles carried a different sort of burden this time around, though. It didn’t particularly surprise her that locals had banded together in an attempt to banish them into some other world, to be honest.
It did surprise her that it took this long, and she worried about how this would shape future relations. In the scheme of things, it was a small group that were the culprits - but that was always how it started, wasn’t it?
Lena was going through some notes when Kara approached, scrolling through her personalized tablet. Instead of coffee, she started her day with some Irish tea – something her mother used to do, a tidbit she recently remembered. “Oh. That’s…” she paused, sitting back more properly in her chair. “You’re right, we should. This penthouse is more of a bachelorette pad, isn’t it?”
“It’s a wonderful place,” Kara countered because, in her eyes, it was true. This had been her home now for most of her time in Vallo. It wasn’t small by any means either; the two top stories of L-Corp had been transformed into this gorgeous, spacious apartment that was, debatably, too much space for just the two of them. But it was something Lena and Alex had built together, and it was impossible for Kara not to have a soft spot for that in her heart.
“But Theo’s going to want to be nearer to the woods. It’ll be better for him,” she continued gently. “Some place a little removed from work will probably be better for us as a family. You know?”
“No, no, I agree,” Lena sighed, though not in defeat. She brought her mug to her lips, taking a slow sip as the drink was still piping hot and she had no desire to scald her tongue this early in the morning. “I remember them mentioning the house – I just wasn’t sure when to slot in that discussion.”
Combing through the paperwork they’d been given for their foster license had taken priority. She was an excellent multi-tasker most days, but Theo had given her tunnel vision. This wasn’t just about getting Theo. It was also about preparing for him, and that was a necessary talk.
There was a strand of black hair she felt against her cheek, and Lena reached to smooth it away from her face as she offered Kara a wry smile. “House hunting, then. I don’t think we ever discussed what you look for in real estate.”
“Would it surprise you to hear… nothing specific?” Those words were followed by a sheepish smile as Kara reached for her mug, croissant already polished off. “My favorite part is making sure the interior is decorated and cozy. Somewhere you’re comfortable with will be enough for me. I’m guessing you’re not invested in any Luthor-esque marble floors and columns?”
“I’m not interested in any type of mansion,” Lena assured her girlfriend, setting down the tablet. She was used to posh accommodations, yes; came with the money and the expectations of what a Luthor should have. “I remember having an insane amount of space growing up and while it was full of beautiful things, it was lonely.”
It was always pristine, always tidy, never a toy out in the public areas or a child’s art on the fridge. Felt more like the lair of villains than a home, though that might be too on the nose all things considered.
“I think,” she paused, sucking in her tinted bottom lip between those pearly teeth in a moment of thought, “we can reasonably downsize while still having enough space for four of us.”
“I like the sound of that,” Kara agreed. She reached around the table and offered her hand to her girlfriend, palm up. Her home on Krypton had been something similarly as grand as Luthor Mansion, but the house she considered her home would always be the Danvers’ house in Midvale. It wasn’t anything near grandeur, but it was comfortable and had more than enough room for the four of them – the three of them after Jeremiah had first disappeared.
“Do you want to build?” she asked next. “Or maybe that’s an option we save if we don’t find anything that works for us.”
Lena never turned down that hand. “That’s a last resort option,” she decided, bringing Kara’s hand to her mouth for a kiss. “Building is a project in itself. Permits, architectural plans, picking materials. It’s a stress we don’t need. I wouldn’t mind the whole… house-shopping procedure with you.”
The penthouse was a project for her and Alex, and it had history. But her life with Alex had come to a close. It wasn’t over - it was just complete. Now she had this chance to put down a new set of roots with Kara and do things their way.
“We’re going to need a decent yard, however. Your dog–” Their dog, but sometimes Lena emphasized the your part when Krypto dug into the trash or tried chewing on a shoe. “Needs space to run around and burn energy.”
“Yeah, he does,” Kara laughed. Krypto was currently being a very good boy, sprawled out on the white couch in the living room, likely shedding his equally white fur all over it. He lifted his head when he heard his name but must not have found their call pressing enough to answer as he dropped back down to his front paws. “I’m sure the kids will appreciate the yard, too. And I’m absolutely putting up all kinds of shelves for your cat to jump on. She’ll be so excited! More spots she can perch on to look down on us!”
It was a shame Lena dropped her hand, but she made up for it by standing so she could lean into Kara with her arms around her neck. “You spoil that cat,” she pointed out lovingly, and with the slightest bit of judgment.
Then she kissed her, because Kara gushing about how she wanted to install cat shelves for their little feline void was adorable.
It was true, and Kara made no move to deny it before she was kissed. The only move she did make was to wrap her arms around Lena’s waist and tug her down gently into her lap. “I’ve gotta get my practice in somewhere,” she said after a breathless moment, looking up at Lena with utter adoration. “You can’t tell me those kids aren’t gonna be spoiled rotten, too.”
They were good, grounded kids, she trusted that. They wanted for nothing, but they weren’t so spoiled that they were out of touch. And they weren’t lacking in connections, they weren’t lonely. That was the last thing she wanted for them. Both she and Lena knew how that felt in their own ways.
“I want them to be,” Lena chuckled, taking the hint to settle into her lap. “They’re going to be clever and resourceful and give us headaches as adults - but I’m looking forward to the baby years despite my glaring lack of experience.”
And there was nothing wrong with that, she tried to tell herself. No one went into parenthood being experts. “So we’re looking for something by the forest,” she began to list off, “but not in the forest, its chaos unnerves me. A lot of yard for the dog. I don’t really have any other must haves and I imagine if we wanted to add or adjust something, it would be feasible.”
“I think so,” Kara replied with a nod. “Something that’s near the forest border should be fine. The yard is a must-have and maybe at least three bathrooms?” Eventually, they would have three women in the house, and while Kara had never lingered long in front of a mirror or worn more than light make-up, she wanted her girls to have space for it. Theo, too, if that’s what he chose, though he hadn’t seemed too interested in any of that.
“Maybe a basement,” she suggested after a few seconds of thought. “We can set up an in-home gym if we want, but I definitely want a superpowered training space for me and Lori.”
Three bathrooms wasn’t excessive for Lena in the scheme of things, but it was more than she imagined for the home she was picturing in her head. Not that she’d argue, goodness no, she was a bit spoiled with their current set up and was following Kara’s train of thought anyway. “All that’s doable, I think,” she voice, lips pursed pensively. “I’d love for the two of you to have space to let loose in a way that doesn’t completely destroy the foundation of this new home we’re trying to find.”
“Me too,” Kara chuckled. One wrong move and she could take down a house if she wanted. So could Krypto, so could Lori. It would be nice to have a space to let loose, even for their fluffy white dog. The DOA could provide to an extent, but she preferred to have an insulated spot; she was no stranger to bad days and the desire to kick a punching bag across a room on occasion.
“Now, where’s your head on Theo? Are you obsessing?” That was all gentleness, nothing accusatory – it was hard not to obsess in their situation.
“Obsessing is a strong word,” came her retort, looking somewhat offended but it also wasn’t off the mark. Lena couldn’t fault Kara for it. “I’m… impatient,” she then admitted, resting a hand over her shoulder. “I know he’s taken care of where he is, but the scheduled visits aren’t easy.”
Theo was at least beginning to recognize them more when they came by. They introduced themselves to him by their names and not by mom, and that proved to be difficult for Lena, especially when she dealt with two versions of him that called her that without hesitance.
“I know,” Kara murmured sympathetically, stroking up and down Lena’s back. “It’s better than nothing for now. We’ll have that license soon, honey. That’ll be a big step in the right direction. But I get the impatience, believe me.”
She was obsessing and impatient, too, no question about it. Knowing Theo was supposed to be part of their lives and yet it was so hard to take him in was heart wrenching for them both. It wasn’t that he wasn’t in good hands, but he was meant to be theirs – their son. The fight was just a little harder than they had hoped. She stayed optimistic because that was what she did – stayed hopeful for her family, even in times when it was difficult.
“By the time we get to take him home, we’ll have everything ready for him. We can build him a whole tower of Mega Bloks.” She kissed Lena’s shoulder before grinning up at her. “He’ll be thrilled!”
“I’ve already ordered about a hundred dollars worth of those things,” Lena deadpanned, because she also purchased quite a few other things just to have it piled up and ready to go. They were still in boxes - no child to play with them yet - but she was itching to open them up, or bring them to Theo directly.
But that didn’t seem fair to do with all the other children around, either.
“And–” Placing a chaste kiss to her lips, Lena removed herself from her lap to grab onto her tablet. “I signed us up for those required parenting classes. It’ll give us a more in-depth overview of Theo’s race and what to expect from him developmentally, too.”
Lena moving away earned her a small pout from Kara, but she accepted her fate and grabbed a chocolate chip muffin to console herself. “That sounds great. I wonder if it’s much different, elf development?”
She couldn’t say she’d educated herself much on the subject. All she knew was that elves aged slower than humans, too. They weren’t Kryptonians, standing still in time after maturity as long as they stayed under a yellow sun, but they could go well into their hundreds. She knew it was part of why Lena-of-the-future had made the pact that – hopefully – had been averted in their current timeline.
“Not by much according to my preliminary research.” Lena researched the elven clans here a bit extensively when Theo first introduced himself into her life. “Their lifespans are longer, yes, but they’ve also got a penchant for magic that may or may not pop up around puberty - there’s some signs to look out for. And something about fairies, which had me look into the fae but I think they’re two very different things. Anyway.”
She swiped on her tablet and looked up at Kara.
“I sent you notes. And the schedule for those classes.”
Kara heard her tablet ping on the charger across the kitchen and nodded her thanks as she polished off another croissant. “Thank you, I’ll read up on all of that ASAP, I promise.” Her watch beeped, and when she raised her wrist to look at it, her eyes briefly went wide. “Shoot, I’m running late for Defense.”
She took a long swig from her coffee cup then stood, ducking down to offer her girlfriend a kiss. “I love you. Lunch later? I’ll see if I can get some of that reading done while it’s quiet, and we can discuss?”
Lena almost pouted, it was utterly tragic. “Fine,” she murmured, kissing those lips back for a few seconds of sheer closeness. Her hand traveled, gripping Kara by the chin so she could hold her face while she gave her instructions. “Come home for lunch. We can eat in bed, considering our time for recreational lunches are going to be very limited if this goes our way.”
Kara’s cheeks warmed and again, her eyes went a bit wide. But she nodded eagerly and leaned in to seal her lips to Lena’s again, this time lingering a little longer. “I’ll be there, count on it,” she murmured. “Call me if you need me sooner.”