CH 46: Morning
Lex slowly drifted awake to the rich aroma of breakfast wafting through the mansion. For a few lingering moments he simply lay there, enjoying the quiet warmth beneath the blankets before rolling onto his side. Kara was still asleep beside him, exactly as she'd fallen asleep the previous night—having somehow managed to kick every bit of the blanket away from herself while leaving him wrapped up in it instead. It wasn't the first time that had happened. Despite the lingering chill outside as winter gradually gave way to spring, Kara never seemed to mind. She slept peacefully, entirely unconcerned, her blonde hair spread untidily across the pillow while the faint morning sunlight filtering through the curtains painted soft golden highlights across her features.
Perhaps she felt his eyes on her, or perhaps Kryptonians simply had an uncanny instinct for these things. Whatever the reason, her eyelashes fluttered before she slowly opened her eyes. They remained slightly unfocused, still clouded by sleep, while her hair looked as though it had lost a rather one-sided battle with the pillow during the night. To anyone else she might have looked like someone who had only just crawled out of bed.
To Lex, she looked absolutely beautiful.
A smile naturally spread across his face as he reached over, gently brushing a few loose strands of blonde hair away from her cheek.
"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?"
Kara's sleepy expression immediately softened into a smile of her own. She leaned comfortably into his hand without even thinking about it before letting out a quiet, contented hum.
"You have," she murmured. "But I definitely think you should say it more often." She opened one eye just enough to look at him properly before adding with a small chuckle, "How about... ten times a day?"
"Just ten?" Lex laughed quietly. "You're definitely worth hearing it a hundred times a day."
"Oh really?" Kara's lips curled into an exaggerated pout. "Then why hasn't this beautiful lady been taken on a proper date yet?"
Lex blinked.
"...Now that you mention it..."
Lex actually stopped to think about it. Over the past several months they'd flown across half the planet together, fought side by side, spent more nights sleeping beside one another than either of them had bothered counting and had somehow even managed to have sex in orbit simply because Kara had decided it sounded romantic. Looking back, they'd done a lot of things together…
"...You know," he finally said, looking at her with a slightly amused expression, "I don't think we've actually gone on a proper date."
Kara blinked before tilting her head.
"Actually... I think we did."
"When?"
"The time we went into space.”
Lex rolled his eyes so dramatically that Kara immediately started giggling.
"That wasn't a date."
"It wasn't?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because that wasn't sightseeing." He poked her lightly on the forehead. "That was just you being a horny girl who wanted to have sex in space."
Kara looked completely unashamed.
"Good dates do end with sex."
"They end with it," Lex replied. "That one skipped absolutely everything in the middle."
She folded her arms with exaggerated indignation.
"Fine then."
"What?"
"No sex for you today."
"Oh really?"
A rather suspicious smile slowly appeared on Lex's face as his fingers teasingly traced along her side.
Kara's determined expression immediately began to crumble.
"Mmm..."
She bit her lip for a moment before sighing dramatically.
"...I mean... I suppose exceptions can be made if it's before the date..."
Lex withdrew his hand so suddenly that Kara stared at him in confusion.
Then he climbed out of bed.
"Come on," he said with an infuriatingly smug grin. "We're leaving in one hour."
It took Kara almost three full seconds to realise she'd been tricked.
"You evil..." She grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it at him with enough force that an ordinary person probably would've ended up in hospital. "...You supervillain!"
Lex casually leaned aside, letting the pillow sail harmlessly past him before it exploded against the bedroom wall.
"Ooh..." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I kind of like that. Maybe we should try supervillain roleplay sometime."
Kara pointed accusingly at him while climbing out of bed herself.
"It'd suit you perfectly."
"Oh?"
"You evil man."
Despite neither of them actually needing much time to prepare anymore, the two still wandered into the adjoining bathroom together out of habit. Ever since obtaining the Essence of the Transcendent Self, Lex's body remained in perfect condition at all times, never truly becoming dirty or even tired in the conventional sense. Kara, having received the same blessing from him, enjoyed exactly the same benefits. Strictly speaking, neither of them needed a shower anymore, yet after months of living together it had quietly become part of their morning routine all the same. Most mornings were spent talking about nothing in particular while getting ready for the day, and today proved no different.
As they stepped back into the hallway, Kara paused outside her bedroom door.
"Hey..." she called while looking over her shoulder. "At least tell me where you're taking me. I'd like to know what I'm supposed to wear."
Lex stopped walking.
"...I honestly don't know."
Kara blinked.
"You invited me on a date without knowing where we're going?"
"I have a plan."
"I'm already worried."
"We fly really high..." Lex began, gesturing upward with one finger before pointing toward the ground. "...then we just drop."
"...What?"
"We close our eyes, enjoy the fall and wherever we happen to land..." He shrugged with a grin. "...that's where our date starts."
Kara stared at him for several long seconds.
Finally, a grin spread across her face.
"That is simultaneously the worst-planned and most exciting date anyone has ever invited me on."
"I'll take that as a yes."
"So... if we land in the middle of the ocean?"
"I guess we swim."
Kara nodded thoughtfully.
"Okay then. I'll wear a swimsuit underneath."
Lex snapped his fingers.
"...Actually, that's a really good idea. I should too."
While Kara disappeared into her room to get dressed, Lex headed downstairs alone. Nearly two months had passed since Christmas, and the mansion felt noticeably quieter these days. Grayfia was already in the dining room setting breakfast upon the table with her usual graceful efficiency, while Gwen sat nearby with a thick book in one hand and a mug of tea beside her, so engrossed in whatever she was reading that she didn't even notice him arrive until he spoke.
"Morning, Grayfia. Morning, Gwen."
The house had changed considerably since the New Year. After Nanami's report confirmed that Japan had finally been cleared of the Hand, attention had shifted elsewhere. The organisation still possessed strong footholds throughout South Korea, China and several other parts of East Asia, while much of Europe remained equally troublesome. Sharon had volunteered almost immediately after hearing the report, mentioning that someone who had once been a close friend in her own timeline should still be living in Korea in this world, along with several others who might be persuaded to help. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, she had departed together with Angela and Ava, while Donna had taken Regan, Alison and Kitty to Europe. Gwen had originally offered to accompany Sharon as well, but after spending the better part of the last several weeks collaborating with Tony, Bruce and Regina on one of their increasingly mysterious research projects, Sharon had insisted she remain behind instead.
Lex wasn't particularly worried about either group. Donna alone was already powerful enough to handle almost anything they were likely to encounter, while Sharon had more than proven herself capable of leading a team.
Lex pulled out a chair and sat down while Grayfia finished placing the last few dishes onto the table. She noticed him almost immediately, offering her usual gentle smile.
"Good morning, Master."
"Morning." Lex glanced towards the plates she was carrying. "What's on today's menu?”
"A French omelette." Grayfia answered while placing a beautifully folded omelette onto his plate. The surface retained a delicate golden-yellow color without a single hint of browning, while the faint aroma of butter drifted upward alongside freshly baked bread, grilled tomatoes and lightly sautéed mushrooms. A small bowl of fresh fruit completed the meal, simple by comparison to yesterday's feast, yet no less appetising.
"Thank you."
Lex had barely picked up his fork when Gwen finally spoke, her eyes never once leaving the thick book resting in her hands.
"Oh, Lex... I'm going to need some more Uru."
He looked over curiously.
"Still experimenting with it?"
"Mhm."
She absentmindedly turned another page.
"It's an incredible conductor for magical energy. I've honestly never worked with anything quite like it before."
Without another word, Lex casually reached over and created another brick of Uru beside Gwen. The silvery metal seemed to simply emerge into existence upon the empty chair next to her, as though reality itself had quietly accepted that it had always been there.
"There you go."
"Thanks."
Taking a bite of his breakfast, Lex looked at the metal thoughtfully.
"So... have you guys finally figured out how to actually use it?"
Gwen sighed.
"Unfortunately, no. Conducting magic and actually forging the material are two completely different problems." She finally lowered the book onto the table before continuing. "Tony thinks someone on Asgard should know how to work with it. Since Thor's hammer is made from Uru, somebody obviously knows how to shape the stuff."
Lex nodded slowly.
"That... actually makes sense."
For a few seconds he quietly searched his memory.
"Oh yeah... wasn't there some god of blacksmiths?"
"There are several depending on the mythology." Gwen replied. "If you're thinking of Norse mythology, Brokkr is one of the most famous craftsmen, although he's actually a dwarf rather than an Asgardian."
"No... that's not who I meant." Lex frowned while trying to remember. "I swear there was one... wasn't he married to the goddess of love? Then she went off with the god of war or something?"
Gwen finally lowered the book into her lap before looking at him with obvious disbelief.
"...That's Greek mythology." She shook her head with a sigh. "Don't you have perfect memory or something? How do you even forget things?"
Lex didn't look embarrassed in the slightest.
"It's a talent."
"...To forget?"
"Yeah." He nodded confidently before pointing towards her. "Otherwise I'd eventually end up like you."
Gwen slowly narrowed her eyes.
"I'm offended. If perfect memory alone was enough to become me, every library would be producing archmages."
"Well, Professor..." Lex stroked his chin thoughtfully. "What do I have to do to become more like you then?"
The next instant his body shimmered.
His hair rapidly lengthened, turning the same deep shade as Gwen's while his features shifted until an almost perfect copy of her sat across the table, right down to the smug smile.
Grayfia paused for just a fraction of a second before quietly continuing to prepare breakfast.
Gwen simply stared.
"...Absolutely not."
A small golden mana disk appeared above her fingers before shooting straight across the table.
Thwack.
"Ow!"
Lex rubbed his forehead as his appearance immediately returned to normal.
"Hey! Don't hit my beautiful face."
"My beautiful face?" Gwen repeated flatly.
"...You know exactly why I hit you."
Before Lex could defend himself any further, footsteps echoed from the staircase.
Kara finally made her way downstairs, now dressed in a casual winter outfit with a light jacket draped over one arm. The moment she saw Lex already halfway through breakfast, she stopped walking altogether before narrowing her eyes accusingly.
"...Excuse me."
Lex looked up innocently.
"Yes?"
"I thought we were having breakfast on our date."
"We are."
She gestured dramatically toward the plate in front of him.
"Then what exactly are you doing?"
"Eating breakfast."
"...Traitor."
Grayfia couldn't suppress the tiny smile tugging at the corner of her lips as she quietly prepared another omelette.
"It's only one omelette, Lady Kara."
"That's not the point."
"It absolutely is the point," Lex replied between bites. "You don't even know where we're landing yet. We could end up somewhere with terrible food."
Kara considered that.
"...That's actually possible."
"So this is emergency breakfast."
"...Emergency breakfast."
"Mhm."
She eventually accepted the explanation with a reluctant nod before taking the seat beside him just as Grayfia placed another freshly prepared omelette before her.
"Fine."
She picked up her fork.
"But we're still eating again wherever we land."
"I was counting on it."
Gwen watched the exchange over the top of her book for another moment before something Lex had said finally registered.
"...Wait."
Both of them looked over.
"You two are actually going on a date?"
Kara nodded happily.
"Yep."
Gwen closed the book completely this time.
"Kara..." she began carefully. "Didn't you promise you'd help me melt the Uru today by taking it into the Sun?"
The cheerful smile on Kara's face faltered.
"...Oh."
"I did say that..."
She glanced toward Lex before looking back at Gwen.
"Can we postpone it? I'll... maybe do it tonight?"
Gwen's expression remained completely flat.
"Like I'm going to believe that."
She leaned back in her chair, letting out a long sigh that sounded far more practiced than someone her age should've been capable of.
"For almost two months now, every single evening the two of you mysteriously decide you're tired at exactly the same time." She folded her arms before continuing in the same perfectly calm tone. "Then, without fail, somewhere around midnight I get to hear another bed dying a heroic death."
Kara immediately became fascinated by her breakfast.
Lex coughed awkwardly into his fist.
"I've counted seventeen so far," Gwen added. "At this point I'm honestly beginning to wonder whether I should just start buying reinforced furniture."
Grayfia calmly poured everyone another cup of tea.
"I have already contacted several manufacturers."
Lex slowly turned toward her.
"...You what?"
"I concluded it would be more efficient than replacing them individually."
For a moment the dining room fell completely silent.
Then Kara buried her face in her hands while Lex let out a defeated groan.
"I don't know whether I should be impressed..." he muttered, "...or deeply embarrassed."
"You should probably choose the latter," Gwen replied with a perfectly straight face before reopening her book.
Even Grayfia's composed expression softened ever so slightly, and Lex could have sworn he caught the faintest trace of amusement in her crimson eyes as the quiet breakfast continued. Outside, the last snowfalls of the season drifted lazily across the gardens, while inside the mansion the peaceful morning carried on exactly as it had for the past several weeks—a calm, comfortable routine shared among the few who still remained, each quietly waiting for the others to return home once again.