fic: take care of your own [young justice, g]
Title: Take Care of Your Own
Fandom: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Rating: G
Characters/Pairings: Kara Zor-El (Supergirl), Connor Kent (Superboy), Clark Kent (Superman), J’onn J'onzz, M’gann M'orzz, Dinah (Black Canary), Young Justice team; off-screen Green Arrow/Black Canary, M’gann/Superboy UST.
Spoilers/Warning: all aired episodes of YJ, some canon for DC comics verse.
Disclaimer: not mine.
Summary: Supergirl finds out about Superboy and she’s not happy to be the last to know.
Note: I don’t know how Supergirl will be introduced into the Young Justice canon, or if she’s even be introduced at all. This is my take on it. I’ve taken Kara’s introduction into Earth 16 to more or less match the events set up in Superman/Batman: Apocalypse and borrowed some of her canon from Justice League: Unlimited.
Take Care of Your Own
"So how come you haven't been by the Mountain?" Dinah asks as they circle one another.
"Why? The kids need a real sparring teacher?" Kara answers back with a sharp grin, striking out with her left hand. Dinah blocks it easily rolling her eyes.
“Who you calling kids, kid?”
Kara laughs, aiming a kick to Dinah’s side.
She's heard that Dinah is currently tutoring the Junior Justice League alongside Red Tornado and she can't think of a better teacher. Kara might have gotten most of her training from the Amazons but outside the island Dinah is more than a peer to Kara, she is her teacher and friend. Some days she wonders what it would be like to have Dinah and Artemis got up against each other.
Dinah counters with a high kick that Kara bends away from. She twists, reaching for Dinah's ankle, but Dinah is quick and flips herself over Kara's back. They don't talk for the next few seconds exchanging blows -- Kara focuses on her body and how it moves, how her strength and speed are weapons not only against her opponents but against herself and her friends. There's a part of her that knows she can speed up, that she can let her strength go, set it free and wild, but she knows that if she does she can risk seriously hurting Dinah. As aware she is of her body she's equally aware of Dinah's matching her blow for blow, kick for kick -- until their momentum dies out for a second and they settle back, circling each other again.
"I just thought you'd want to see him." Dinah whips her hair back but a few strands stick to her temples were sweat is gathering.
Kara rolls her shoulders, eyebrows knitting together, "See who?"
She doesn’t know why those are the wrong words to say, but they clearly are because Dinah goes hard in a way that Kara has never seen before. Not during a friendly spar. She's staring at Kara like suddenly Kara's the enemy and for a second Kara is grateful that she has never seen that look directed at her in the battle field. Dinah looks like she could break all of Kara's bones. Kryptonian or not.
"The boy, Kara." There is a bite in Dinah's voice that catches Kara off guard. And it’s only thanks to her Kryptonian eyesight that she sees the fist coming at her face fast enough to block and dodge.
Kara shifts, throws out her own punches and blocks to counter Dinah's, whose are coming in faster and stronger than before.
"What boy?" Kara asks, as one of Dinah's knees tries to connect with her thigh, because she is suddenly very confused.
It must show on her face because Dinah slows the jab that was about to make contact with Kara's ribs. It wouldn't have hurt Kara, she knows, but she can see the emotion behind it in Dinah’s face that tells her Dinah wished it would have hurt her.
"You really don't know?" Dinah's lips downturn in thin frown and she drops her hands, taking a step back. Kara does the same.
She shakes her head, "Know what?"
She is very confused.
"Superboy." Is the only thing Dinah says and out of all the punches they've thrown today this is what takes Kara’s breath way.
Super-what?
“Who?”
Her mind runs through the idea of another survivor of Krypton, of someone like her and Clark and Karen, but it can't be that because then she would know about it. Clark would have told her. Someone would have told her. Right? Diana would have mentioned something surely.
Dinah shakes her head, her mouth still pulled in a frown, and motions to the benches where they left their water and towels. "Come, I'll tell you."
They go to sit and after she takes a sip from her water-bottle Dinah starts talking. As she listens Kara is grateful that Dinah suggested they sit because at this point the bench is holding her up. She grips it's edges as Dinah starts talking about Cadmus and the boy. Kara doesn’t utter a word at any of it. Can’t really, shock filling her.
She can't believe she doesn't know, that nobody told her before now.
There’s another Kryptonian out there and everybody kept it from her.
She's been on Paradise Island for the last few months, taking League mission as they come to her usually through Diana, but she's mostly in and out, quick and precise, doing her briefings and heading back to the island which she sees as more of a home than the farm. However that's no excuse for her ignorance in that matter considering everyone in the League seems to be informed of this Superboy’s presence.
Dinah knows which mean Ollie must know which means all the big players know, and that means Clark knows.
Clark. How could he not tell her about this?
She can believe that Diana didn't tell her out of respect for Clark, but the fact that Clark, her cousin, her family didn't tell her is something else entirely. As Dinah finishes filling her in Kara's mind is already running about ten miles ahead of her.
Pushing of the bench, not even noticing how it's cracked under the pressure of her hands, she hears Dinah call out to her, but she's already on her away to the main control room.
"J'onn!" She flies up to where he's sitting at the consul talking to Ollie via comms.
"Ah, Supergirl, what can I help you..." he trails off getting a good look at her face as she lands next to him and turns to Ollie, "Green Arrow, I'll get back you with that information as soon as I can. I have a matter to attend to."
On the screen Ollie looks between J'onn and her and signs off quickly with barely a goodbye.
J'onn turns to her. "You've heard about Superboy.”
Kara barely restrains her growl, "You bet I did. Get Superman online, please." She grits out the last word.
He stares at her for a second before nodding. His fingers press a few buttons and then Clark's voice filters through the air.
"J'onn, what's up?"
"Kal, where are you?" Kara says, trying to keep her voice level as possible, but she knows she's probably given herself away. She hardly ever calls him Kal anymore--only when she’s not paying attention to it or in this case: livid.
"Kara, what's wrong?" He sounds so worried that it almost makes Kara soften towards him. Almost.
"Nothing. Where are you?"
"The Planet."
She nods, "Good, stay there. I'll be on the roof in about ten minutes." And then she reaches across J'onn to turn the comms off even as her cousin asks more questions.
With a nod of goodbye, she floats down to the satellite’s teleportation pads and doesn't even need to ask J'onn to beam her away.
---
In the ten minutes it takes her to get to The Daily Planet Kara feels that she has only gotten angrier. Diana always tells her she has to be a master of her emotions lest they get away from her in a fight and she hurt someone but Kara can't think clearly. She can only focus on one thing: Clark lied to her. She's seen him in the last few months. He visited Paradise Island a couple months ago, hovering over the island with this serious and all too Batman look on his face asking if she hear anything about her encounters with Project Cadmus--Rao, how could have she been so blind? Clearly that must have been about Superboy but when she asked him what was wrong he had just smiled what Lois calls his farm boy smile and told her he was just making sure she was okay.
And she bought it!
How stupid has she been! How dare he not tell her about this!
She's floating about twenty feet over The Daily Planet's roof when she sees him. He's in regular clothes, his glasses perched slightly crookedly on his nose; she thinks about all the times she's told him he looks ridiculous like that - “like a dweeb” is what Bart told her to say - and she's never wanted to punch him more. Not even when she was under Darkseid did she want to punch him so much.
Possibly an exaggeration, but it anger feels similar.
How could he lie to her?
She speeds down and barely listens to his greeting.
"You have son?"
His face crumples and his sigh is so heavy it probably would have had the strength to knock a human back a couple feet. Kara stands firm.
"He's not my son, Kara."
She fists her hands on her hips, "He was made from your DNA. He's called Superboy."
"You're called Supergirl, and nobody thinks you're my daughter,” he says, smiling like she thinks it would charming. Any other day maybe.
She frowns, "No, they don't, but they still think I'm your family."
His smile fades and his face becomes hard. "He's not family."
Kara can only hope he hasn't said that to Superboy because even she feels the slap of it. "How can you say that! He's part of you, Kal."
Clark's eyes flash at his Kryptonian name but says nothing about it, lowering his gaze from hers. "I didn't have anything to do with his creation. He's not mine."
Kara blinks, and knows even he can't really believe that. He can't. She doesn't even realise she's stepped forward and is jabbing one very strong finger at his chest hard enough for him to feel it.
"Oh, come off it. That's not even a good excuse," she pokes him again for good measure forcing him to look at her, "Bruce has adopted like twenty kids and I don't think he had to do with the creation with any of them." She knows it's a low blow comparing the situation to Bruce's and yes, another over exaggeration, but it's also the truth.
She pokes him again.
He grunts and reaches out and takes holds her wrist, gently pulling it away from his chest where it must have been hurting him. He looks down at their joined hands and then back at her face. His eyes look so blue and torn and for a second she thinks he’s going to tell her she’s right. That he’s going to go with her to Mount Justice. Then he moves his head, the sun glints in his glasses and when he looks back at her his eyes seem shaded. She only sees her face reflected in them and his glasses. She looks angry.
She only gets angrier at his words.
"It's different, Kara."
She sighs, "It really isn't, Kal. And even so he was still created. From you! That alone makes him part of the House of El."
"Kara."
She pulls her hand away from his grip and turns on the roof. "You ignoring him is wrong."
"What makes you think I'm ignoring him?" Clark says.
She rolls her eyes, turning to face him, "For one, you didn't tell me anything about him."
Something changes in Clark's stance that makes him look so tired. So human. She wants to hit him.
"He's not your problem."
Yeah, she really wants to hit him. Her next words come out practically in a growl she doesn’t even try to check.
"Well, I'm making him my problem." She stalks towards Clark and can't help it. She pushes at his chest, hard enough for him to take a step back, and her next words surprise her. As does how her voice cracks when she says them.
"How could you leave him alone, Kal?"
Her fingers are wrinkling his suit.
She remembers when she came out of the ship. How scared and alone she felt. How Batman questioned her and how Clark pulled her to him and called her family. How he took her in when all she felt was alone. She can't believe he would allow someone else to feel as she did. She can't believe he would abandon someone else--family.
Clark's hand reaches out to stroke her hair, maybe, but he checks his movement as quickly as he makes it. If it wasn't for the fact she's as much of a Kryptonian as he is she would have never seen it.
He steps back. "He's not alone. He's got the team."
Kara wants to laughs but is scared it might come out a sob. "That's not the point, Clark. That's just...handy." She looks up at the sun and then back at Clark, suddenly so alien to her, "The point is you abandoned him. You found him and then you just decided to not care and left him to a bunch of strangers. You left him, Clark."
He looks back at her and frowns, "I'm a stranger to him too."
This time she does laugh, "I was a stranger to you too, but that didn't seem to matter. What makes him different? You, for the lack of a better word, are his father and you just left him.”
He tenses at her words and she smirks, proud to have hit her mark. Maybe it's not the right word to what Clark is to this Superboy but it's the closest she can think of.
"It's not that simple, Kara," he says, voice hard.
She relents, because that's true too. "No, it's not, but when I came here it wasn't simple either, but you took me in. When you came here it wasn't simple, but the Kents took you in. How can you do the opposite to this boy?"
He turns his back to her and walks to the roof's ledge saying, "Kara, you don't understand. He's... it's a clo--he's different."
Something clicks in Kara's mind. "You're scared of him."
Clark turns his head, looking at her over his shoulder, "No, I'm not."
She shakes her head and sighs, "No, yes, you are. You're scared of him, of how he was made, and now you're being a coward because of it.” With that she starts to take flight and hovers about six feet of the roof, looking down at Clark. "Well, I'm not going to be."
She turns and starts to fly away when she feels his hand wrap around her ankle.
"Kara!"
She look back at Clark. He's looking up her, his eyes wide and worried, and it's just so him to worry about her that had it been any other day she might have stayed and listened to him. Not today.
"No, you don't even get to try and stop me. You may not want him in your life, but you will not make that choice for me."
She pulls her foot from his grip. Feels as his finger loosen and slip away. As she speeds away she can hear him sigh her name one last time before Lois opens the roof door and calls him back down.
---
She floats above Happy Harbour for an hour after she leaves Clark. Part of her wants to go down to the mountain, make her way in full of smiles and a confidence she doesn't feel. What can she say? Welcome? It feels too small of a word. Not to mention it would probably feel like a lie.
Knowing she wants to meet this Superboy is very different from actually meeting him.
What can she say that won’t make sound like a complete idiot?
She can only imagine what he thinks of her. That is if he even knows about her…
Sighing, she drifts closer to the Mountain and stretches her hearing. It's rude to eavesdrop, she's been told that enough, but she just wants to know.
The white noise of the world fills her ears and Kara focuses on the sounds coming in from the hollowed out mountain below her. There's a television on, there's the whirring of some large machine, there's the sound of people moving. She picks out Red Tornado easily enough, and then, there, two others. One's a girl she can hears ask about dinner, and there's a voice answering her. The voice is low, gruff, and even from about ten miles up she can tell: unhappy.
Oh, man, Clark, you idiot, she thinks, curbing the desire to speed down and barge in. Something tells her Superboy isn’t as receptive to hugs as Cassie is.
She listens in some more. There's talk of cookies and school, and Kara smiles at the girl's voice. She can hear as Superboy answers, his voice fumbling when the girl asks about a cheerleading outfit. Kara strains her ears a little more and picks up their heartrates. She giggles.
When she uses her x-ray and telescopic vision to peek in, she almost loses altitude at the sight of Superboy. He look just like Clark in the pictures at the farm it's uncanny, expect there's hardness in his mouth that none of those pictures have.
"It's impolite to eavesdrop."
Kara yelps, spinning in mid air to face J'onn. His lips are pulled upward and Kara sighs, narrowing her eyes.
“It’s impolite to sneak up on people.”
J’onn smiles and looks down towards the mountain. “I see you have not yet spoken to him."
Kara shrugs, "Yeah, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to say, 'hey, Junior, sorry about old stick in the Clark, but welcome to family. Sorry I didn't come before, but I didn't know about you, how you doing? Having fun?' It's not the best introduction anyone could hope for."
J'onn nods, "Not every first impression has to perfect as you well know."
"Yeah, but I want it to be more than an apology," she says, expelling a deep breath. A cloud nearby dissipates.
“Understandable,” J’onn says and lays a hand over her shoulder. Kara smiles up at him.
She tilts her head towards the mountain and looks at J'onn. "That your niece? She seems sweet. They're talking about a bake sale."
J'onn's smile widens in a way Kara has never seen before on him. It's not an unfamiliar smile though. She's seen it on Bruce Wayne's face, on Ma and Pa Kent's faces, on Clark's face when they put a weekend’s work on the farm, and even Diana's sometimes when she looks over her training sessions. It's pride; pure familial and paternal pride. It makes her so incredibly sad to think that no one has smiled like that for Superboy.
"Yes, that would be M'gann. She would feel incredibly discomfited to hear me say this, but I do believe she's quite taken with Connor."
Kara's eyebrows knit together, "Connor?"
J'onn nods, "It is the name he has adopted for himself. Connor Kent." He pauses, and clears his throat, looking at Kara as she feels her eyes widen, "I might have suggested the surname to the boy. Superman does not know."
Kara feels a grin spread on her face, "J'onn!"
"It felt appropriate." Kara didn't know it was possible for J'onn to ever blush.
She laughs, pulling her legs up, crossing them under her and sits in midair, "So, what else can you tell me about him? I want to know more about him before I go barging in his life."
J’onn turns to her and starts filling in details of the boy known as Connor Kent.
---
She hovers over the mountain for the rest of the day after J'onn leaves her, stuck between unsure and wanting to fly down. She hovers until she hears them go to sleep.
At their good night's she stares at the moon shaking her head at herself.
Well, tomorrow it is then.
She doesn't fly back to Paradise Island because she's not sure she could really face Diana right now and not be angry with her for keeping Clark's secret. She thinks about going to the farm, but she doesn't think she could bare to lie to Ma and Pa. Metropolis is out of the question.
In the end she flies over to Star City and knocks on Ollie and Dinah's window.
---
It's on her way back Happy Harbour the next morning that suddenly Kara finds herself in Superboy's path. Literally.
Ideally their first meeting would have taken place at the farm with apple pie and sneaking Krypto, who’s finally warmed up to her, crumbs as Ma and Pa talked about how much he looked like Clark when Clark was younger. However because her cousin is currently being the biggest moron in the world their first meeting happens mid battle when she catches him as Metallo throws him off a building.
He looks up at her from where she's grabbing his arm in a grip that would probably be breaking a few bones if he were human.
"Super--" he starts, stops, then frowns, and she kinda feels bad for him.
"Girl." She finishes for him with a grin. Looking over where Metallo is currently handing his team's asses to them she smiles down at him. "So, how do you feel about taking this tin can down?"
He lifts up his other hand, which she takes into her grip, and smirks, "I feel good about that."
"Super," she laughs and winks, speeding up and telling him just what he needs to do.
In a way she's suddenly grateful for Metallo's appearance. The guy certainly has taken the awkwardness out of her and Superboy's first meeting. Maybe she won't beat him up too bad...
Nah!
Eight minutes later they have Metallo locked down and Kara watches as Aqualad calls in for bad guy pick up. Around her the rest of the team are picking themselves up from the fight. When Robin wakes up from where he’s was knocked out and takes note of her she winks at him trying not to laugh as he pales. Grayson gets so nervous when he's around people that know his real identity. It's cute. The rest of the team alternates between staring at her and trying to act nonchalant, but the only one she's really paying attention to right now is Superboy who's looking like he rather be eating glass.
She'd be insulted but she's willing to cut him some slack considering.
"You guys did great," she says, dusting her skirt off.
“Oh, thank you! And thank you for your help, it was really nice of you to give us hand." J'onn's niece starts, walking up to her, extending her hand. "I'm Miss Martian, or M'gann! M'gann M'orzz."
Kara smiles, taking the other girl's hand, "Supergirl, but you can call me Kara."
From behind M'gann she can almost hear the aneurysm Dick's experiencing as she says her name, but controls her smirk. Clark only has rules about his name and the Kent's last name, plus half the League knows her as Kara and always answering to Supergirl gets annoying.
M'gann beams though, "Kara, okay! Nice to meet you."
"You too." She looks around at the whole team, focusing on Superboy and meeting his eyes--they really are like Clark's. "All of you, officially.”
He flushes and grumbles, but at the nudge in the ribs M'gann gives him, he speaks. "Nice to meet you."
"Soooo, nice," there's a gust of wind and then there's Kid Flash in her eye line wagging his eyebrows at her. She rolls her eyes.
Sidestepping Kid Flash she walks up to Superboy just as Aqualad walks back to them addressing her.
"Supergirl, thank you for your assistance."
She turns to Aqualad smoothly, smiling. "It wasn't a problem, I was in the area and I have great hearing."
"And we are very grateful for that," he smiles, amusement flicking in his eyes and bows his head in thanks then straightens. "However, if we could ask one more favor of you?" He asks so politely in his gentle basso voice that Kara can't help but immediately like him.
"Just let me know what you need."
“Oh, I'll tell you what I need..." Kid Flash mutters behind her. She hears as two set of hands -- Robin and Artemis from the sound of it -- smack him and the accompanying yelp.
Aqualad continues as if the interruption hadn't happened, "If you could be so kind to accompany M'gann into flying Metallo down into custody. I'm afraid none of us, save M'gann are capable of flight...” This surprises her and she glances at quickly at Superboy before turning her attention back to Aqualad who is still talking, “And I would prefer she were not alone lest he wake up.” They all turn to the unconscious Metallo and silently agree that it wouldn't be good for anyone if he woke up before in the right restraints.
M'gann brightly steps up to Aqualad's side. "I'll fly him down telepathically, but I'd appreciate the company."
"No problem.” She looks over at M'gann, winking at the other girl as she blushes, and picks up on how Superboy stands so very near the girl. She flashes a wide grin to them both.
Superboy's eyes widen, but he schools his face quickly.
As Aqualad begins to lead the team to the roof access door Kara turns to M'gann who is already floating Metallo about five feet above the roof's ledge. Together they take flight and move towards the edge. She watches as M'gann holds her hands apart and the wind flutters through her red hair.
Kara considers the girl, "So can you talk or do you need to concentrate?"
M'gann smiles widely, "I can talk."
"Cool, I know J'onn can do like twenty things at a time, but that might just be J'onn thing."
M'gann snickers, agreeing, and then licks her lips. Kara waits for whatever the other girl is going to say.
"Um, I just want to say thank you for catching Superboy. I know he wouldn't get hurt if he fell, but..."
Kara nods, understanding, "I was happy to help and hey, no better time to meet someone than when you're saving their life."
"Yes, I guess so," M'gann says, looking at Kara like there's something else she wants to say.
Kara can only imagine what M'gann would like to say to her. Watching as Metallo floats ahead of them, encased in M'gann’s psychic bubble, Kara feels the need to say something first though. "I wanted to meet him regardless you know."
Yesterday when she was listening in on them M'gann's voice was happy and bright, up on the roof not two minutes ago it was excited and tinkling, now it's just hard. Kara can't blame her for it and only likes her all the more for it.
"Then how come you haven't come see him before?"
Kara twists a smile the girl's way, "Honestly, I didn't really know about him until recently and I've been trying to figure out how to approach him. It's unfair what happened to him and with Superm--” She cuts herself off, shrugging, “I just wasn't sure how to go about it. I’ve been told I need to be more delicate when it comes to talking to people."
M'gann sighs -- it's a sad sound -- but when she looks at Kara she's smiling softly, "I'm glad you came by even more then."
Kara grins, "It was either the ground catching him or me, and trust me when I say it would hurt me less."
Giggling, M'gann sets Metallo on the ground and the around them the police step forward to take him into custody. The team bursts from the building behind them as Metallo is loaded up. Kara watches as they look between her and M'gann. She quirks an eyebrow and then Aqualad steps forwards.
"Once again, thank you for your assistance, Supergirl. And should the occasion ever arise you need assistance you are more than welcome to call us." His hands are clasped behind his back as he speaks to her and his the curl of his lips is friendly enough. When he reaches out to shake her hand, Kara declares it official: Aqualad is one charming guy.
“Consider yourselves on my speed dial then.” She takes his hand and nods back.
He inclines his head, his smile widening slightly before stepping back.
"Anyway, like I said, all part of the job and you guys barely needed me. Looked like you had it all under control. I was just some extra fire power," she looks over at the team, watchful as M'gann drifts back to Superboy's side. She smirks to herself and lifts herself off the ground. Superboy's eyes narrow on the space between her and the ground.
She couldn't have asked for a more perfect opening.
Floating a few feet in the air, she looks at him, "Hey, Superboy?"
He blinks and looks at her, surprised, "Yes?" His voice is wary. It makes her both frown and feel like flying over to the Planet and hit Clark. She pushes that thought out of her head and focuses the boy below her.
"You busy tomorrow?"
He blinks again, slower than before, and next to him M'gann and Aqualad share an amused look.
"No. Why?"
She only smiles, "Perfect! I'll see you at 11am! Make you have a big breakfast!" She flies a few more feet in the air backwards, waving, before turning around.
"Why!" His voice carries, curious and frustrated.
She laughs, looking over her shoulder, "You'll see! And Robin, tell Batman I'm totally cool to babysit this weekend!"
She can't help it, it's too much fun to mess with Grayson.
As she speeds off she can hear Robin's indignant sputters, Kid Flash's questions, but what she listens for the most is two other people.
---
M'gann looks at Connor and grins, nudging him from where he's staring at Supergirl's form as it disappears into the clouds, “Connor! That's so great! Supergirl is coming over. I’m so happy for you!”
Connor's eyes flit to hers, questioning, “Why?”
“Because! She’s like your sister and she’s coming over to visit!” she says as they follow the rest of the team to the ship who are now bugging Robin about babysitting. Well, Wally is, Kaldur and Artemis are carefully schooling their faces.
"Oh."
"I can’t believe your sister is coming over to visit us. I can only imagine if one of my sisters did... Oh man, we have to clean!” M'gann continues on telling him a story of one of her sisters.
Next to her Connor tries not to smile and looks back up to where Supergirl flew into the horizon. Sister, he thinks, that's pretty aster.
---
One week later when Kara drags Connor back to the mountain they're covered in rubble. Both her skirt and his shirt nursing some substantial rips.
M'gann's eyes grow wide at the sight of them.
"Oh my god, what happened?" M'gann flies at them, fingers twitching at the rips in Connor's shirt. She knows he's probably not hurt, but still. It would be nice if not all his shirts were ripped. "I thought you guys were just having a flying lesson!"
The two Kyrptonians look at each other and grin. Kara lowers herself and Connor to the ground as the giant whirring ball circles them, beeping in worry. Connor reaches out to pat the spinning ball, which settles under his hand.
"Our flying lesson took a little detour when we ran into Livewire," Kara explains, rotating her elbow, looking at Connor. "You did a really good job with her, Mr Telephone Pole." She flicks her fingers at his hair and some dust fills in the air for a second.
Connor blushes and ducks his head. "Thanks."
"You should have called!" M'gann says, eyes roaming over both of them for injures.
Connor shrugs, "It happened pretty fast." He looks at M'gann the corner of his mouth curls and he adds softly, "We’re okay."
M'gann nods, sighing, and looks like she wants to hug them both. Instead she settles for clapping her hands together and announcing this called for cupcakes.
As she floats back to the kitchen, Kara and Connor follow at a more sedate pace. Kara notices how Connor's eyes follow the other girl. "She's really cute, you know." She threads her arm around his and Connor tenses. She winks at him and he relaxes a fraction.
He still doesn’t seem used to too much casual touching, always tensing at the slightest contact, but he doesn’t shrug her off and she considers it a good thing.
"M'gann?" he says, tone careful.
"Yeah, M'gann. She's adorable."
He clears his throat, "Um, yes?"
"You know, when you do get the hang of flying, you two should come to Paradise Island. I’m sure she's get a kick out it and I bet I can persuade Diana to let you hang out for a day."
“Uh...”
She nudges him, “Come on, it’d be fun.”
He blinks at her like he’s trying to figure her out. He does that a lot, she’s noticed.
"Okay, thanks, Super--"
"Kara."
He nods, "Thank you, Kara."
She smiles, "You're welcome, Connor."
As they enter the kitchen they have to duck the many flying utensils. At their appearance M'gann loses her concentration for a second and couple items dip in the air. Thankfully, Kara has a little thing called superspeed and she grabs the falling bowl filled with pink frosting easily.
"Oh, sorry!" M'gann says as she mentally sets down the other floating objects. "I didn't know what you liked better," she says to Kara, "I know I like the strawberry frosting but you might like vanilla or butterscotch. Or chocolate!"
"I like the chocolate." Connor plucks the chocolate frosting from the air and three spoons, handing one to M'gann first then to Kara.
"I like the chocolate too," Kara adds, leaning against the counter as she watches Connor and M'gann move comfortably around each other in the kitchen as they prepare to make cupcakes.
Connor smiles at her and Kara smiles back.
Thank you, Kara, she hears M'gann's voice in her head even as she stands with Connor on the other side of the kitchen. Kara winks at the girl, shaking her head, and reaching out to snatch the carton of milk out of Connor's hand as he stares at his now empty hands in confusion.
"Gotta be quicker, Superboy, and don’t drink out of the carton; it’s unhygienic. Now step aside and let me show my secret cupcake recipe. Family secret." It's technically Ma's recipe but Kara figures that Ma won't mind Kara share it, because save one currently stupid Kent, they’re all pretty big on family. "M'gann, I should kick you out but something tells me you can keep a secret, right?"
M'gann chirps a giggling right! complete with salute and Connor flushes.
Kara pulls him to her side and starts explaining what he needs to do and when M'gann starts snapping pictures he only grins when Kara grabs him by the neck and pushes her index fingers against his lips stretching them in smile. It holds up on its own.
Later when Connor is cleaning up, she leans over to M'gann and asks for two copies. M'gann doesn't ask for who the second copy is for.
Fandom: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Rating: G
Characters/Pairings: Kara Zor-El (Supergirl), Connor Kent (Superboy), Clark Kent (Superman), J’onn J'onzz, M’gann M'orzz, Dinah (Black Canary), Young Justice team; off-screen Green Arrow/Black Canary, M’gann/Superboy UST.
Spoilers/Warning: all aired episodes of YJ, some canon for DC comics verse.
Disclaimer: not mine.
Summary: Supergirl finds out about Superboy and she’s not happy to be the last to know.
Note: I don’t know how Supergirl will be introduced into the Young Justice canon, or if she’s even be introduced at all. This is my take on it. I’ve taken Kara’s introduction into Earth 16 to more or less match the events set up in Superman/Batman: Apocalypse and borrowed some of her canon from Justice League: Unlimited.
Take Care of Your Own
"So how come you haven't been by the Mountain?" Dinah asks as they circle one another.
"Why? The kids need a real sparring teacher?" Kara answers back with a sharp grin, striking out with her left hand. Dinah blocks it easily rolling her eyes.
“Who you calling kids, kid?”
Kara laughs, aiming a kick to Dinah’s side.
She's heard that Dinah is currently tutoring the Junior Justice League alongside Red Tornado and she can't think of a better teacher. Kara might have gotten most of her training from the Amazons but outside the island Dinah is more than a peer to Kara, she is her teacher and friend. Some days she wonders what it would be like to have Dinah and Artemis got up against each other.
Dinah counters with a high kick that Kara bends away from. She twists, reaching for Dinah's ankle, but Dinah is quick and flips herself over Kara's back. They don't talk for the next few seconds exchanging blows -- Kara focuses on her body and how it moves, how her strength and speed are weapons not only against her opponents but against herself and her friends. There's a part of her that knows she can speed up, that she can let her strength go, set it free and wild, but she knows that if she does she can risk seriously hurting Dinah. As aware she is of her body she's equally aware of Dinah's matching her blow for blow, kick for kick -- until their momentum dies out for a second and they settle back, circling each other again.
"I just thought you'd want to see him." Dinah whips her hair back but a few strands stick to her temples were sweat is gathering.
Kara rolls her shoulders, eyebrows knitting together, "See who?"
She doesn’t know why those are the wrong words to say, but they clearly are because Dinah goes hard in a way that Kara has never seen before. Not during a friendly spar. She's staring at Kara like suddenly Kara's the enemy and for a second Kara is grateful that she has never seen that look directed at her in the battle field. Dinah looks like she could break all of Kara's bones. Kryptonian or not.
"The boy, Kara." There is a bite in Dinah's voice that catches Kara off guard. And it’s only thanks to her Kryptonian eyesight that she sees the fist coming at her face fast enough to block and dodge.
Kara shifts, throws out her own punches and blocks to counter Dinah's, whose are coming in faster and stronger than before.
"What boy?" Kara asks, as one of Dinah's knees tries to connect with her thigh, because she is suddenly very confused.
It must show on her face because Dinah slows the jab that was about to make contact with Kara's ribs. It wouldn't have hurt Kara, she knows, but she can see the emotion behind it in Dinah’s face that tells her Dinah wished it would have hurt her.
"You really don't know?" Dinah's lips downturn in thin frown and she drops her hands, taking a step back. Kara does the same.
She shakes her head, "Know what?"
She is very confused.
"Superboy." Is the only thing Dinah says and out of all the punches they've thrown today this is what takes Kara’s breath way.
Super-what?
“Who?”
Her mind runs through the idea of another survivor of Krypton, of someone like her and Clark and Karen, but it can't be that because then she would know about it. Clark would have told her. Someone would have told her. Right? Diana would have mentioned something surely.
Dinah shakes her head, her mouth still pulled in a frown, and motions to the benches where they left their water and towels. "Come, I'll tell you."
They go to sit and after she takes a sip from her water-bottle Dinah starts talking. As she listens Kara is grateful that Dinah suggested they sit because at this point the bench is holding her up. She grips it's edges as Dinah starts talking about Cadmus and the boy. Kara doesn’t utter a word at any of it. Can’t really, shock filling her.
She can't believe she doesn't know, that nobody told her before now.
There’s another Kryptonian out there and everybody kept it from her.
She's been on Paradise Island for the last few months, taking League mission as they come to her usually through Diana, but she's mostly in and out, quick and precise, doing her briefings and heading back to the island which she sees as more of a home than the farm. However that's no excuse for her ignorance in that matter considering everyone in the League seems to be informed of this Superboy’s presence.
Dinah knows which mean Ollie must know which means all the big players know, and that means Clark knows.
Clark. How could he not tell her about this?
She can believe that Diana didn't tell her out of respect for Clark, but the fact that Clark, her cousin, her family didn't tell her is something else entirely. As Dinah finishes filling her in Kara's mind is already running about ten miles ahead of her.
Pushing of the bench, not even noticing how it's cracked under the pressure of her hands, she hears Dinah call out to her, but she's already on her away to the main control room.
"J'onn!" She flies up to where he's sitting at the consul talking to Ollie via comms.
"Ah, Supergirl, what can I help you..." he trails off getting a good look at her face as she lands next to him and turns to Ollie, "Green Arrow, I'll get back you with that information as soon as I can. I have a matter to attend to."
On the screen Ollie looks between J'onn and her and signs off quickly with barely a goodbye.
J'onn turns to her. "You've heard about Superboy.”
Kara barely restrains her growl, "You bet I did. Get Superman online, please." She grits out the last word.
He stares at her for a second before nodding. His fingers press a few buttons and then Clark's voice filters through the air.
"J'onn, what's up?"
"Kal, where are you?" Kara says, trying to keep her voice level as possible, but she knows she's probably given herself away. She hardly ever calls him Kal anymore--only when she’s not paying attention to it or in this case: livid.
"Kara, what's wrong?" He sounds so worried that it almost makes Kara soften towards him. Almost.
"Nothing. Where are you?"
"The Planet."
She nods, "Good, stay there. I'll be on the roof in about ten minutes." And then she reaches across J'onn to turn the comms off even as her cousin asks more questions.
With a nod of goodbye, she floats down to the satellite’s teleportation pads and doesn't even need to ask J'onn to beam her away.
---
In the ten minutes it takes her to get to The Daily Planet Kara feels that she has only gotten angrier. Diana always tells her she has to be a master of her emotions lest they get away from her in a fight and she hurt someone but Kara can't think clearly. She can only focus on one thing: Clark lied to her. She's seen him in the last few months. He visited Paradise Island a couple months ago, hovering over the island with this serious and all too Batman look on his face asking if she hear anything about her encounters with Project Cadmus--Rao, how could have she been so blind? Clearly that must have been about Superboy but when she asked him what was wrong he had just smiled what Lois calls his farm boy smile and told her he was just making sure she was okay.
And she bought it!
How stupid has she been! How dare he not tell her about this!
She's floating about twenty feet over The Daily Planet's roof when she sees him. He's in regular clothes, his glasses perched slightly crookedly on his nose; she thinks about all the times she's told him he looks ridiculous like that - “like a dweeb” is what Bart told her to say - and she's never wanted to punch him more. Not even when she was under Darkseid did she want to punch him so much.
Possibly an exaggeration, but it anger feels similar.
How could he lie to her?
She speeds down and barely listens to his greeting.
"You have son?"
His face crumples and his sigh is so heavy it probably would have had the strength to knock a human back a couple feet. Kara stands firm.
"He's not my son, Kara."
She fists her hands on her hips, "He was made from your DNA. He's called Superboy."
"You're called Supergirl, and nobody thinks you're my daughter,” he says, smiling like she thinks it would charming. Any other day maybe.
She frowns, "No, they don't, but they still think I'm your family."
His smile fades and his face becomes hard. "He's not family."
Kara can only hope he hasn't said that to Superboy because even she feels the slap of it. "How can you say that! He's part of you, Kal."
Clark's eyes flash at his Kryptonian name but says nothing about it, lowering his gaze from hers. "I didn't have anything to do with his creation. He's not mine."
Kara blinks, and knows even he can't really believe that. He can't. She doesn't even realise she's stepped forward and is jabbing one very strong finger at his chest hard enough for him to feel it.
"Oh, come off it. That's not even a good excuse," she pokes him again for good measure forcing him to look at her, "Bruce has adopted like twenty kids and I don't think he had to do with the creation with any of them." She knows it's a low blow comparing the situation to Bruce's and yes, another over exaggeration, but it's also the truth.
She pokes him again.
He grunts and reaches out and takes holds her wrist, gently pulling it away from his chest where it must have been hurting him. He looks down at their joined hands and then back at her face. His eyes look so blue and torn and for a second she thinks he’s going to tell her she’s right. That he’s going to go with her to Mount Justice. Then he moves his head, the sun glints in his glasses and when he looks back at her his eyes seem shaded. She only sees her face reflected in them and his glasses. She looks angry.
She only gets angrier at his words.
"It's different, Kara."
She sighs, "It really isn't, Kal. And even so he was still created. From you! That alone makes him part of the House of El."
"Kara."
She pulls her hand away from his grip and turns on the roof. "You ignoring him is wrong."
"What makes you think I'm ignoring him?" Clark says.
She rolls her eyes, turning to face him, "For one, you didn't tell me anything about him."
Something changes in Clark's stance that makes him look so tired. So human. She wants to hit him.
"He's not your problem."
Yeah, she really wants to hit him. Her next words come out practically in a growl she doesn’t even try to check.
"Well, I'm making him my problem." She stalks towards Clark and can't help it. She pushes at his chest, hard enough for him to take a step back, and her next words surprise her. As does how her voice cracks when she says them.
"How could you leave him alone, Kal?"
Her fingers are wrinkling his suit.
She remembers when she came out of the ship. How scared and alone she felt. How Batman questioned her and how Clark pulled her to him and called her family. How he took her in when all she felt was alone. She can't believe he would allow someone else to feel as she did. She can't believe he would abandon someone else--family.
Clark's hand reaches out to stroke her hair, maybe, but he checks his movement as quickly as he makes it. If it wasn't for the fact she's as much of a Kryptonian as he is she would have never seen it.
He steps back. "He's not alone. He's got the team."
Kara wants to laughs but is scared it might come out a sob. "That's not the point, Clark. That's just...handy." She looks up at the sun and then back at Clark, suddenly so alien to her, "The point is you abandoned him. You found him and then you just decided to not care and left him to a bunch of strangers. You left him, Clark."
He looks back at her and frowns, "I'm a stranger to him too."
This time she does laugh, "I was a stranger to you too, but that didn't seem to matter. What makes him different? You, for the lack of a better word, are his father and you just left him.”
He tenses at her words and she smirks, proud to have hit her mark. Maybe it's not the right word to what Clark is to this Superboy but it's the closest she can think of.
"It's not that simple, Kara," he says, voice hard.
She relents, because that's true too. "No, it's not, but when I came here it wasn't simple either, but you took me in. When you came here it wasn't simple, but the Kents took you in. How can you do the opposite to this boy?"
He turns his back to her and walks to the roof's ledge saying, "Kara, you don't understand. He's... it's a clo--he's different."
Something clicks in Kara's mind. "You're scared of him."
Clark turns his head, looking at her over his shoulder, "No, I'm not."
She shakes her head and sighs, "No, yes, you are. You're scared of him, of how he was made, and now you're being a coward because of it.” With that she starts to take flight and hovers about six feet of the roof, looking down at Clark. "Well, I'm not going to be."
She turns and starts to fly away when she feels his hand wrap around her ankle.
"Kara!"
She look back at Clark. He's looking up her, his eyes wide and worried, and it's just so him to worry about her that had it been any other day she might have stayed and listened to him. Not today.
"No, you don't even get to try and stop me. You may not want him in your life, but you will not make that choice for me."
She pulls her foot from his grip. Feels as his finger loosen and slip away. As she speeds away she can hear him sigh her name one last time before Lois opens the roof door and calls him back down.
---
She floats above Happy Harbour for an hour after she leaves Clark. Part of her wants to go down to the mountain, make her way in full of smiles and a confidence she doesn't feel. What can she say? Welcome? It feels too small of a word. Not to mention it would probably feel like a lie.
Knowing she wants to meet this Superboy is very different from actually meeting him.
What can she say that won’t make sound like a complete idiot?
She can only imagine what he thinks of her. That is if he even knows about her…
Sighing, she drifts closer to the Mountain and stretches her hearing. It's rude to eavesdrop, she's been told that enough, but she just wants to know.
The white noise of the world fills her ears and Kara focuses on the sounds coming in from the hollowed out mountain below her. There's a television on, there's the whirring of some large machine, there's the sound of people moving. She picks out Red Tornado easily enough, and then, there, two others. One's a girl she can hears ask about dinner, and there's a voice answering her. The voice is low, gruff, and even from about ten miles up she can tell: unhappy.
Oh, man, Clark, you idiot, she thinks, curbing the desire to speed down and barge in. Something tells her Superboy isn’t as receptive to hugs as Cassie is.
She listens in some more. There's talk of cookies and school, and Kara smiles at the girl's voice. She can hear as Superboy answers, his voice fumbling when the girl asks about a cheerleading outfit. Kara strains her ears a little more and picks up their heartrates. She giggles.
When she uses her x-ray and telescopic vision to peek in, she almost loses altitude at the sight of Superboy. He look just like Clark in the pictures at the farm it's uncanny, expect there's hardness in his mouth that none of those pictures have.
"It's impolite to eavesdrop."
Kara yelps, spinning in mid air to face J'onn. His lips are pulled upward and Kara sighs, narrowing her eyes.
“It’s impolite to sneak up on people.”
J’onn smiles and looks down towards the mountain. “I see you have not yet spoken to him."
Kara shrugs, "Yeah, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to say, 'hey, Junior, sorry about old stick in the Clark, but welcome to family. Sorry I didn't come before, but I didn't know about you, how you doing? Having fun?' It's not the best introduction anyone could hope for."
J'onn nods, "Not every first impression has to perfect as you well know."
"Yeah, but I want it to be more than an apology," she says, expelling a deep breath. A cloud nearby dissipates.
“Understandable,” J’onn says and lays a hand over her shoulder. Kara smiles up at him.
She tilts her head towards the mountain and looks at J'onn. "That your niece? She seems sweet. They're talking about a bake sale."
J'onn's smile widens in a way Kara has never seen before on him. It's not an unfamiliar smile though. She's seen it on Bruce Wayne's face, on Ma and Pa Kent's faces, on Clark's face when they put a weekend’s work on the farm, and even Diana's sometimes when she looks over her training sessions. It's pride; pure familial and paternal pride. It makes her so incredibly sad to think that no one has smiled like that for Superboy.
"Yes, that would be M'gann. She would feel incredibly discomfited to hear me say this, but I do believe she's quite taken with Connor."
Kara's eyebrows knit together, "Connor?"
J'onn nods, "It is the name he has adopted for himself. Connor Kent." He pauses, and clears his throat, looking at Kara as she feels her eyes widen, "I might have suggested the surname to the boy. Superman does not know."
Kara feels a grin spread on her face, "J'onn!"
"It felt appropriate." Kara didn't know it was possible for J'onn to ever blush.
She laughs, pulling her legs up, crossing them under her and sits in midair, "So, what else can you tell me about him? I want to know more about him before I go barging in his life."
J’onn turns to her and starts filling in details of the boy known as Connor Kent.
---
She hovers over the mountain for the rest of the day after J'onn leaves her, stuck between unsure and wanting to fly down. She hovers until she hears them go to sleep.
At their good night's she stares at the moon shaking her head at herself.
Well, tomorrow it is then.
She doesn't fly back to Paradise Island because she's not sure she could really face Diana right now and not be angry with her for keeping Clark's secret. She thinks about going to the farm, but she doesn't think she could bare to lie to Ma and Pa. Metropolis is out of the question.
In the end she flies over to Star City and knocks on Ollie and Dinah's window.
---
It's on her way back Happy Harbour the next morning that suddenly Kara finds herself in Superboy's path. Literally.
Ideally their first meeting would have taken place at the farm with apple pie and sneaking Krypto, who’s finally warmed up to her, crumbs as Ma and Pa talked about how much he looked like Clark when Clark was younger. However because her cousin is currently being the biggest moron in the world their first meeting happens mid battle when she catches him as Metallo throws him off a building.
He looks up at her from where she's grabbing his arm in a grip that would probably be breaking a few bones if he were human.
"Super--" he starts, stops, then frowns, and she kinda feels bad for him.
"Girl." She finishes for him with a grin. Looking over where Metallo is currently handing his team's asses to them she smiles down at him. "So, how do you feel about taking this tin can down?"
He lifts up his other hand, which she takes into her grip, and smirks, "I feel good about that."
"Super," she laughs and winks, speeding up and telling him just what he needs to do.
In a way she's suddenly grateful for Metallo's appearance. The guy certainly has taken the awkwardness out of her and Superboy's first meeting. Maybe she won't beat him up too bad...
Nah!
Eight minutes later they have Metallo locked down and Kara watches as Aqualad calls in for bad guy pick up. Around her the rest of the team are picking themselves up from the fight. When Robin wakes up from where he’s was knocked out and takes note of her she winks at him trying not to laugh as he pales. Grayson gets so nervous when he's around people that know his real identity. It's cute. The rest of the team alternates between staring at her and trying to act nonchalant, but the only one she's really paying attention to right now is Superboy who's looking like he rather be eating glass.
She'd be insulted but she's willing to cut him some slack considering.
"You guys did great," she says, dusting her skirt off.
“Oh, thank you! And thank you for your help, it was really nice of you to give us hand." J'onn's niece starts, walking up to her, extending her hand. "I'm Miss Martian, or M'gann! M'gann M'orzz."
Kara smiles, taking the other girl's hand, "Supergirl, but you can call me Kara."
From behind M'gann she can almost hear the aneurysm Dick's experiencing as she says her name, but controls her smirk. Clark only has rules about his name and the Kent's last name, plus half the League knows her as Kara and always answering to Supergirl gets annoying.
M'gann beams though, "Kara, okay! Nice to meet you."
"You too." She looks around at the whole team, focusing on Superboy and meeting his eyes--they really are like Clark's. "All of you, officially.”
He flushes and grumbles, but at the nudge in the ribs M'gann gives him, he speaks. "Nice to meet you."
"Soooo, nice," there's a gust of wind and then there's Kid Flash in her eye line wagging his eyebrows at her. She rolls her eyes.
Sidestepping Kid Flash she walks up to Superboy just as Aqualad walks back to them addressing her.
"Supergirl, thank you for your assistance."
She turns to Aqualad smoothly, smiling. "It wasn't a problem, I was in the area and I have great hearing."
"And we are very grateful for that," he smiles, amusement flicking in his eyes and bows his head in thanks then straightens. "However, if we could ask one more favor of you?" He asks so politely in his gentle basso voice that Kara can't help but immediately like him.
"Just let me know what you need."
“Oh, I'll tell you what I need..." Kid Flash mutters behind her. She hears as two set of hands -- Robin and Artemis from the sound of it -- smack him and the accompanying yelp.
Aqualad continues as if the interruption hadn't happened, "If you could be so kind to accompany M'gann into flying Metallo down into custody. I'm afraid none of us, save M'gann are capable of flight...” This surprises her and she glances at quickly at Superboy before turning her attention back to Aqualad who is still talking, “And I would prefer she were not alone lest he wake up.” They all turn to the unconscious Metallo and silently agree that it wouldn't be good for anyone if he woke up before in the right restraints.
M'gann brightly steps up to Aqualad's side. "I'll fly him down telepathically, but I'd appreciate the company."
"No problem.” She looks over at M'gann, winking at the other girl as she blushes, and picks up on how Superboy stands so very near the girl. She flashes a wide grin to them both.
Superboy's eyes widen, but he schools his face quickly.
As Aqualad begins to lead the team to the roof access door Kara turns to M'gann who is already floating Metallo about five feet above the roof's ledge. Together they take flight and move towards the edge. She watches as M'gann holds her hands apart and the wind flutters through her red hair.
Kara considers the girl, "So can you talk or do you need to concentrate?"
M'gann smiles widely, "I can talk."
"Cool, I know J'onn can do like twenty things at a time, but that might just be J'onn thing."
M'gann snickers, agreeing, and then licks her lips. Kara waits for whatever the other girl is going to say.
"Um, I just want to say thank you for catching Superboy. I know he wouldn't get hurt if he fell, but..."
Kara nods, understanding, "I was happy to help and hey, no better time to meet someone than when you're saving their life."
"Yes, I guess so," M'gann says, looking at Kara like there's something else she wants to say.
Kara can only imagine what M'gann would like to say to her. Watching as Metallo floats ahead of them, encased in M'gann’s psychic bubble, Kara feels the need to say something first though. "I wanted to meet him regardless you know."
Yesterday when she was listening in on them M'gann's voice was happy and bright, up on the roof not two minutes ago it was excited and tinkling, now it's just hard. Kara can't blame her for it and only likes her all the more for it.
"Then how come you haven't come see him before?"
Kara twists a smile the girl's way, "Honestly, I didn't really know about him until recently and I've been trying to figure out how to approach him. It's unfair what happened to him and with Superm--” She cuts herself off, shrugging, “I just wasn't sure how to go about it. I’ve been told I need to be more delicate when it comes to talking to people."
M'gann sighs -- it's a sad sound -- but when she looks at Kara she's smiling softly, "I'm glad you came by even more then."
Kara grins, "It was either the ground catching him or me, and trust me when I say it would hurt me less."
Giggling, M'gann sets Metallo on the ground and the around them the police step forward to take him into custody. The team bursts from the building behind them as Metallo is loaded up. Kara watches as they look between her and M'gann. She quirks an eyebrow and then Aqualad steps forwards.
"Once again, thank you for your assistance, Supergirl. And should the occasion ever arise you need assistance you are more than welcome to call us." His hands are clasped behind his back as he speaks to her and his the curl of his lips is friendly enough. When he reaches out to shake her hand, Kara declares it official: Aqualad is one charming guy.
“Consider yourselves on my speed dial then.” She takes his hand and nods back.
He inclines his head, his smile widening slightly before stepping back.
"Anyway, like I said, all part of the job and you guys barely needed me. Looked like you had it all under control. I was just some extra fire power," she looks over at the team, watchful as M'gann drifts back to Superboy's side. She smirks to herself and lifts herself off the ground. Superboy's eyes narrow on the space between her and the ground.
She couldn't have asked for a more perfect opening.
Floating a few feet in the air, she looks at him, "Hey, Superboy?"
He blinks and looks at her, surprised, "Yes?" His voice is wary. It makes her both frown and feel like flying over to the Planet and hit Clark. She pushes that thought out of her head and focuses the boy below her.
"You busy tomorrow?"
He blinks again, slower than before, and next to him M'gann and Aqualad share an amused look.
"No. Why?"
She only smiles, "Perfect! I'll see you at 11am! Make you have a big breakfast!" She flies a few more feet in the air backwards, waving, before turning around.
"Why!" His voice carries, curious and frustrated.
She laughs, looking over her shoulder, "You'll see! And Robin, tell Batman I'm totally cool to babysit this weekend!"
She can't help it, it's too much fun to mess with Grayson.
As she speeds off she can hear Robin's indignant sputters, Kid Flash's questions, but what she listens for the most is two other people.
---
M'gann looks at Connor and grins, nudging him from where he's staring at Supergirl's form as it disappears into the clouds, “Connor! That's so great! Supergirl is coming over. I’m so happy for you!”
Connor's eyes flit to hers, questioning, “Why?”
“Because! She’s like your sister and she’s coming over to visit!” she says as they follow the rest of the team to the ship who are now bugging Robin about babysitting. Well, Wally is, Kaldur and Artemis are carefully schooling their faces.
"Oh."
"I can’t believe your sister is coming over to visit us. I can only imagine if one of my sisters did... Oh man, we have to clean!” M'gann continues on telling him a story of one of her sisters.
Next to her Connor tries not to smile and looks back up to where Supergirl flew into the horizon. Sister, he thinks, that's pretty aster.
---
One week later when Kara drags Connor back to the mountain they're covered in rubble. Both her skirt and his shirt nursing some substantial rips.
M'gann's eyes grow wide at the sight of them.
"Oh my god, what happened?" M'gann flies at them, fingers twitching at the rips in Connor's shirt. She knows he's probably not hurt, but still. It would be nice if not all his shirts were ripped. "I thought you guys were just having a flying lesson!"
The two Kyrptonians look at each other and grin. Kara lowers herself and Connor to the ground as the giant whirring ball circles them, beeping in worry. Connor reaches out to pat the spinning ball, which settles under his hand.
"Our flying lesson took a little detour when we ran into Livewire," Kara explains, rotating her elbow, looking at Connor. "You did a really good job with her, Mr Telephone Pole." She flicks her fingers at his hair and some dust fills in the air for a second.
Connor blushes and ducks his head. "Thanks."
"You should have called!" M'gann says, eyes roaming over both of them for injures.
Connor shrugs, "It happened pretty fast." He looks at M'gann the corner of his mouth curls and he adds softly, "We’re okay."
M'gann nods, sighing, and looks like she wants to hug them both. Instead she settles for clapping her hands together and announcing this called for cupcakes.
As she floats back to the kitchen, Kara and Connor follow at a more sedate pace. Kara notices how Connor's eyes follow the other girl. "She's really cute, you know." She threads her arm around his and Connor tenses. She winks at him and he relaxes a fraction.
He still doesn’t seem used to too much casual touching, always tensing at the slightest contact, but he doesn’t shrug her off and she considers it a good thing.
"M'gann?" he says, tone careful.
"Yeah, M'gann. She's adorable."
He clears his throat, "Um, yes?"
"You know, when you do get the hang of flying, you two should come to Paradise Island. I’m sure she's get a kick out it and I bet I can persuade Diana to let you hang out for a day."
“Uh...”
She nudges him, “Come on, it’d be fun.”
He blinks at her like he’s trying to figure her out. He does that a lot, she’s noticed.
"Okay, thanks, Super--"
"Kara."
He nods, "Thank you, Kara."
She smiles, "You're welcome, Connor."
As they enter the kitchen they have to duck the many flying utensils. At their appearance M'gann loses her concentration for a second and couple items dip in the air. Thankfully, Kara has a little thing called superspeed and she grabs the falling bowl filled with pink frosting easily.
"Oh, sorry!" M'gann says as she mentally sets down the other floating objects. "I didn't know what you liked better," she says to Kara, "I know I like the strawberry frosting but you might like vanilla or butterscotch. Or chocolate!"
"I like the chocolate." Connor plucks the chocolate frosting from the air and three spoons, handing one to M'gann first then to Kara.
"I like the chocolate too," Kara adds, leaning against the counter as she watches Connor and M'gann move comfortably around each other in the kitchen as they prepare to make cupcakes.
Connor smiles at her and Kara smiles back.
Thank you, Kara, she hears M'gann's voice in her head even as she stands with Connor on the other side of the kitchen. Kara winks at the girl, shaking her head, and reaching out to snatch the carton of milk out of Connor's hand as he stares at his now empty hands in confusion.
"Gotta be quicker, Superboy, and don’t drink out of the carton; it’s unhygienic. Now step aside and let me show my secret cupcake recipe. Family secret." It's technically Ma's recipe but Kara figures that Ma won't mind Kara share it, because save one currently stupid Kent, they’re all pretty big on family. "M'gann, I should kick you out but something tells me you can keep a secret, right?"
M'gann chirps a giggling right! complete with salute and Connor flushes.
Kara pulls him to her side and starts explaining what he needs to do and when M'gann starts snapping pictures he only grins when Kara grabs him by the neck and pushes her index fingers against his lips stretching them in smile. It holds up on its own.
Later when Connor is cleaning up, she leans over to M'gann and asks for two copies. M'gann doesn't ask for who the second copy is for.