Ficlet: Tangled Web
Title: Tangled Web
Pairing: Kara/Lee, Kara/Zak
Rating: PG-13
Words: 636
A/N: written for yesterday's truth or dare prompt from kdbleu: Zak finds out about Lee having feelings for Kara.
Tangled Web
Lee’s always been the controlled one, the calmer one, the one who doesn’t wear his emotions for other people to see. And it’s always worked on everyone in the world - except his brother. So when Zak looks up from his plate, glancing between Lee and their mother, and asks whatever happened to their grandmother’s wedding ring, he sees his brother’s tension immediately.
“We’re not too young,” Zak protests their obvious objection. “Or sure, we’re young, but I want to marry her. Kara’s--she’s the most awesome, beautiful, exciting person I’ve ever met.”
Lee nods mechanically. Carolanne, tearing up, leaves the room to get the ring.
“What it is?” Zak asks nervously.
Lee finally looks him in the eye, and this time his emotions aren’t guarded, are plain as day. He’s angry, and jealous, and heart-broken.
“Oh,” Zak gasps.
His brother flinches. “I never meant-”
“Does she know?”
Lee nods once, painfully, regret and shame in his face. “She loves you,” he adds half-heartedly, but there’s a hint of pity in his voice that chills Zak. There’s more that Lee’s not telling him.
Carolanne comes back in, passing the ring around and buzzing with excitement.
Zak stares at the ring in its box then snaps it shut and looks up his brother. His chest is tight with a hostility that’s never been between them before. “Well, we’ll see what she says.”
*
Zak closes the door quietly when he gets back to Kara’s apartment; the ring box is heavy in his pocket.
“Hey, there!” She bounces away from her easel, paint smeared across her forehead and through her bangs. She stills when she sees Zak’s expression. “Was dinner okay?”
He shrugs. “Lee said--” He sees her freeze and his worry increases. “Did you know he likes you?”
Kara rolls her eyes, almost convincing him. “Everyone likes me, nugget. Who wouldn’t?”
“But you don’t like him?” He tries not to sound needy, but fails.
“Oh, Zak.” She wraps her arms around his neck. He can feel her smearing paint on the side of his neck as she grins. “I love you.” She kisses him softly, then harder, pressing close.
It’s not until later, when he’s sweaty and languid in their bed, that he realizes she never answered.
*
Kara waits until he’s been asleep for half an hour before slipping out of bed and taking a shower. She doesn’t want his touch lingering on her skin for what comes next.
Out on the balcony, shivering in her pajamas and a sweatshirt, she makes the call.
“Hey,” Lee answers softly.
“What were you thinking?” she demands.
He pauses. “He wants to marry you.”
“Frak,” Kara swears.
“I didn’t say anything,” Lee adds. “I just...reacted.”
Her heart races just a bit at the thought of composed Lee, reacting.
A minute passes before Lee asks the question that’s been consuming him ever since dinner. “So will you say yes? When he asks?”
Kara’s stomach flips with nervousness. She takes a slow breath. “Give me a good reason to say no.” She waits, remembering that night on the table - the softness of his lips, the weight of his body on hers, the snap of connection every time they’ve seen each other since.
“He’s my little brother,” Lee answers, anguish in his voice.
“Oh.” The sound goes through her like she’s been punched in the gut. “Well.”
“Kara--” he begs, torn.
She sees a hint of movement through the curtains and blanches. “I have to go.” She snaps the phone closed.
Inside, Zak is awake, smiling as he reaches for her. “What was that?”
She shrugs. “Helo’s on leave on Picon and forgot about the time difference.”
He accepts it without question, and Kara makes herself smile back at him. “Hey,” he says. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you."
Pairing: Kara/Lee, Kara/Zak
Rating: PG-13
Words: 636
A/N: written for yesterday's truth or dare prompt from kdbleu: Zak finds out about Lee having feelings for Kara.
Tangled Web
Lee’s always been the controlled one, the calmer one, the one who doesn’t wear his emotions for other people to see. And it’s always worked on everyone in the world - except his brother. So when Zak looks up from his plate, glancing between Lee and their mother, and asks whatever happened to their grandmother’s wedding ring, he sees his brother’s tension immediately.
“We’re not too young,” Zak protests their obvious objection. “Or sure, we’re young, but I want to marry her. Kara’s--she’s the most awesome, beautiful, exciting person I’ve ever met.”
Lee nods mechanically. Carolanne, tearing up, leaves the room to get the ring.
“What it is?” Zak asks nervously.
Lee finally looks him in the eye, and this time his emotions aren’t guarded, are plain as day. He’s angry, and jealous, and heart-broken.
“Oh,” Zak gasps.
His brother flinches. “I never meant-”
“Does she know?”
Lee nods once, painfully, regret and shame in his face. “She loves you,” he adds half-heartedly, but there’s a hint of pity in his voice that chills Zak. There’s more that Lee’s not telling him.
Carolanne comes back in, passing the ring around and buzzing with excitement.
Zak stares at the ring in its box then snaps it shut and looks up his brother. His chest is tight with a hostility that’s never been between them before. “Well, we’ll see what she says.”
*
Zak closes the door quietly when he gets back to Kara’s apartment; the ring box is heavy in his pocket.
“Hey, there!” She bounces away from her easel, paint smeared across her forehead and through her bangs. She stills when she sees Zak’s expression. “Was dinner okay?”
He shrugs. “Lee said--” He sees her freeze and his worry increases. “Did you know he likes you?”
Kara rolls her eyes, almost convincing him. “Everyone likes me, nugget. Who wouldn’t?”
“But you don’t like him?” He tries not to sound needy, but fails.
“Oh, Zak.” She wraps her arms around his neck. He can feel her smearing paint on the side of his neck as she grins. “I love you.” She kisses him softly, then harder, pressing close.
It’s not until later, when he’s sweaty and languid in their bed, that he realizes she never answered.
*
Kara waits until he’s been asleep for half an hour before slipping out of bed and taking a shower. She doesn’t want his touch lingering on her skin for what comes next.
Out on the balcony, shivering in her pajamas and a sweatshirt, she makes the call.
“Hey,” Lee answers softly.
“What were you thinking?” she demands.
He pauses. “He wants to marry you.”
“Frak,” Kara swears.
“I didn’t say anything,” Lee adds. “I just...reacted.”
Her heart races just a bit at the thought of composed Lee, reacting.
A minute passes before Lee asks the question that’s been consuming him ever since dinner. “So will you say yes? When he asks?”
Kara’s stomach flips with nervousness. She takes a slow breath. “Give me a good reason to say no.” She waits, remembering that night on the table - the softness of his lips, the weight of his body on hers, the snap of connection every time they’ve seen each other since.
“He’s my little brother,” Lee answers, anguish in his voice.
“Oh.” The sound goes through her like she’s been punched in the gut. “Well.”
“Kara--” he begs, torn.
She sees a hint of movement through the curtains and blanches. “I have to go.” She snaps the phone closed.
Inside, Zak is awake, smiling as he reaches for her. “What was that?”
She shrugs. “Helo’s on leave on Picon and forgot about the time difference.”
He accepts it without question, and Kara makes herself smile back at him. “Hey,” he says. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you."