Chapter Text
Prologue: As long as You Love Me
A.K.A. Marking Day
Kara
Kara Zor-El is excited; tomorrow is her Day of Naming, also known as her 13th birthday. She is finally going to learn the name of her soulmate, the person destined to complete the soul merge with her, the person who will understand her inside and out. His handwriting will be scrawled across her wrist in his favorite color, and she could barely focus.
All day, as her peers prepare experiments for review, her thoughts are consumed by who her other half could be. She even gets reprimanded for the first time since she started solo experiments. Though who could blame her when for a second she thought she felt the ghosting of a trace across her wrist. Of course, at this point she has to accept that her soulmate doesn’t have her name written yet, since she has never felt the tell-tale wrist ghosting across her wrist or a warmth in her chest.
After what feels like years, it is finally late enough in the day for Kara to head to bed. She has difficulty sleeping on the best of nights, and tonight she is anxious. As she prepares for what is sure to be a night of restlessness and tossing and turning, her mom walks into her room.
“What troubles you, love,” Alura asks, looking worriedly at her child. Kara turns to her mom attempting to put on a brave front but anxiety clear on her face.
“Do you think he’ll be nice?” Her eyes are burning as she holds back tears.
“Oh, Kara, you are sweet, loving, and brave. Whoever your soulmate is, I am sure they are kinder than you can imagine.” she smiles at Kara and pulls her into a tight hug. “Now sleep, darling,” she whispers, ending their hug and prodding Kara towards the bed. “You have a big day ahead of you tomorrow, what with the presentations and dinner with Astra for your Day of Naming.” Kara settles into bed as her mother kisses her forehead and exits, dimming the lights. She is careful to leave enough light for Kara, who still dislikes complete darkness,.
Though, of course, she doesn’t sleep, tossing and turning as worries swirl around in her head. “What if I don’t have a name? What if he doesn’t like me? What if after the merge he doesn’t like what he sees and decides not to follow Rao’s choice? What if I don’t like what I see in him?” Kara gives a voice to these doubts, hoping that saying them aloud will help her dispel them. Though this just brings up a even more doubts, the most troubling of which being, “What if we have a weak connection,” Kara whispers finally letting the tears she’s been holding back fall. Hearing footsteps outside her door, she smashes her face into her pillow to muffle her sobbing.
“Kara,” a deep soothing voice whispers, “Kara, my dear you need to sleep.” Zor-El makes his way over to her bed and settles down next to the sobbing lump that is his daughter. Kara looks up at her father through her lashes, and he takes in her tear streaked face. Pulling her up into a seated position, Zor-El wraps his arm around her. “My dear, don’t cry. Everyone has these doubts,” Zor-El smiles down at his daughter and strokes her back, attempting to soothe the sobs still wracking her small body.
“Even you?” she asks voice full of disbelief.
Chuckling he replies, “Even me.” Smiling slightly Zor-El thinks back to his own Day of Naming. “I was worried Alura wouldn’t want me, that since I hadn’t felt any trace of our bond, not even a ghosting of her tracing my name, it meant she didn’t like me. I even thought that maybe, well, maybe I didn’t have a soulmate, or that she didn’t care about me. Are you having any thoughts like that love?” Kara stares up at her dad wide eyed, surprised he would admit this much to her, to show this much vulnerability was beneath the house of El. Maybe if her dad, the best the house of El has to offer, can be vulnerable than so can she.
Steeling herself for this conversation Kara sighs and asks, ”So none of it was true? ”
Barely daring to hope that even her dad could ease her mind at this point, she waits for his reply. Laughing to himself Zor-El simply turns his left wrist, his dominant hand, towards Kara and shows her the perfectly straight blocky letters spelling out his wife's name. Kara smiles wide before tilting her head and frowning slightly up at her dad. “Shouldn’t it say Alura In-Ze? Since that was mom's name before the coupling.”
Looking at his puzzled daughter, Zor-El replies, “I guess no one has explained the intricacies of the names to you yet, huh?” Kara shakes her head slightly looking worried. “Not a problem; you’d learn a lot of this as you grow up, but it doesn’t hurt to give you a little insider info.” winking he continues. “Well, the name of your soulmate updates as they change the way they view their name,. For example, your mom’s last name was changed to Zor-El on my wrist about a month before I proposed, making it clear she was as ready to join the house of El as I was to have her join.”
Shaking her head at how sappy her parents are Kara asks, “Does the Naming hurt?” Her voice fails her as she says this, looking down in embarrassment. Zor-El lifts her chin as he smiles at his daughter, who works hard to honor their house at every turn. “No, love bug, it doesn’t hurt.” Taking in Kara's apparent relief he smiles.
“Thank you for answering my questions father, I think I am ready to sleep.” Kara mumbles, the exhaustion from being a tightly wound ball of nerves for the past couple hours tiring her out.
The next morning Kara opens her eyes slowly stretching as the sunlight from Rao fills her room. A vague notion of needing to do something fills her sleep addled brain as she lazily sits up in bed. Yawning and stretching once more she slides off her bed before exclaiming, “It’s my Day of Naming!” she smiles to herself before her insecurities can catch up to her. Pausing before looking at her wrists she takes a deep breath to prepare.
“How are you feeling this morning?” Kara jumps, surprised to hear her mother's voice so close.
Turning to her mother with a nervous smile she replied, “better, but still a little worried, I haven’t checked yet.” Alura chuckles, remembering how nervous she was on her 13th birthday.
“Would it help if I checked for you?” Alura asks, a bit sad that her only child is already going through her Naming. Kara nods slightly before looking up to her mom searching her eyes for judgement over any perceived weakness. Grasping Kara’s hand she waits for confirmation before turning her wrist to see the name. Kara, steeling herself in preparation for any potential disappointment, nods slowly.
Alura turns her wrist over as Kara squeezes her eyes shut not willing to see her mom's reaction. To Aluras credit if Kara wasn’t straining to hear any sounds she might make she wouldn’t have heard the quiet, “oh,” that Alura let's escape before she regains her composure. Opening her eyes and tugging her arm away from her mom she asks,”what is it, what’s wrong?” she looks down to her wrist and then up to her mom in confusion, “This isn’t Kryptonian. Why are these strange symbols on my wrists?” Kara is working herself into a panic as she stares down at what looks to be stylized squiggles.
“Well, and your dad would know more since her has studied them, but it seems your soulmate's name is written in one of earth's tongues.” Alura looks down at her daughter worried but attempting to hide the fact that it is unlikely that she, a member of the science guild would ever go to earth and meet this person. Kara looks to her mother horrified, she knows of course, what earth is, that it is impossibly far away and very technologically behind Krypton. She can’t imagine how Rao could think anyone there could be her soulmate. Though looking at her wrist she can’t help but to think the swirls of her soulmate's name looks a bit like art, and she traces the green letters smiling as she thinks of the bond transmitting her feeling so many light years away.
Maggie
Her father is screaming again. You would think that on the night before her marking she could have some peace and quiet, some time to reflect, but of course that is too much to ask for. Though she has to admit, as far as nights in this house goes, it could be worse.
Not hearing any other voices with him she decides it’s probably nothing. Turning over in bed she tries to ignore his raving, it’s probably the dumb cat her older brother brought home yesterday that has him so worked up. It was meant to be a gift for her but their dad found it before Diego could hide it in her room. She doesn’t get why he insists on doing things that makes their father angry. Though her attempts to keep her head down only work 40% of the time anyway, so maybe she shouldn’t bother, the other 60% of the time her dad seems hyper focused on making sure she remembers she isn't wanted, that she is an outcast.
Slamming on some headphones she borrowed from Elisa, smiling at the memories of their off campus lunch trip, she settles in. Her thoughts full of the hope that when she awakes the name Elisa Wilkey will be scrawled across her wrist. Not that she is sure Elisa is gay, but it’s Nebraska, confirming that you have a same gender soulmate is a one-way-ticket to instant social ruin. But if Maggie has Elisa as a soulmate she only needs to wait a couple months till Elisa’s marking day, then they can do the soul merge. Her heart filled with hope Maggie settles in for a long night of anticipation.
“Maggie,” she looks up not even 10 minutes after starting to doze off, noting the lack of screaming she removes the headphones, barely hearing her door creak open slightly and watching as a tiny form slides into her bedroom. “Oh, Chiquito, come join me,” Maggie whispers shifting slightly in her bed and letting her baby brother slide in next to her. He turns towards her and grasps her tanktop, tears falling onto her shoulder as he snuggles closer to her, his sobs wracking his tiny body. Maggie is terrified, her dad never hits Jamie, or their mom, and she doesn’t know if she can keep Diego from attacking him and getting himself killed. “Did he hurt you?” Maggie's voice is steel as she hugs her brother, hoping he isn’t hurt, physically anyway, and rubbing his back. “No he,” Jamie shudders wiping his eyes, “he hurt De.” Jamie stops talking suddenly, shaking hard and sobbing into Maggie's shoulder.
Stroking his hair Maggie replies, “It’s okay baby, I am here,” Suddenly Jamie looks up at her, eyes wide, “Maggie you have to go get De, he, he,” rubbing his eyes again and swallowing he continues, “he wasn’t moving Maggie.” “Crap,” Maggie hisses out, her mind full of worry that her dad took it to far this time. That whatever, probably noble, thing her fool of a brother did, might have gotten him killed, or badly injured.
“What did he do Jamie,” Maggie doesn’t want to waste time but she can still hear her dad shuffling around the living room. “He took the blame for b-buying me boxers,” Maggie freezes, not sure if she is imagining the blame lacing Jamie's voice but knowing it doesn’t matter because it is her fault. Jamie interrupts her musings to add, “It’s my fault, if i wasn’t like this if I,” Maggie pulls jamie into her chest, “No, chiquito no, there is nothing wrong with you sweetie,” Maggie pulls back to look at him, fat tears running down her face as she stares into the brown eyes of her baby brother, the only person who can truly get her to smile in this house, noting that he has never looked this broken. Vowing to herself that Jamie will never completely lose the light in his eyes, not while she breaths, not if she has to drag the three of them down to social services herself, her baby brother will not be broken down by the people he has the misfortune to be related to.
“Maggie what happens now,” Jamie whispers, knowing that until today he was their dad's little princess, the only one who could calm him when he was angry, unless he was angry with Maggie. Maggie is frightened because now, well, now their dad might finally realize his perfect little princess, is actually a prince. “It’s going to be okay chiquito, trust me,” pausing to listen for her dad's footsteps and hearing none she continues, “I am going to going to get De and we will figure it out okay?”
Jamie nods as Maggie thinks of how if it were her out there, potentially gravely injured, Diego would have made it to her by now, father be damned. He is always the one who saves her when their dad goes to far, when he threatens to really injure her. It’s times like this that she hates the night Diego made her promise to never interfere if he is being punished.
“I think he’s gone,” Jamie whispers pulling her out of her thoughts.
“Okay stay here, I’ll be right back.”
Slinking out into the hall she heads to the den, walking on tiptoe and being grateful that she has practice not being heard, though by now her dad is probably deep asleep in a beer induced coma. Listening for any sign of Diego she walks around the den, her entire body on high alert, ready to react to even the slightest sound.
“De,” she chances a whisper, it’s too dark and she doesn’t want to step on him if he’s hurt. Hearing a groan on the far side of the coffee table she heads that way and see’s Diego curled up on the floor in the small space between the couch and coffee table. “No,” she mutters to herself, surprised to she him shaking as she reaches for his arm. “De how bad is it, do I need to grab the bag?” She asks him her voice determined as she thinks of the bag under her bed. They had been squirreling away items for the last 2 years for a night where they have to run away. She hopes it’ll never come to it, that they can make it the next 3 years till Diego is 18 and can keep their family together.
“No, Maggie I am okay,” Diego stretches grimacing as he moves slowly to standing, pulling Maggie up with him. Pulling his little sister into his chest he murmurs, “hold on baby girl okay, three more years and I can take you and Jamie away from here, somewhere where we can all be safe.” Maggie leans back a bit and stares into his eyes, her eyes burning from all the tears she wants to shed for her brother, “we could take our chances with the system?” Maggie whispers knowing how he’ll react. Knowing they have this argument monthly.
“Maggie we can’t, they will split us up, and I can’t protect you, and with Jamie the way he is, with the girls name that you and I both know is going to appear on your wrist in 3 minu-”
“with you inability to be apart from Jackson?” Maggie interrupts voice hard, as Diego hisses at the mention of his soulmate's name.
“He knows the situation, he knows that at some point I may have to disappear, but he can feel me, he will know where we are and he knows I love him.” Maggie shakes her head, unwilling to believe her brother would chose them over her soulmate, but knowing she has to trust him, if she can’t trust Deigo she can’t trust anyone.
“We should head to my room, Jamie is there blaming himself.” Maggie turns and walks back to her room, no longer caring if she’s heard now that Diego is found in relatively good condition.
Sliding into bed behind Jamie as Deigo get’s behind her they all cuddle, content in the fact that they are all together for one more night. Settling in, the coziness is disturbed by Maggie shaking and gasping quietly. “The marking!” Jamie exclaims trying to be quiet but excited for his sister. Grabbing the small light Maggie put by her bed Diego shines a light on his sister's wrist.
“Oh her name is so pretty.” Jamie whispers as Maggie traces the letters.
“Her handwriting is pretty bad though,” Diego says with a chuckle as Maggie swats him,
“hush, her handwriting is perfect!” Smiling to herself as her brothers go back to trying to sleep she thinks, so she’s no Elisa Wilkey but Alexandra Danvers sounds even better, chuckling she traces the letters once more before curling up to sleep.
Alex
Alex is awoken on their last day as a preteen to a warmth in their chest and a ghosting of fingers across their right wrist. Smiling they slide out of bed and head to the bathroom to prepare for their day, a bit excited to know the name of the guy who has been tracing their name for the last nearly two years.
It was a bit of a shock to them, and their parents when they first felt the bond late one night when they were only 11, nearly 12 but, who's counting? Smiling they thought of how upset their dad was when his “baby” felt the connection, freaking out that their soulmate is “so much older.” Alex on the other hand is relieved that he is older, when they finally meet him they can tell him how happy it made them that he likes their name so much. Only someone who really likes them could trace their name so many times in one day right?
Smiling at the slight hints of love they can feel, proof, their mom says, of a strong connection, they continue going through their daily routine. Though there was a scare a few weeks ago when they felt a surge of fear and anger, but they accepted that they couldn’t do anything about it at the time. Though they tried to send calming affirmations of love to their soulmate, they aren’t sure it worked, but since they haven’t felt that strong of an emotion sense, they have been assuming their soulmate is doing okay. He still traces their name multiple times a day so at least he isn’t hurt physically.
They head downstairs to grab a snack bar and water before heading to their Kendo class. Listening for any sounds they move swiftly, hoping they can avoid their parents and get to class without much of a fuss.
“Alexandra?” Eliza calls.
“Shit,” Alex mutters, they had made it to the kitchen but now they will have to deal with their mom’s questions.
“Hey mom I’m just heading to class,” they look down avoiding eye contact and hoping their mom doesn’t find any fault in what they said.
“Alexandra, you were going to leave before telling me what you want for your birthday tomorrow? You know it’s an important one.” Eliza stares them down a slight frown on her face. Sighing Alex turns towards their mom, taking in her frown they reply,
“um, anything is fine, a new board or something,” they shrug hoping they can just go and work out some restless energy. Eliza shakes her head at this, her frown deepening,
“Okay sweetheart, your dad and I will look into that,” she sighs.
“Okay sounds good!” Alex calls walking away briskly, if they leave now that can avoid disappointing their mom anymore before noon.
After an hour of kendo, an hour of kickboxing, 45 minutes of tai chi, and a quick jaunt over to Häagen-Dazs, with Vicky, Alex heads home, hoping to grab a quick shower and hide in their room until dinner. Of course that is too much to hope for, no sooner had Alex entered the house, they were bombarded by the sounds coming from the den. While not unusual for their parents to have guests it was strange to hear so much laughter.
“Alexandra!” Alex flinches at their full name but heads to the den instead of sneaking upstairs. “Yes mom,” Alex mutters keeping their eyes down hoping that they can end this conversation as soon as possible. “I am sure you’re right Eliza she would definitely be a good fit, if she is even half as precocious as I remember she will blow the other applicants out of the water.” Shuddering at the incorrect pronoun but not yet ready to correct people Alex looks up into eyes they know well. “Hank!” they exclaim smiling at the only adult who has ever treated them like a kid and not just a “little genius.” Running over to hug the man who is essentially their other dad, they throw themselves into Hank's arms.
“Alexandra, settle down!” Eliza is glaring as they slide to their feet, looking down.
“What am I a good fit for?” Alex mumbles, still embarrassed that their mother reprimanded them in front of Hank.
“Don’t mumble Dear,” Eliza’s voice is still too sharp but the warmth she usually shows when she is proud of her child, starts to shine through. Nodding to their mother in understanding they repeat,
“What am I a good fit for?” Hank smiles widely at Alex but before he can answer Jeremiah yells, “You are getting accepted to take college courses at the community college across the road!” Jeremiah beams down at Alex, and they know he is waiting for their reply. Problem is, Alex doesn’t know if they want that, people already dislike them because they are bookish and quiet and taking college classes is not gonna make them the most popular kid at Midvale Junior High School.
Realizing that it’s been nearly an entire minute and they haven’t answered Alex fixes their face into a smile and affirms that they would love to take college courses. “Of course you would, this will allow you to graduate University in a year, two max.” Eliza is clearly excited.
Still apprehensive but knowing better than to argue when their parents are this excited they asks timidly. “When do I start?” they try to hide the sadness in their voice as they look towards Hank for answers. “The coming semester, I will handle getting you enrolled, all you need to do is sit for a few placement tests over the summer and assuming you pass,”
“she will!” Jerimiah is smiling at Alex again, and it is making them really want to go upstairs and punch something. Shaking his head at his friends exuberance Hank continues,
“Assuming you pass you can pick up to four entry level classes to take over the course of the school year.” Nodding slightly, already aware they will be taking four, and no less, five if their mom can find a way to get approved, Alex directs their next statement to their parents,
“Thanks for helping to get this setup, I am going to go upstairs and study, is it okay if I take dinner there, I want to be well rested for my festivities tomorrow.” Alex knows they sound almost too formal but they are dangerously close to a breakdown and need to escape as soon as possible.
Eliza nods at Alex, a strange look on her face before replying, “That is fine Alexandra, be sure to clean any debris before you turn in for the night, and do not stay up too late, your dad and I are taking you to breakfast. They nod before exiting the room swiftly, once they are sure no one can see them they run to the relative safety of their room.
Laying on their back Alex stares up at the ceiling counting to 10 and down to 1 over and over in an attempt to calm down. Today was a bad day to get this news, they are already on edge about Marking Day and now they also have to think about how to explain to people at school why they are exempt from certain classes.
They try for another 20 minutes to calm down but eventually accept that counting isn’t working. Standing up they listen hoping to hear laughter as that will make what they are about to do easier to hide, it can be a bit loud sometimes. Noting their dads jovial laughter they decide it’s fine, no one will hear them.
Glad that they have a metal bed they slide to the floor and punch it, hard, repeating the action until they are able to breath again. It doesn’t hurt, not much anyway, and they don’t think their hands will bruise this time so that’s good. Taking a deep breath Alex gets back in bed sliding under the covers and preparing to sleep, know their parents won’t bother them if they think they are studying. As Alex lays in bed thinking of how, once again, they couldn’t resist hitting something their eyes start to burn from the tears they are avoiding shedding.
They know they should mention to their parents how they deal with their problems but that would be admitting they have problems, and perfect little genius Alexandra Danvers has no problems. As the need to sleep starts to overtake them they curl up, content in the fact that when they awake they will know the name of their soulmate.
It’s midnight, it’s midnight and for some reason Alex is awake. As they shake their head they try to figure out what woke them up. Stretching they realize their left wrist is burning slightly. “My soulmate.” Alex whispers turning on their light and turning over their wrist,
Their stomach drops, “this must be a mistake,” they mutter to themselves, “my soulmate must have parents who name boys things like Courtney, yeah that’s it, I am sure that in some cultures Margaret is a boys name.” They try to convince themselves, though deep down they know that they are wrong, that even if there are boys named Margaret the Margaret that owns the other half of their soul, isn’t one of them.
For once Alex is glad their mom bought them a lot of long sleeved button downs, because this is bad. They can’t go around school with the name Margaret Sawyer on their wrist. People will actually shove them in lockers instead of just threatening to.
Fist balled and nails digging into their skin Alex resolves to not let their parents know, hell a lot of people don’t end up with their soulmates. Alex can still have a normal life, with a husband and a job as a surgeon, the life their mom wants for them. This won’t ruin everything they decide.
Noticing that their hand is hanging off the bed, they slam their arm against the bed frame a few times before curling up to sleep, knowing that once again they are a disappointment.
Lena
“Lena dear sit up straight, you are a Luthor not a hick.” Lillian is glaring at Lena for the third time in as many minutes. Trying not to wither under her mother's gaze she sits up straighter and closes her fist, nails digging into her palm.
Lena hates that after just one year at boarding school her mother is relocating her again. Though if she is being honest it’s probably for the best since she was caught kissing Grace Choi in the bathroom last semester, and they were both ostracized. Grace was pulled from school within the month, leaving a note in Lena’s locker telling her not to call. Not that it mattered since Grace had her marking day two days before the kiss and last time Lena checked her name wasn’t, Anissa Pierce. The kiss was going to be their last because grace, “wants to remain pure for her soulmate,” which was bullshit in Lena’s opinion but it is what it is.
“Lena! Focus, I know this is just a public school but I will not have you disgrace the Luthor name with your inability to sit and pay attention for longer than 5 seconds.” Lillian is glaring again and Lena has to try her hardest not to shirk under her mother's gaze.
“Yes mother,” she’s saved from any more scolding by the arrival of her principal. As he clears his throat both Luthor women look up quickly as Lillian smiles and Lena forces herself to show anything other that fear and extreme discomfort.
“So I see here that Lena only recently turned 13 and yet she is far past her peers,” he smiles down at Lena clearly impressed that this timid girl is so advanced. Lena misses his smile as her eyes are still staring holes into her shoes.
“That is correct,” Lillian is smirking now clearly pleased that for once Lena isn’t embarrassing her. “I believe we spoke of dual college enrollment and placing her with the sophomores in an honors track?” Lena chances a glance up and shrinks a bit in her seat, embarrassed by the look her mother has leveled at Mr. Gordon.
“That should be fine, assuming she passes the placement tests and Midvale Community College accepts her a few weeks into the semester, she may have to play catch up but if she is as extraordinary as she appears I am sure she will have no trouble.” Lena looks down avoiding her new principal’s eyes as her mother prepares to leave.
“That should be fine, Lena will be here tomorrow, to take her exams, and by Monday she should be ready to start classes,” Lillian stands extending her hand to Mr. Gordon who shakes it a bemused look upon his face.
“Okay then, Lena I will see you tomorrow, please arrive at 9am and expect to be her for 2-3 hours.” he smiles down at Lena as she sits, still staring a hole into the floor but nodding slightly.
“Now Lena, answer the man, and let’s be off we have a lot to prepare for before tomorrow.”
Lena stands, quickly at her mother's sharp tone, shaking his hand she mumbles, “I will see you tomorrow, have a nice day,” before rushing to catch up to her mother who has started to walk at a brisk pace out of the office.
Walking faster and not looking back to ensure Lena has followed her out of the building she states, “well that went better than I expected,” Lillian smiles to herself, “now we have two things to be excited for tomorrow.” Looking pleased she steps into the limo that has been waiting for them, the driver knowing better than to not be there precisely when a Luthor is ready to depart.
Knowing it is unrealistic, but still holding out hope, Lena thinks maybe Lillian knows tomorrow is her Marking Day. Maybe she has something planned, something exciting like what they did for Lex, not that Lillian puts much stake in soulmates, but for Lex, she’d move mountains. Lena bites her tongue at the idea of bringing up tomorrow, remembering that bringing up her soulmate might lead to a lecture on how no matter who her soulmate is if a female’s name appears on her wrist she will be spending the remainder of her birthday locked in her room.
“Lena stop frowning you are too young to get wrinkles,” Lillian snaps pulling her out of her musings. “What has you so wound up?”
Lena doesn’t trust the warm look on her mother’s face but decides to forge ahead nonetheless. “Well I was wondering, if, well” Lena’s clasps her hands together, physically preventing herself from biting her fingers, knowing how much her mother hates when she does it.
“Lena! What have I told you about speaking up and speaking clearly? Say what you need to say or remain silent, but do not sit her simpering like an imbecile.” She narrows her eyes as Lena, who’s looking very uncomfortable, takes a breath before continuing.
“Will we be celebrating my Marking Day tomorrow?” Lena holds her chin up, eyes hopeful as she looks to Lillian, hoping for once her mom will act like she care, like Lena matters, even a quarter of as much as Lex does.
Lena flinches at the scowl on Lillian’s face, “Is now the time to think of parties Lena? You are going to be studying all night and testing tomorrow, and do not think I have forgotten the debacle you left behind in Ireland,” Lena opens her mouth to argue the point. “Do not interrupt me Lena. No, I haven’t planned anything for your 13th birthday besides you focusing on your studies and not making your father and I embarrassed to have ever adopted you in the first place.”
Lena deflates, wondering why she even tried. “Understood, when we arrive home may I take dinner in my room? I want to be prepared for tomorrow.” Lena says all this mechanically her brain not connecting the words she hears to her mouth moving. She knows she is seconds away from fully dissociating, something she is used to when dealing with her mother. Digging her nails into her palm she tries to hold together until she makes it to her room.
“That is fine, I expect not to hear a peep from you until Jasper collects you tomorrow morning.” Lena nods stiffly hoping Lillian doesn’t question or engage her further.
Luckily ignoring Lena is Lillian's favorite activity, so they make it home without incident. Hurrying to her room Lena locks the door, knowing what to expect, but still having very little control over her body at this point, she grabs a pillow to place behind her head and stares at the ceiling.
After what feels like minutes, but from the darkness outside is clearly hours, Lena hears a knock on her door. Knowing it could be no one but Jasper she opens the door to tell him she doesn’t want dinner. Opening the door the words on her tongue die off as she is dumbstruck to see her 20 year old brother.
He smiles widely at her as she slams into him grasping him tightly in a hug. “Why? How? What are you doing here?” She says tugging her brother into her room a huge smile plastered on her face.
“Wow, why am I here? I thought my favorite sister would be excited to see me,” he feigns sadness but fails as he breaks out into a smile at her pout. “Well I believe, my baby sister turns 13 tomorrow and learns who her soulmate is?” Lex gives Lena a small smirk as she laughs at his antics.
“What time do you have to leave?” she asks, excited but knowing that there’s no way their parents will let him stay home for long, not when he is so close to getting his Masters.
“I can stay to take you to Lunch and maybe a movie or something after your exams tomorrow, but I have to head back by 6pm” he looks down as Lena tries not to look disappointed.
“Okay! That sounds perfect,” she forces herself to sound cheerful as she glances to the clock. “Hey Lex, it’s 11:50 will you stay with me while I get my mark?” She looks up to her brother hopefully as he smiles at her again.
“Of course Lunar” she smiles at his use of the old nickname as they slide to the floor and talk about his dissertation.
Most 13 year olds wouldn’t understand, or care about, identifying and deciphering aliens and their languages using complex biochemical and computational methodology, but Lex knows he has a genius for a sister so he doesn’t simplify as he explains, using her as a sounding board for his presentation. He is stopped mid sentence when Lena gasps grabbing her left wrist. “You didn’t tell me it hurt Lexicon!” she says outraged, though not mad enough not to use the name she’s been calling him since she learned the word. “You sat talking for 10 minutes knowing I would get stuck with a hot poker.” She glares at him, right hand still clamped to her wrist though it doesn’t hurt anymore.
“It doesn’t always hurt Lunar, I didn’t want to scare you unnecessarily, but it stopped hurting right?” she nods at him her frown dissolving. “Well then let’s see it!” he says smiling again.
“Uh, Lex, before I show you I should tell you-” she looks down afraid, suddenly, that Lex will be disappointed when he sees the name on her wrist.
“Lunar, sweetie, I know you’re gay, have know for ages. I used to convince the older siblings of those girls you didn’t give flowers to that you weren’t being mean, you gave me the flowers for them because you couldn’t carry them all.” He says with a chuckle, as Lena remembers her grade school years when she would give all the “nicest” girls in class flowers at recess, and vaguely remembers that Lex started carrying flowers around as well. “So let’s see who she is, yeah? I’m sure she has a pretty name.”
Looking up at her brother and seeing no malice or hint of a lie in his eyes she moves her hand and they both look down at her wrist. “What language is that?” Lena asks never having seen anything like it before. She looks up at Lex and sees how wide his eyes are. “Lexicon?” she whispers, not understanding why he looks so pale.
Silently he turns his right wrist so Lena can see the symbols scrawled there. “Lex why do we both have these symbols? It’s because we’re Luthors isn’t it? We don’t get to have soulmates? We are going to be alone forever aren’t we?” Lena is working herself towards a panic but Lex grabs her and hugs her tightly.
“Lena, it’s in another language, an alien language, I don’t know which but I plan to find out.” He says, his voice steel. “It’s why my focus is what it is.
Lena looks up at her brother, her brother who she knows has no love for aliens, avoiding asking what will happen when he discovers the beings whose language is on their wrists, she instead asks, “I thought your mark said Lois Lane?” Lex smiles again before showing her his left wrist which does have Lois scribbled in flowery script. Lena’s eyes widen, having heard of the possibility of multiple soulmates but never seeing it, most people don’t meet one soulmate, let alone multiple.
“Lena, we will figure this out, I promise.” Lena looks up at her brother smiling because she knows he will. Hugging her tightly he heads out to let her sleep, and trace her mark a few times in private.
An hour later as Lena lays in bed, her room full of moonlight she decides she will decipher this. If it takes days, weeks, or even years she will figure out what planet these symbols are from, she is a Luthor and one of the smartest people in her generation. Rolling over she decides that no matter what she will find her soulmate, tracing the symbols on her wrist, she smiles falling asleep finally.