Work Text:
"Good morning, beautiful."
Kara was greeted by Mon-El's familiar, raspy voice a second before his face showed up on her screen. It wasn't morning and, after eight hours at work, she probably looked anything but beautiful, but that didn't deter him. Just like it didn't deter the smile that pulled her lips up and made the corners of her eyes crinkle in that way he used to find adorable.
"It's still afternoon here, love," she corrected him, "did you just wake up?"
"Nah," he shook his head, "I had a meeting at 8."
The blonde grimaced. "How did it go?"
"It went okay... I think," Mon-El's gaze fleeted away for a moment. "You know how I hate morning meetings," he groaned and she nodded.
"Let me look at you, aren't you a handsome businessman?"
"I don't know about handsome but I'm definitely busy." He glanced at his wristwatch, not one of his fancy ones but that cheap one Kara had gotten him for his birthday a couple of years beforehand, then right back at his girl. "Sorry, babe, I gotta go. I just wanted to check in on you."
"Yeah, yeah, it's okay, I understand." Kara said, trying to hold back the frown that threatened to expose the lie in her words.
She did understand Mon-El was busy, that much was true, but it wasn't okay. It wasn't okay because it was the third day in a row she hadn't gotten more than two minutes to talk to him. And because it'd been months since she'd last seen him. And because it was almost Christmas and she was stuck in New York and her boyfriend was stuck in Sydney and she still hadn't decorated her loft, too used to doing that with Mon-El for the past three Christmas's they'd been together and twice as many they'd been friends.
"What are you gonna do after work? Can I call you later?" he asked casually, as if he wasn't in a rush and trying to get out as much as he could before he inevitably had to hang up.
"I might go to Alex's," the blonde responded. "Maggie promised to cook my favorite. They're trying to convince me to go stay with them ever since I told them you're not coming for the holidays."
"Maybe you should," Mon-El's tone turned from casual to guilty. "I don't want you to be lonely on Christmas just because I suck as a boyfriend and can't be there."
"You don't suck," Kara switched her phone between hands. "Your job is important, I won't ask you to put it aside just for a stupid holiday," she mumbled and turned her face slightly to the side, just enough for Mon-El to not have a clear view of it.
"Kara?" he called with a hint of a plea.
"Hmm?" She still avoided meeting his gaze.
"Hey, look at me," his prompting was even gentler than his previous words. "It's not a stupid holiday. It's your favorite holiday and we should be spending it together," his gray eyes lowered and a sigh echoed through the line. "I'm sorry I can't be there. I really am."
"Stop apologizing," Kara scolded once she'd seen her partner's face fall. "I told you, you have nothing to apologize for," her tone softened. "Now, go back to your work, we'll talk later."
"We will, I promise. I miss you," the words slipped out before he could stop them.
"I miss you too," the blonde replied and blinked for a long moment, trying to keep her emotions at bay.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," she smiled a doleful smile.
Mon-El blew a kiss to the screen. "Bye, beautiful," he said.
The call ended right after, but Kara still offered a farewell of her own. She didn't move for a few seconds, staring at her phone even though Mon-El's face had already disappeared from view.
It'd been hard talking to him lately; not because she didn't want to, and not because she wasn't the happiest when talking to him, but lately his calls left her heart heavier rather than lighter. Lately she was missing him more than she'd been used to.
Eventually, Kara put her phone down and started gathering her things. She'd finished work some time ago but had been delaying her departure. She wasn't sure she wanted to go back to an empty loft for yet another day. So she wouldn't. She'd go to her sister's instead, she decided, and didn't stall further before getting up to leave.
As soon as the line had gone off, Mon-El searched for Alex's number and pressed 'call'. One hand held his cell while the other fumbled with the tie around his neck.
"Hello," the older Danvers picked up. "Mon-El. What's up?"
"Hey," he said, "I just got off the phone with Kara, she told me she'll come stay with you and Maggie."
"Yeah, took me like an hour to convince her but she agreed in the end."
"So everything's going according to plan?"
"Of course. Don't worry, I won't ruin your surprise."
"Thanks, Alex." Mon-El bit his lip before speaking again. "I almost ruined it myself, Kara looked so sad, I wanted to tell her the truth so bad."
"Oh my goodness, you two!" Alex suddenly exclaimed and groaned in that disapproving way Mon-El knew all too well. "If you blow this whole thing up after all the work I've done, I'm gonna kill you, Gand. You hear me? I'm gonna kill you. And Kara will never forgive me for teaming up with you and not telling her anything."
"Hey, tone it down with the threats! I said I almost ruined it but I didn't! I didn't tell her anything."
"Good, otherwise... you know..."
"You're gonna kill me, I know," Mon-El chuckled and heard Alex do the same.
"What time is your flight, again?"
"In four hours," he replied. "I'm gonna finish some things up in the office and head to the airport. I'll call you when I land in New York."
"Okay. Have a safe flight," Alex said and hang up as abruptly as she usually did.
Mon-El checked his watch again, trying to will the time to pass quicker. His whole body was buzzing with excitement and anticipation and he couldn't hold the smile that graced his lips. One day. Just one day and he'd see his love again. It wasn't that long, was it?
Mon-El hadn't called. He'd said he would but he hadn't called again. Kara waited by the phone, fought with Alex while they were having dinner and watching a movie because she kept checking whether her boyfriend had kept his promise, but he hadn't.
At first, she'd tried to tell herself he was busy. Then, she'd excused it as something on his to-do list he hadn't gotten to yet. But when midnight struck and her eyelids had grown heavy with sleep, when her phone was still quiet and the call had never come, she'd started to feel the hot tears fogging the edges of her vision.
And that was how she found herself locked in Alex and Maggie's bathroom for longer than it could be considered reasonable. She sat upon the closed toilet seat, the heels of her palms digging into her eyes, refusing to cry yet needing to. And the more minutes passed, the more disappointed and angry and sad and lonely she felt. And she didn't know why that day had been so hard. She didn't know why her chest was so full with emotions it almost paralyzed her. She didn't know why that non-existent phone-call had worn her down so much. But she did know that, for whatever reason, his absence was unbearable that night.
She'd done it too — many times. She'd told him they'd talk again but had gotten too swept up in work, in life, or had simply lost track of time and had only realized after Mon-El'd already gone to bed (time difference was a real bitch). Therefore she couldn't blame him, it wouldn't be fair. Still, she was sad because he hadn't called and, even more so, after she'd repeatedly tried to reach him only to have her calls go straight to voicemail. She just wanted to hear his voice for a minute, just feel him a little closer than he actually was, but it looked like her wish wouldn't be granted that night. (So much for Christmas miracles, she thought.)
"Kara?" Alex called from the other side of the door, knocking gently a couple of times. "Kara? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," the blonde responded, hands wiping her already dry cheeks hastily. Her voice sounded hoarse, thus she cleared her throat before speaking again. "I'll be out in a minute."
"Okay," came the reply.
She flushed the toilet even though she didn't need to, washed her hands despite it being unnecessary as well and wet her face with some cold water. The redness wouldn't go away, she knew, and no matter what she did to hide her inner world, Alex would still read her like an open book from the first glance she got of her. Regardless, the last thing Kara did before walking out of the bathroom was to release her hair from its braid in a feeble attempt to cover her features along with all the secrets those would betray. And then she stepped out like nothing was wrong and she hadn't spent an hour locked inside four walls just for the sake of it.
"Hey," the redhead whispered, standing only a couple of feet away from the bathroom door. "You sure you're okay?"
"Why do you keep asking me that? I'm fine Alex. Fine. How many times do I have to say it?"
"Okay, sorry."
Brown eyes looked at Kara with such concern she couldn't stay mad. Her stance eased up after a second, her face softening. "No, I'm sorry," she said, "I'm a bit on edge today, maybe I should go to sleep."
"We're having a sleepover tonight, you promised," Alex reminded her, already fearing Kara would want to go back to her loft.
"I know, I'm staying." The blonde feigned a yawn, which she covered with a palm. "My pyjamas are still in the second drawer, right?"
"Always," the older sister replied and shuffled closer, arms expanding, ready for an embrace.
"Goodnight," Kara said, forgoing their usual tight hugs for a much gentler one. She bid Maggie goodnight as well, receiving a smile she barely managed to return before heading to the guest room.
Mon-El hated long flights. He hated having to sit in one place for hours upon hours, bored out of his mind and unable to talk to Kara. But adding to that his impatience to set foot in the city his girl was at and counting down the minutes till he got to see her again was even worse. It was utter torture, if you asked him.
His knee had started bouncing before the plane had even taken off and he'd checked his watch a dozen times before the first hour –out of twenty in total– had passed. He tried to watch some movies, even though he couldn't concentrate, tried to eat a few bites, even though his stomach was in knots. But no matter what he did, the time just didn't tick by fast enough for Mon-El's liking. In the end, he'd decided to fall asleep, thankful, for once, for his ability to drift off anywhere and everywhere as soon as his head hit a pillow.
When Mon-El got off one plane at LAX, waiting to board the next one to New York, the first thing he did was turn his phone on. Something had been bothering him all throughout his flight, pestering his mind, but he couldn't name it. He'd forgotten something; that was all he was certain of.
And then, there it was, glaring at him in bright bold letters on his screen. He'd forgotten to call Kara and her seven missed calls kind of felt like a kick to his stomach.
"Fuck," he mumbled. "Idiot, I'm such an idiot," he shook his head and opened the couple of texts the blonde had sent him. 'Hey, baby. I know you're busy, but if you get a minute, can you call me? I just want to hear your voice, I miss you.' And then a simple 'I love you' added, just like that, no emojis, no punctuation, nothing to go along with it.
If Mon-El hadn't been certain of Kara's low spirits before, he was now. Normally, she'd fill their chat with hearts and kisses and all kinds of ridiculous emojis that always left a silly grin on his face. Normally, she'd bombard him with text after text, rambling about half the things she wanted to tell him when he called, making his cell buzz every second with incoming notifications. But this time something had been wrong and he hadn't even remembered to call before getting on the plane.
He considered texting back for a second but quickly decided against it. He'd promised to call, so that was what he was going to do, albeit late. He only stalled for another second, to check whether it was an appropriate hour of the day for Kara, and then rang her number.
"Hmm," was the first thing Mon-El heard and even that immediately made his heart skip a bit.
"Hey, you," he said, "you still sleeping?"
"Barely. You woke me," Kara grumbled.
"Sorry."
"No, you're not."
"No, I'm not," he agreed with a chuckle, "how come you're not up yet?"
"It's Christmas Eve," she said, as if that alone was enough of an explanation.
"I know. Merry Christmas Eve, beautiful."
"You too." A pause followed, then shuffling sounds, that indicated Kara had either shifted side or sat up on the bed. Knowing her, it was more likely the second. "Wait," she said, "you didn't call."
"I know," Mon-El replied.
"Why?"
"Are you mad?" he held his breath in anticipation of her answer.
"No, no, I mean–" a deep inhale echoed, "I mean, is everything okay? You didn't call, I got worried."
"I'm fine, babe, I was just busy. My parents are away on a trip, remember? So all their work fell on me. I think those two are living their second honeymoon phase right now."
"That's nice, do you think we'll be like them after being married for that long?" the blonde blurted out.
"Are you proposing to me, Kara Danvers?" Mon-El's brows raised, amusement making his eyes sparkle.
"I mean, I haven't bought you a ring or fallen on one knee, but sure, why not?" Kara played along.
"Isn't that supposed to be my job?" he laughed.
"Was that a sexist comment I just heard from you, Michael Gand?" she teased in return.
"No, sorry," he laughed again, "it's not like I'm an expert at proposals."
"Of course. I'd know that, wouldn't I?"
"Uh oh, another hint? Who's supposed to be proposing to whom now? I'm confused."
"Come here and I'll tell you."
"I'm coming then."
Kara whined before speaking. "Don't tease, I actually meant that."
"I know," Mon-El replied, "I meant it too."
"Shut up," Kara sighed, "I miss you."
"I miss you too, beautiful."
The blonde laughed at that, a loud hearty sound rippling past her lips. "I look like a mess, Mon. If only you could see me right now. My face is all puffy and gross."
"You like me when I look all puffy and gross, why wouldn't I like you?" he asked, smiling wider at the nickname. He loved it how she had a nickname for the nickname she'd given him, how she rarely used his birth name, but preferred the one she'd been calling him ever since they were sixteen. It made him feel special somehow.
"I like you cause you're cute," she said, the words sounding muffled.
"Well, you're cute too," he said back, "even when you're talking to me while you're brushing your teeth and I can barely understand what you're saying."
A long pause followed, during which Kara finished her task and Mon-El just listened to her. He'd missed that; listening to her sounds, being the one to witness her first blink in the morning and hear her first word of the day. He'd missed being there, with her, around her, next to her. He'd missed her so much he wanted to experience all of her meaningless, smallest, least extraordinary things she did again and again.
"It's already Christmas there," the blonde realized suddenly, breaking him out of his trance. "How're you gonna celebrate?"
"In misery," Mon-El groaned. "I have to attend the company gala, give a speech, make small talk with a bunch of rich pretentious people and, last but not least, wear one of those damn tuxes I absolutely hate."
"Oh my gosh, what an awful life you businessmen lead!" she exaggerated, feigning sympathy and making her boyfriend smile for the twentieth time since she'd picked up the phone.
"You're mocking me but I'm gonna spend my Christmas all sad and bored while you're stuffing your face with Eliza's delicious cooking and beating everyone at board games. It's not fair. I wanna be there too."
"Maybe next year," Kara's voice grew quieter, tempting Mon-El, once again, to cave and tell her he was already on his way.
"Definitely next year," he said with a little more excitement in his voice than it would've been expected.
Kara didn't say anything back. She hummed, but otherwise remained silent.
"I love you, you know that?" Mon-El spoke again, seeing the boarding sign for his flight light up.
"I love you more," the blonde responded. "Hey, babe?"
"Yeah?"
"Why's it so loud? Where are you?" she asked and Mon-El mouthed a curse, realizing his secret might be revealed without him having to utter a single word.
"Uh... I'm out, I came for a drink with a couple of friends," he lied and the hussle continued, growing as the time passed, threatening to expose his secret any second. (Thankfully, the crowd wasn't big where Mon-El stood and no announcements had been made, which would definitely give Kara an idea of where exactly her boyfriend was.)
"Oh okay. Go back to your friends then, we'll talk later."
"You sure?"
"Yep. Have fun, baby. I love you."
"I love you. We'll talk later, I swear this time!"
Kara laughed, probably rolling her eyes at him, regardless of the fact he couldn't see it. "Text me when you get home, okay? And don't drink too much."
"Alright. Bye, beautiful."
"Bye."
The call ended just as Mon-El had to go board his second flight...finally. This time he wasn't bored, nor frustrated, but he was still impatient. Dying to go "home", where his girl was, where he could kiss her and hold her tenderly. All day. And every day.
Almost five hours later, Mon-El landed in New York at last. It took him another hour to get his baggage and find a taxi, but he eventually arrived at his destination.
He didn't go up to the loft immediately, however. First, he texted Alex to make sure Kara was still with her and then he texted his girl, keeping his promise this time. He felt a little jealous when the blonde sent him a picture of her half-eaten piece of chocolate pecan pie, but he hoped Alex and Maggie would save him a piece as well, since they were the only ones to know of his surprising arrival.
Using his keys to get into Kara's apartment building made him a little jittery; it'd been months since he'd last used them. But the further in he went, the more familiar it all felt, because everything looked the same as he remembered. The third step of the staircase going up to Kara's loft still creaked, the window on the hallway was still a little cracked and Kara still forgot to turn off the kitchen light whenever she went out. Of course, Mon-El noticed those little things, and of course, his nerves eased to the point he momentarily forgot how long he'd been gone for.
Thus, stepping into the loft really was 'coming home' for him. The jitters faded away and all that was left was a hint of guilt that Kara still didn't know he was there mixed with excitement that he was, in fact, there.
Much to his own surprise, the house wasn't decorated, hardly betraying the fact it was Christmas Eve. So, after putting his suitcase in the bedroom and taking a quick shower to "wash" the trip off him, Mon-El immediately got to work. He proceeded to gather all the Christmas decorations and unpack the huge, tall tree he and Kara had bought together the year before. He set it where Kara liked it and tested whether the lights still worked before beginning to hang ornaments and actually decorating. Unfortunately, though, most of the lights didn't seem to function properly, which gave him no other choice than to run to buy new ones, despite the fact he wasn't sure he'd find any stores open at that time.
Mon-El left...and Kara came. An irony, wasn't it? Just as the first had rounded the corner, the second parked her car.
Oblivious as she was, the blonde walked up the stairs, stepped on that same step that still creaked, glanced at that same window that was still cracked and rolled her eyes at the kitchen light she had, once again, left on. It took her a whole minute to notice something was off. First, she noticed a smell that reminded her an awful lot of her boyfriend's perfume. Then, she saw the mess of decorations in the living room, her eyes slowly looking up the bare tree before stumbling into the bedroom to see Mon-El's suitcase right there, waiting for her, sending her heart into a frenzy.
"He's here," she whispered, eyes glistening with happy tears. "My goodness, he's here." Her lips curved into a smile so wide her cheeks ached. "Mon-El?" she called, walking out the bedroom and toward the bathroom. "Baby?" She opened the bathroom door, finding empty space, but the mirror was still fogged from Mon-El's shower, which only furthered Kara's excitement.
Just as she'd starting wondering where he could've gone and why he hadn't told her he was coming, Kara's phone buzzed with an incoming text from him. He'd sent her three photos of Christmas lights packages along with a question of which she liked most.
"The first and third ones," she mumbled as she typed and sent her reply back to her boyfriend. And then she remembered — the Christmas lights she had didn't work.
A laugh slipped past her lips, all previous melancholy fading in favor of a sweet newfound joy. And she didn't care about anything; not about the fact her living room was a mess, or that her boyfriend had obviously intended to surprise her and she'd ruined it, or that she'd spent the last few days in misery, thinking they would be a literal ocean apart during her favorite holiday.
She contemplated sitting there, waiting for Mon-El, but quickly realized she was too hyped to stay still. Thus Kara headed to the bedroom to unpack her lover's clothes and start putting them in their proper place. After all, his drawers and side of the closet had been empty for too long and she couldn't stand it another minute. She needed Mon-El to fill her loft up again, to exist in every corner and use any unoccupied space. She needed him to make it look like their home again, instead of a lacking house, which was always missing something.
"What do you mean Kara left? Where did she go?" Mon-El asked in response to Alex's warning call.
"She's coming home. We finished dinner and she just wouldn't hear about staying over for another night. I couldn't convince her."
"Crap." He sighed. "Is she still on her way? Do I have enough time to get my things and leave?" He maneuvered the shopping bag he was holding to the other hand and patted his pockets to find his keys.
"I don't think so."
"Right. Okay." Mon-El looked up before stepping past the apartment building's entrance to check whether the loft was illuminated. "She's here," he said, noticing the living room light was on. "It's still gonna be a good surprise, even if it hasn't gone as planned, right? Kara will be happy, won't she?"
"Are you kidding? Of course she'll be happy."
He nodded at the words. "Thanks, Alex, for everything," he said.
"Anytime," the redhead responded and immediately hang up, abruptly as always, making Mon-El chuckle.
He rushed up the stairs, having decided he couldn't wait another minute to see his girl, not really caring about the fact his plan hadn't worked out. A Christmas surprise had just sounded like a good idea, but he wasn't too upset. After all, this way they'd both surprise each other. (He with his arrival and Kara with her stubbornness.)
Mon-El walked into the loft quietly, the door clicking behind him softly. He didn't speak, only looked around, not sure where Kara was yet. Shuffling echoed from the bedroom and, so, that was where he headed, after he placed his bag beside the rest of the still-scattered decorations.
He stood at the doorway, leaning against the frame, observing her. She had that look of concentration on her face, that same old adorable crinkle between her brows. He watched as she organized his clothes; drawers open all around her, the bed half-covered with his shirts and jeans, his suitcase not quite empty yet. She was humming a familiar melody he was certain she'd sang to him during one of their late FaceTime's, but he couldn't recall the song at the moment. Perhaps that was because he genuinely didn't remember, though it was just as possible he didn't have the mind to remember. He was so focused on her, so "taken" by her, he couldn't think about anything else.
"Hey, baby," he said, "what are you doing?"
Kara's head turned toward him the second his voice was heard. She stopped her motions and simply stared at him for a second, just taking the image in, making sure he was really there. "Mon-El," his name slipped off her tongue so gently and quietly. "Gosh, baby."
Mouth curving into the goofiest of smiles, eyes crinkling and sparkling with happiness, body rushing to fall into his arms, the blonde didn't waste another second. She stood up and fell right into Mon-El's embrace, hugging him so tightly his breath was knocked out of him.
"It's nice to see you too," he laughed, squeezing her just as tightly. "I missed you," he mumbled and hid his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her perfume and letting her hold him until his heart was freed of its homesickness.
"I missed you too," Kara pulled back, only enough to be able to look into his eyes. Her arms remained locked around his waist, his own resting at each of her sides. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"
"I wanted to surprise you. But you had to ruin my plans, didn't you?" Mon-El teased, his nose bumping against the blonde's playfully when she giggled.
"I like this better," she said, "one more day with you is better than any surprise."
"You're getting all sappy on me." He kissed her forehead.
"It's your fault."
"How's it my fault?" A peck to her nose followed.
"You've been away for too long."
"You gotta miss me. Otherwise you'll grow tired of me." His lips brushed the corner of her mouth.
"I'll never grow tired of you."
"Promise?" Their lips touched.
The blonde hummed before having enough. She lifted a hand and gripped the front of Mon-El's shirt, pulling him as close as she wanted him and claiming his lips. She didn't let him take the lead, guiding his mouth with her own, keeping his chest in contact with hers. She kissed him and kissed him and kissed him. She didn't care if he was breathless, didn't mind that she was as well, she only knew one thing: she needed to kiss him. She needed to feel her heart pounding, see the explosions behind her closed eyelids, sense his fingers trace burning paths across her skin. She needed him; all of him. And she wasn't going to deny herself the pleasure of having him after all the months they'd spent apart, not when Mon-El didn't resist and gave her exactly what she sought.
The bed was a mess, their bodies sweaty, but nothing and nobody could ruin their moment. Mon-El's heart was racing, still, even though it'd been minutes since he'd settled beside Kara and closed his eyes. And her face was flushed, an easy smile stretching her lips wide as she rested her head upon his chest and listened to that erratic beating.
She hadn't finished unpacking her lover's things before her desire got the best of her. She'd dragged him to the bed, eager to remove his clothes and craving to touch all of him. She hadn't been shy with him (she never was, anyway). And before Mon-El had had the chance to even think about anything else, Kara had lured him into a daze. He'd been captivated by her voice, trapped within her gaze, powerless to her touch. He'd let her guide him, had let her tell him what she wanted, as if he'd been spellbound. And everything she'd asked, he couldn't help but offer; everything she'd wished, he couldn't help but grant.
He had explored her body like it'd been the very first time. He'd kissed her lips like he hadn't known her taste. Perhaps in their rush to have more of the other, that romantic sense had been sidelined at first, but now it was there, intense and overwhelming, wrapping around them both and making it hard to pull apart.
For them, that was a ritual of some sort. Every time they'd spend some time away, every time they'd begin missing each other, they'd reunite like that. With eagerness and desperation leading, before the hunger was satisfied and made room for that sweet contentment coming in the end.
It wasn't an easy love; the one they had. It wasn't an easy bond; the one they shared. It was wild and fervorous and demanding. Needing, wanting, taking — constantly and without restraints. And damned they would both be if they hadn't surrendered to it. For sometimes the feeling that consumed them felt so great they didn't stand a chance against it. Sometimes, like this time, it screamed for more and they couldn't ignore it.
Kara lifted her head and shifted her body so it hovered over Mon-El's. Her face was right above his, her knees on either side of his thighs. His eyes had opened, watching her movements, until they locked with her blue comets and stayed there, paralyzed and dazed once again.
"You know," the blonde whispered, "I kinda like it when we get together after being apart for so long."
"Yeah? Why?" Mon-El asked, swallowing hard right after.
"'Cause each time feels like the first time," she said. "I make your heart pound," her head lowered down to his chest, "I can feel it when I touch you, when I kiss you," a peck was pressed above his heart, "I can see your pulse point up here," she bit his neck gently, grinning when Mon-El's breath got caught in his throat. "And your eyes, gosh, baby," a sigh escaped her curved lips, lashes fluttering lazily while his hazy gaze remained on her and her only. "It's like I'm the only one you can see," her voice was light, carrying a hint of awe. "You don't know how I love that." She brought her mouth close to his but stalled there, teasing. "I love how you love me, especially when you've missed me," the words kept coming out in whispers, but Mon-El had eventually broken out of his trance.
"Kiss me," he said and cupped the back of Kara's head with a hand, preventing her from pulling away. He didn't make another motion, though, still giving her full control, still waiting for her.
And so, Kara kissed him, returning the favor. She kissed him like she hadn't known his taste, explored his body like it was the very first time. Because that was how they worked. That was how they were. That was the only way they knew how to love each other.
Sat on the kitchen counter, an ornament swirling around her finger and her head bopping along to Last Christmas's rhythm echoing from her laptop, Kara waited for her boyfriend to make the cup of hot chocolate he'd promised her. The Christmas tree was still undecorated, the new lights still inside their package, but the pair didn't mind — they weren't in a rush.
Time ticked by, the night had settled, but outside the sky was almost white. It was about to snow, that much was obvious, which, weirdly enough, made the atmosphere inside feel warmer somehow.
The song changed, Mon-El finished his task and the blonde climbed off the counter to steal the first sip, as she always liked to. They didn't use two mugs, preferring a large one that could serve them both, which made the first sip some kind of silly competition the couple had fallen into.
"Babe, be careful, it's ho-" Mon-El didn't finish before Kara hissed at the burn on her tongue."-hot," he shook his head, a disappointed look on his face despite the fact his eyes sparkled with amusement. "Why do you always do this?" he huffed in typical exaggeration.
"I have to," Kara replied.
"You have to? Who's forcing you?"
"Nobody, but if I have the first sip I get to keep the cup long enough for the drink to cool down. Then I pass it to you."
"What?" Mon-El stared at her, dumbfounded and speechless for a second. "That is so stupid," he said, "and so precious at the same time." A grin stretched across his mouth, a chuckle making his chest tremble as he approached his girl with a quick stride. A deep inhale, a loud exhale, a hand taking the cup from her hands and setting it aside and then he stood between her legs, letting her lock them behind his back, trapping him there. "I love you so much," he said, "you have no idea."
Kara giggled in response. "I think I do," she whispered back and wrapped her arms around his neck. She didn't lean in for a kiss, however — they'd had enough of those. She simply pulled him closer and buried her face in the crook of his neck, squeezing him and breathing in his scent. "I'm happy you came," she mumbled, "I love you."
"I got you," Mon-El pressed a kiss to her shoulder, "always."
"Come on, we got a tree to decorate," the blonde said after a long silence and embrace.
"It's snowing."
"I can see that."
"I bet it isn't snowing in Sydney."
Mon-El laughed. "No. No, it's certainly not."
"I'd like to spend our next Christmas there, what do you think?"
Gray eyes narrowed at that. "You sure you wanna spend your Christmas on a beach? It's not what you're used to, beautiful."
Kara took a moment to respond. She glanced outside the window again, the flickering lights hanging on the finally-decorated tree giving color to the puffy snowflakes. Christmas meant winter for her. It meant snow and warm clothes and hot chocolate and presents. Family, food, music, laughter, but all that always associated with cold and short days and foggy breaths. She'd never spent Christmas on another continent, let alone in a different season. But thinking about that year's holidays and how she'd thought Mon-El wouldn't be there, she couldn't imagine next Christmas being like that again.
"I don't care where we spend the holidays as long as we're together," she said. "Christmas doesn't feel like Christmas without you. We always decorate together, buy presents together, go ice-skating together, watch the snowfall together. Ever since we were sixteen, we've celebrated together. I don't mind trading cities if it means I get to keep you."
"Damn it, baby," Mon-El dropped his forehead on Kara's shoulder.
They were sat on the couch, a blue blanket covering them. He lay horizontally, his legs stretched, but the blonde had settled in his lap facing the front, able to look at his face and the TV as well.
"You keep ruining my surprises," he whined and lifted his head again.
"I didn't do anything," Kara said, confused.
"It's not what you did, it's what you said."
"Were you planning to surprise me with tickets to Sydney next year?" she chuckled, "Don't you think it's a bit early for such a specific surprise?"
"It is," Mon-El agreed, "but that's not what I had planned."
"Then what is it?"
"I'm not leaving again," he said, his eyes looking straight into Kara's, not blinking, not moving.
"What?" she asked.
"I'm not leaving again," he repeated with a smile. "I'm staying. Right here. With you."
The blonde shifted a little in his lap, facing him properly now. "How? I mean, what about the company's department in Sydney? Who's gonna run it if you're here?"
"My dad is stepping down soon, so my brothers and I will take over. Jake picked Europe, Kai will stay in Australia and I picked North America to run. So, if you still want me, can I move back in with you?" he smirked.
"If I still want you?" she hit his chest playfully. "I can't believe you didn't tell me this sooner. I hate your surprises."
"No, you don't," he stuck his tongue out at her.
"I do. But I love it when I ruin them," Kara mimicked his smirk.
Mon-El's bottom lip jutted out in that ridiculous pout the blonde found absolutely ridiculous and utterly adorable at the same time. He didn't say anything else, but his fingers moved sneakily up her sides until he found her ticklish spots and attacked. Her loud laughter echoed all throughout the house, and if you looked at him at the moment, you'd think his own cheeks would break from smiling so widely.
"Merry Christmas, beautiful."
"Merry Christmas, love."
A day after, in a crowded house, with filled stomachs and wine-stained lips, the two stood under the mistletoe Alex had hung after everyone's insistence and kissed according to the custom.
They were together. They were happy. They were in love.
So much for Christmas miracles...