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Lena stopped dead in the doorway of Esme’s bedroom, her hand frozen on the frame.
Inside, Kara was leaning against a mountain of plush pillows, one arm wrapped securely around her niece. She was reading a story about a space-faring bunny, complete with a dramatic, booming voice for the alien villain that was entirely too loud for a bedtime routine, but clearly a massive hit with Esme, who was giggling uncontrollably.
Kara’s glasses were slightly askew on her nose. A stray lock of blonde hair fell across her forehead, and she was wearing an over sized flannel shirt that Lena knew belonged to her, mostly because Lena’s dry-cleaning tag was still dangling from the hem.
And right then, somewhere between the bunny escaping the black hole and Kara doing a terrible impression of a laser gun (“Pew! Pew pew, Esme!”), a sudden, violent realization slammed into Lena’s chest.
Oh.
She didn't just want Kara. She wanted this. The domestic chaos. The shared flannels. The tiny, laughing human who inherited far too much sass from her aunts. She wanted a family. With Kara.
Lena leaned her shoulder against the door frame, crossing her arms. A slow, deeply affectionate smile crept across her face. Well, she thought, I’m a Luthor. If I want something, I acquire it.
Esme was the first to notice her, pointing a small finger. "Auntie Lena! Auntie Kara’s bunny is going to get eaten!"
"Is he?" Lena stepped into the room, her eyes locked entirely on Kara, who looked up with a bright, goofy grin that instantly melted Lena's insides. "Don't worry, little one. I'm sure your Auntie Kara has a completely unrealistic, super-powered way to save the day."
"Hey! It's a very grounded narrative," Kara protested, though her cheeks flushed a lovely shade of pink under Lena's intense gaze. "We were just getting to the good part."
"Mm. I can see that," Lena murmured. She walked over to the bed, leaning down to press a soft kiss to the top of Esme’s head, before straightening up and letting her eyes linger on Kara's lips. "But it is past someone's bedtime. If the space bunny doesn't wrap it up in two minutes, I'm cutting off the post-story snack supply."
Esme gasped in betrayal. Kara looked equally horrified. "You wouldn't dare. Not the organic fruit snacks."
"Try me, Danvers," Lena purred, dropping her voice to that low, smoky register that she knew perfectly well-made Kara’s super-hearing go into overdrive.
Kara swallowed audibly, her blue eyes widening. She quickly turned back to the book, flipping through three pages at once. "And then the bunny found a wormhole, went home, ate his carrots, and went to sleep! The end!"
Five minutes later, after a flurry of blankets being tucked in and a round of goodnight hugs, Lena and Kara stepped out into the quiet hallway, pulling the door shut behind them.
The moment the latch clicked, Lena turned and backed Kara right into the opposite wall.
"Whoa," Kara breathed, her hands automatically finding Lena’s waist. A massive, hopeless smile broke across her face. "Not that I'm complaining, but what's gotten into you? Are you finally punishing me for stealing your flannel?"
"Keep the flannel," Lena said, her voice dripping with affection as she reached up to straighten Kara's glasses, her fingers lingering on her jawline. "In fact, I think it looks better on you. But we need to talk."
"Okay..." Kara’s heart rate spiked, a sound Lena had learned to read like a book. "Did I do something? Is the bunny story banned?"
"Kara," Lena laughed softly, leaning in until their noses almost touched. She could smell the faint scent of Esme's baby shampoo and Kara’s ridiculous, sugary body wash. "I just watched you completely butcher a children's book to save a fictional rabbit."
"I summarized for efficiency!"
"And I realized," Lena continued, her tone shifting from playful to something fiercely tender, "that I am utterly, hopelessly in love with you."
Kara’s eyes softened instantly, the teasing look melting away into pure devotion. "Lena..."
"And," Lena added, slipping her arms around Kara’s neck, pulling herself flush against that warm, super-powered chest, "I’ve decided I want a family. With you. Kids, bedtime stories, ruined flannels—the whole chaotic package. What do you think about that?"
Kara stared at her for a beat, her brain clearly short-circuiting. Then, a grin so wide it looked like it structurally challenged her face broke out. "Are you kidding? Lena, I've had our future dog's name picked out since our third date."
"Of course you have," Lena chuckled. "And the kids?"
"Oh, they're going to be brilliant," Kara beamed, squeezing Lena tight. "They'll have your brains, my flying abilities, and hopefully, your ability to actually tell a story with a coherent plot."
"We'll work on your pacing," Lena teased, tilting her chin up. "But first..."
"First?" Kara whispered, hovering just an inch away.
"First, you have to kiss your future wife."
Kara didn't need to be told twice. She leaned down and kissed Lena thoroughly, full of all the warmth, humor, and desperate, blinding love that had defined them from the very start.
When they finally parted for air, Kara smiled, resting her forehead against Lena's. "So... about those organic fruit snacks. Can we go steal some from the pantry?"
Lena rolled her eyes, but she was smiling so hard it hurt. "Come on, Danvers. Let's go raid the kitchen."
The End.