Chapter Text
Lena grunted, trying to hold Lori against her chest with one hand and lift her suitcase with the other. She slowly made her way up the flight of stairs leading her to her new home. With her new roommate. Who didn’t know about Lori.
Lena let out a frustrated breath, blowing the hair away from her face. Lori squirmed against her. She roughly put down her heavy suitcase once she reached the sixth floor. Cursing whoever didn’t install an elevator in the building, Lena leaned against the wall. She closed her eyes for a second, trying the remember the apartment number.
613.
She sighed and adjusted Lori against her side again, hoisting her further upwards. Lena picked her suitcase up again and made her way through the narrow corridor. She stopped when she reached the room, gold numbers glinting against the fluorescent light in the hallway. She raised her fist and knocked lightly.
Crash!
Lena winced and took a step back from the door.
“I’m- I’m alright, one second!” A voice yelled from the other side. Lena glanced worriedly at the door and began bouncing Lori to make sure she stayed calm.
The door flung open, revealing a smiling blonde woman with an ice pack placed on her cheek. “You must be Lena!” She smiled and then froze when her eyes traveled down to the baby at Lena’s side. Her eyes widened and she gasped lightly. The woman bent down a bit and smiled at Lori. “I’m Kara.” She whispered. “And who might you be.”
“Lori.” Lena said, lightly. “I- I understand if you don’t-”
“Oh no! It’s fine.” Kara laughed. “I’m actually a kindergarten teacher.” She turned around and motioned for Lena to walk in. Lena picked up her suitcase and followed Kara into the apartment.
“Your room is right around the corner- I would show you but, um- I need to clean up this mess.” Lena looked down at a stream of water spraying from underneath the kitchen sink. “I- I don’t want to flood the house on your first day.”
Lena smiled and nodded, staring worriedly at Kara’s face. Kara followed her gaze and gasped, quickly removing the ice from her cheek, where a bruise was painfully blossoming.
“I- um- hit my face on the pipe that’s why it kind of exploded.” Kara said embarrassedly, pushing her glasses up with one finger. “I can fix it though!”
“Uhuh.” Lena smiled, walking to her new bedroom.
“ I can! ”
Lena put her suitcase down by the single bed. She looked around at the sparse room and sighed when she realized she wouldn’t have enough things to make it feel like hers. She looked down at Lori, who was lightly sucking a finger. Lena tugged at the small green hat on her daughter’s head and sighed. Things had changed so quickly once her mother had found out about Lori.
And no matter what her mother said, Lena was never going to give her away.
Lena stood up quickly when she heard a loud bang from the kitchen.
“ I’m- I’m fine! ”
She shook her head and made her way to the kitchen, sighing when she saw Kara soaked with water and a cut on her lip.
“I’m calling a plummer.”
“No- I-” Kara winced when she felt the blood run from her lip. “Okay.” She said dejectedly.
Kara winced when Lena dabbed at the cut on her upper lip with a tissue.
“I’m sorry this wasn’t a very good welcoming.”
Lena snorted and adjusted Lori in her lap. “If it’s any consolation, it was much better than the farewell from the last place I lived.”
Kara looked at Lena and smiled gently. “I still feel bad.”
“Don’t. I’m just very glad that you accepted me into your home.” Lena held Lori up a bit. “Lori too.”
Kara smiled at Lori, grimacing slightly when she felt the pain of her cut again. “Why wouldn’t I accept the both of you?” She extend a finger to poke lightly at Lori’s belly and watched with wonder when the baby giggled.
Lena went back to wiping the blood off of Kara’s lip. She shrugged.
“Well, so far you two have made awesome roommates.” Kara laughed, getting up and walking to the fridge behind her. “I’ve been the terrible roommate, ripping the sink apart.” She said, grabbing a coke. Kara looked back at Lena. “Want one?”
Lena shook her head. Kara sat back down across from her at the small dining table.
“Does- um- does Lori need anything?”
“Yeah, I need to buy formula from the supermarket.” Lena stopped, thinking for a moment. “And a crib.”
Kara hopped up. “I’ll come with you!”
Lena smiled and got up. “Alright, let me just grab my coat.”
Lena sat down on her new bed and looked at Lori in her arms. She let out a sigh. “We have enough money for a couple of months- until- until you’re old enough for daycare and I can get a job.” Lena rocked Lori gently in her arms. Lori was never a noisy baby, so Lena felt lucky based on what other mothers had told her. Based on what her mother told her.
Lena shook her head, trying to rid herself of the thought of her mother. She gently put Lori down in her new crib and smiled gently. Lena smiled when Lori grabbed her finger with her tiny hand.
She bent down to leave a small kiss on her daughter’s forehead. “We’re going to have a good life now.” Lena stood back up, walking over to her bed. “I can feel it.”
Lena breathed in the smell of her coffee. She looked at the small window facing the street and smiled when she saw the sun rising over the bleak city. She had always been an early riser. She looked down at Lori who was drinking the formula from the bottle Lena was holding up. Lena took a small sip of the coffee and sighed contently.
A crash came from what Lena assumed was Kara’s bedroom. She shook her head and continued to feed Lori.
“ Shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot- Oh hi Lena- shoot, shoot, shoot-” Kara whispered running out of her bedroom.
Lena laughed at the sight of her new roommate, one sock missing and hair flying around her face.
“Don’t laugh! I’m so late! If it’s seven and I’m not up, wake me up!” Kara said, grabbing her coat and bag. She ran out of the apartment, door closing behind her.
Lena chuckled to herself and continued drinking her coffee.
A knock sounded at the door.
“ Lena? I forgot my keys. ”
A morning routine had formed, before Lena or Kara realized it.
Lena wakes up and starts the coffee machine. She knocks on Kara’s bedroom door to signal her to wake up. Lena then grabs Lori and prepares the formula for feeding. Lena opens Kara’s door and throws something at her. Kara gets up and blearily takes Lori from Lena to continue the feeding while Lena showers.
Lena rubbed her eyes, taking Lori back from Kara’s arms. “Did she finish-”
“Yep.” Kara smiled, stretching her arms above her head. “Lori’s getting kind of heavy.”
“Are you calling my daughter fat?”
“No! That’s not what I meant-”
“Go shower, Kara. I can smell you from here.”
“You’re so rude in the morning.” Kara mumbled, grabbing her towel and walking to the shower.
Kara slowly strolled next to Lena. Lena grabbed milk from the shelf.
“So this is how you shop for us-”
“It’s literally not that complex, I don’t understand how you don’t know how to food shop.”
Kara pouted and held Lori tighter against her chest. “Lori’s never this mean to me.”
“Lori can’t talk.”
“Oh I know.”
“Don’t make me take her back from you.” Lena said, looking over her shoulder at Kara.
Kara’s heart beat faster at the look Lena was giving her. She shook her head. “That’s never going to happen. Lori’s mine now.” She laughed evilly, holding Lori up above her head.
“Put my daughter back down, Kara.”
“Okay, sorry.”
Lena slowly settled in against Kara’s side. Kara took a steadying breath when she felt the warmth Lena radiated through her thin pajama shirt.
“Thank you.” Lena whispered. Kara had to strain to hear her over the sound of the movie playing on the television in front of them.
“For- for what?”
Lena hummed. “For being good to Lori.” She looked up at Kara and smiled. “And to me.”
Kara let out a shaky breath. “I like you guys, don’t thank me.”
A knock sounded at the door. Kara got up to answer. She held balanced Lori on her hip and opened the door. The electric company had come to fix the power outage.
“Hello, maam.” The man tipped his hardhat at Lori. “And little maam.”
Kara smiled and led the man into the apartment. Candles Lena had brought out lit the small space.
“Where’s the fusebox?” The man asked.
Kara pointed to the storage closet by the kitchen. He nodded and walked over.
“Is that the electricity guy?” Kara head Lena shout from her bedroom.
“Yep!”
Lena walked out with a few more candles. “Should I even bother lighting these?”
Kara shook her head, just as the power came back on. Lena laughed and put down the candles in her hands.
“How do you even have this many candles?”
Lena shrugged. “I found most of them in your room.”
“Oh. People buy me candles a lot.” Kara laughed, turning to the man who had walked out of the storage closet.
“Looked like a wire just disconnected.” He said smiling at them.
Lena brought her hand up to wipe spit running down Lori’s chin and nodded. “That’s what I thought.”
“No it isn’t.” Kara said, squinting at Lena.
“Shut up-” Lena elbowed Kara.
“Hey! Fragile cargo in my arms.” Kara said while turning her back at Lena, as if she was protecting Lori.
“How long have you two been together?” The man laughed and then smiled at their confused expressions. “It’s just me and my wife always argue like this and we’ve been together for almost twenty years.”
“Oh-I- We-” Kara looked at Lena’s blushing face. “We’re not together.” She laughed nervously.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I just assumed-”
“Just roommates.” Lena said, looking at Kara and Lori fondly. “Just roommates.”
Kara nodded furiously. “Yep.”
“Huh, well alright.” The man opened the door. “You three ladies have a good night.” Kara softly shut the door behind him and let out a breath.
“We- um- we should… watch some netflix!” She winced at the chipper sound of her voice.
Lena stared at her for a second. “No, I think I’ll go to bed now. Lori woke up at little earlier today- I want to catch up on my sleep.”
Kara nodded slowly. “Y-yeah. Of course.” She handed the baby back to Lena. “Good night.” She said softy.
“Good night.” Lena replied, walking to her room and closing the door behind her.
Stupid, stupid, stupid. Kara thought to herself angrily while she put out the candles scattered around the apartment. She sighed and plopped down at the kitchen table after grabbing the almost full bottle of wine in the fridge.
Kara shrugged, uncorking the bottle and taking a drink. She put the bottle down and sighed again. She shouldn’t be drinking. It’s a school night.
Kara thought back to Lena’s reactions and picked up the bottle again. It would take her the entire bottle to feel a buzz but Kara felt like she had time. The apartment was completely quiet, apart from the hum of the heating system. Kara strained to listen to the sounds of Lori’s crib creaking as she moved around. Kara rubbed her forehead with her hand and took another drink.
That night she finished the bottle.
Kara groaned when she turned over in bed. It was much too early for her to be waking up on a Saturday morning.
She slowly opened her eyes, jumping when she saw Lori’s curious face looking right back at her. Kara looked up, seeing Lena leaning against her doorframe smiling at her.
“It’s like seven in the morning-”
“Great observation.” Lena laughed, moving to sit on the bed. Lori crawled over to sit in Lena’s lap.
“Um, why- ”
“There’s a farmer’s market today, I was wondering if you wanted to come with us.”
“Don’t you two just go without me?”
“I wanted to extend the invitation- don’t get pouty.” Lena said, putting her hand on Kara’s cheek. She slapped lightly. “Get up sleepyhead. We’ve got veggies to buy.”
“Okay, okay.” Kara mumbled, getting up and slipping her shirt off. She bent down to grab a bra from the floor and put it on. Kara turned around when she heard a squeak from her bed. “Oh- shoot- sorry Lena-”
Lena waved her hands in front of her. “It’s- It’s completely fine!” Her face was red. “I’ll just- get Lori ready!” Lena said, jumping out of the bed with Lori in her arms.
“Lena! She’s upside-down!” Kara yelled after her.
“ Right! ”
“I can’t believe you forgot your gloves.” Lena said, shaking her head. “ Again. ”
“I couldn’t find them! Lori probably took them…” Kara shot a pout at Lori. “ Again. ”
Lena sighed and grabbed one of Kara’s hands. Kara looked at her confusedly.
“For warmth, you dummy.”
“Right. Warmth.” Kara clenched her other hand. “What about the other one?”
“I’ll switch sides in a few minutes.”
“Right, makes sense.”
Kara squinted down at Lori. She bent kneeled down so she could be eye level. “Say Kara. Kara. ”
Lori giggled and squeaked the toy in her hand. She bounced a little and gurgled.
“ Kara. ”
“That’s not going to work, I’ve tried-”
“Mama.”
Lena and Kara froze, looking at Lori.
“S-say Kara.”
“Mama.” Lori said happily, giggling.
“Oh god.” Kara said turning back to look at Lena, helplessly. “I don’t-” She turned back at Lori and picked her up. She pointed to Lena. “That’s your Mama-”
“Ma-mee.”
Lena’s eyes widened and she got up off the couch in a flurry of motion. She put her hands on Lori’s cheeks, eyes watering. “What did you say, sweetheart?”
“Mom-my.”
Lena laughed wetly, looking up and smiling at Kara. Kara’s heart skipped a beat when she saw how happy Lena looked. She handed Lena the baby.
“Oh my sweet darling, I am your Mommy.” Lena beamed, bouncing a giggling Lori in her arms, peppering her with kisses. “And you’re my baby.”
“Baby!” Lori said triumphantly.
Kara laughed and walked over to the kitchen, grabbing a jar of baby food. “It’s dinner time, isn’t it?”
Lena nodded, pressing a kiss to Lori’s head. She walked over to put Lori in her highchair. Lori giggled and put out her hands, making grabbing motions at Kara. “Mama!” She squealed.
Kara winced again and looked at Lena, who was happily combing her fingers through Lori’s hair. Lena looked up and smiled at Kara.
“Come on, slowpoke, she’s hungry!”
Kara nodded embarrassedly and walked over to where Lori was sitting.
Kara sighed as Lena’s fingers threaded through her hair. Her head was on Lena’s lap and they were watching a movie. Kara couldn’t tell you the name of the movie. Her heart was beating rapidly and when she thought things couldn’t get better, Lena scraped her nails against Kara’s head.
Kara let out an involuntary moan and grimaced when Lena’s hand froze. She heard Lena let out a shaky breath and then continue with her ministrations. Kara closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling and trying to tamp down on her embarrassment.
“Are you enjoying the movie?”
“Hmm?” Kara sighed.
“The movie, are you enjoying it.”
Kara nodded, opening her eyes when Lena laughed.
“It ended about ten minutes ago.”
Kara looked at the screen and mumbled an embarrassed, “Oh.”
Lena continued to run her hands through Kara’s hair and hummed. “That’s okay, I wasn’t really paying attention either.”
“Huh? Why?” Kara asked, turning over to look up at Lena who was smiling down at Kara. Kara’s breath got caught in her throat when she saw Lena lean in a bit closer. They were centimeters apart. Kara could feel Lena’s light breath against her lips.
A loud yell from Lena’s bedroom had them quickly spring apart, Kara sitting up and Lena running to where Lori was crying.
Kara rubbed her forehead and quickly followed Lena to calm Lori.
“I’ve been thinking…”
“Thinking? Isn’t that dangerous for you, Kara.”
“Shut up! I’ve been thinking we should do something together.” Kara said, swatting Lena on the arm.
“We always do stuff together.”
“No not like that. I mean like without Lori.”
“Without Lori? What are we going to do with her?” Lena looked at Kara curiously.
“Well Alex and Maggie are in town…”
Lena hummed, wiping the baby food off of Lori’s cheek. “Why do you want to do something without Lori?”
Kara wrung her hands together and looked at Lena, blushing a bit. “I’m trying to ask you out on a date.”
“Oh.”
“Oh?”
“Yes.”
“ Yes? ”
Lena laughed and patted Kara on the cheek. “Took you long enough, slowpoke.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kara pouted at Lena.
“Well I mean I’ve been kind of hinting-”
“Uhuh, let’s not do this.” Kara laughed, getting up to grab another slice of pizza from the box on the countertop.
“Do what-”
“You’ve totally been blind to it too.”
“Have not!” Lena yelped, jumping up from her seat.
“Have too-” Kara was cut off by Lena’s lips meeting hers. Lena pushed her up against the counter and roughly kissed the breath out of Kara’s lungs. She pulled back to grin at Kara.
“Wow… I thought that only happened after the first date.” Kara sighed.
Lena slapped her arm and walked back over to Lori, spooning another glob of baby food and feeding it to her.
“We’ve been on a lot of dates-”
“Not really. They were with Lori.”
“Family time, then.” Lena said, tenderly wiping more food off of Lori’s face.
Kara grinned at them happily and sat down next to Lena. “Yeah. Lots of family time.”