Musician Age Gap AU Pt 11
As soon as Alex and her family are safely in a car on the way to a hotel, Kara and Lena board Lena's jet back to the states. During the flight, Lena curls in on herself, picking nervously at her cuticles with a worried, guilty expression.
"Hey," Kara says, pulling Lena's gaze towards her. Her features remain heavy. "I'm not mad."
At that, Lena's face softens, but only enough to grimace with a soft huff. "You're not the one I'm worried about."
Kara must look confused, because Lena soon continues.
"As a rule, my mother knows who I spend my time with, and when." The guilt returns. "Except for you."
"So she didn't know I was in Capri with you..."
Lena confirms it with a shake of her head. "Nor why I went back to National City."
Well... this wouldn't be easy then. Dealing with a rabid press is one thing-- being at odds with one of the key players in keeping her family safe is another.
"I'm sorry," Lena murmurs. "I just... wanted to keep you mine. Just for a little while."
Kara shoots her a look. "I'm still not mad."
"You can be. If you want."
"I don't." She moves seats, switching to the bench Lena's on. She makes no attempt to still Lena's nervous picking, but simply spreads her legs enough for the outsides of their thighs to touch. Kara intends the physical contact to serve as reassurance, but she doesn't know if it works.
"I'm a big girl, Lena. I know I can back out whenever I want to. But I don't. Not yet."
A little bit of warmth cuts through Lena's anxious fog. "Yeah?"
"Yeah." Kara's heart beats a little faster, when a small smile answers her. Impulsively, she leans over to kiss Lena's cheek. She feels... giddy? Far more exhilirated she has any right to feel at her age. "Bring it."
----
Lillian Luthor is a slender, austere woman. Kara clocks her the moment the plane lands on the tarmac, tall and styled in her designer clothes and looks that only money and astronomically good genes could provide.
Only Kara witnesses the short beat Lena takes before stepping out of the plane, bracing herself for whatever follows. Kara keeps pace with her once they descend the ladder in single file. She may not be driving this bus, but she is no shrinking flower. In this, she is Lena's equal.
Not that the look Lillian gives her would have anyone believe.
"In the car," the woman orders. "Now."
Lena obeys without a word. Kara is a little slower to fall in line, but ultimately follows Lena's lead. Lillian climbs in behind them, leaving Jess and a woman Kara doesn't recognize to scramble on board last.
"The family is checked into the Lariat. So far no indication that they've been identified, but its still early."
"What about Kara?"
"What about you??" Lillian demands, tone scathing in its heat. "What were you thinking?"
Kara sees Lena wilt, and anger bubbles up in her throat. "Don't talk to her like that--"
"You have zero business here," Lillian fires back with steel in her voice.
"Mom!" Lena exclaims in Kara's defense. "It's not that big a deal--"
Ice blue eyes turn on Lena, freezing her to the spot. "It's a big enough deal that you saw fit to sneak behind my back, with a woman twice your age no less--"
"Mom!"
"Timeline, now."
Lena's shoulders sag, but says nothing. Looking to divert some of Lillian's ire, Kara moves to speak up. "We--"
"She already knows," Lena rolls her eyes.
"I do," her mother confirms. "But I'll hear it from you nonetheless."
Lena huffs. "Night two of the National City stop. Her niece left her phone backstage, and we exhanged numbers."
"Then?"
"Texting."
The exhange sounds like a repeat of one they've had many times before. Neither Jess nor the other woman-- who Kara assumes is Lillian's own assistant-- look at all nervous at the rapidfire crossing of words.
"Texting?" Lillian demands. "Or sexting?"
Kara bristles. "I don't see how that's any of your--"
"*Texting*, Mom, god!" Lena seethes. Her cheeks are bright red, from anger or embarassment or both. "Will you just--"
"Just *what* Lena?"
Lillian's voice is so sharp Kara can see the moment it cuts Lena down. Her jaw tightens, and when Kara sublty shifts to take her hand, Lena shifts away.
Satisfied that her daughter is suitably in line, Lillian turns to her assistant. "Mercy, have PR prepare a statement. The photos were misconstrued, they simply capture a couple of friends taking in the sights."
"Mom, no," Lena croaks. "I don't want-- who cares if people know that I'm gay--?"
"You are not gay!"
Lena flinches, features blanching as though Lillian had landed a physical blow. Only then does Lillian seem to realize that she's talking to an actual person. Her tone doesn't soften, exactly, but it doesn't sharpen any further.
"Your *brand* isn't," she amends, likely the closest thing to thing to an apology Lena would get.
"I thought Lena is the brand," Kara interjects.
Lillian's frigid gaze snaps to her. "She is."
"Her fans are more open-minded than you think--"
"Her fans don't buy tickets," Lillian informs her coolly. "Their parents do. And *they* are far less forgiving."
Kara looks towards Lena, who meets her gaze with a helpless one of her own. It's not untrue-- Esme hadn't bought her tickets, after all.
"Then what do we do?" Kara allows finally.
"Cut ties. Immediately." Lillian looks down her nose at Kara, her regard as condescending as though she were speaking to a teenager, not a women merely ten years her junior.
"No."
To Kara's surprise, Lena's response is faster than her own, and carries only the barest of trembles.
"Don't be foolish..."
"I'm not--"
"Do you love her?"
Lena freezes. Her gaze flicks to Kara. "It's only been a few weeks..."
"Precisely. Cut ties now, before--"
"But I want to," Lena finishes. This time, her gaze lingers on Kara's, a small smile warming her eyes. "I want to love her."
Lillian scoffs low in her throat. "You're too old to be play the love sick teenager. Or have you forgotten what happened last time?"
Kara watches Lena hold her mother's gaze, something heavy passing between them, inscrutable to anyone else. But Lena holds her ground, and surprisingly, Lillian is the one to back down.
"Then what would you suggest?"
"Like you said-- we give them something else to talk about." Lena swallows, but forges ahead. "I have some new material, I can perform it live in Paris."
Lillian purses her lips, but doesn't smack down the idea. She considers it, her gaze calculating. "And you two?"
"We do what we want," Lena delivers firmly. "No statement, no confirmation or denial. Let people see interpret it however they want. However they need."
Kara thinks of the young fans, isolated in their orientations or identities, seeing themselves reflected in their favorite artist. The gift that would be, the vote of confidence needed to dream of a future where what Lena and Kara share might be theirs.
Lillian shoots Kara a hard glare. "And you? It's your family in the crossfire if this idea goes to shit."
"Then it goes to shit, and we deal with it."
It might be selfish of her, but in all of their conversations, neither Alex or Kelly have suggested backing off. They spoke only of adapting, of overcoming, and Kara knows she has their unspoken support. And even now, being talked down to and chided, she feels happier sitting next to Lena in this moment than she has in years.
Lillian barely contains her snort of derision.
"Very well," she concedes, with a sharp note of criticism. Then she turns from them entirely to speak with Mercy in low tones.
Kara takes advantage of the moment to lean closer to Lena, murmuring in her ear.
"I want to go to Paris with you."
Lena blinks at her. "You don't have to--"
"Would you feel better if I were there?" Kara asks bluntly. Lena deflates a little, but this time in relief rather than shame.
"Yeah."
"Then let me come." Kara gives Lena's hand a squeeze, and is rewarded with a tired smile. "You're not alone in this."
"Okay," Lena says, her smile deepening into a challenge. "Let's bring it."
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