superman } { post-supergirl 201, of returning exes and leaps of faith

[verystrongly]

Lena: [the event had been going well so far. At least until Henry rolled up and decided to hold his presence as a shareholder over both their heads. Cora disappears somewhere in the middle under the pretense of getting some air, and that's fine, but it isn't until Henry also disappears that she starts to get concerned, seeking out Kara and Stiles on the other side of the room] Have you two seen Cora recently?

Stiles: Come to think of it, I haven't. She hasn't come back from getting her air?

Lena: [she shakes her head] Would you two mind going in to look for her? I would go myself but I have to give the key note in ten minutes. [she holds out her badge to Stiles, knowing that that will give him access to wherever he needs to go]

Stiles: Yeah. Kara, you want to check the bathrooms? I'll go see if she's on the roof hangout spot she likes.

Kara: [nods, before glancing over to Lena with a small, reassuring smile] Don't worry. We'll find her. [and as Lena leaves, she'll glance over to Stiles as she reaches for her glasses and pulling them down her nose] Call if you need me.

Stiles: [touches his finger to his forehead in a salute and heads out to the roof]

Henry: [and when he gets there he will find Cora, taking to a tall handsome man who she does not seem happy to see] Look, I let you get your space. I did. I knew you were here, and did I come right out and drag you home. I let you stretch your legs and now it's time to come home. This has gotten a little ridiculous, don't you think?

Cora: I really think the whole me leaving you thing may have gone a little over your head.

Stiles: [snorts, coming up out of the shadows] Hate to break it to you, man, but she is home. And I think it's time for you to leave.

Cora: [they both whip around, surprised to see him standing there, Cora confused and Henry annoyed] What are you doing here?

Henry: Who the hell are you?

Stiles: Lena asked me to come get you. She's giving her speech in a few minutes. [locks eyes with Henry, not afraid at all of the man's bluster, and not bothering to answer his question]

Henry: Well, we're having a private conversation here so you can go. She got the message.

Stiles: Actually, no, I don't think I will. She has already stated that she's left you. She's not leaving with you, nor are you going to drag her home. So you're done here, and can either return to the party, or I can have the guards escort you out on the basis of harassing an employee at her place of business. I'm pretty sure Lena takes harassment claims very seriously when it comes to her company and its employees. [standing still, relaxed but ready to spring into action like the soldier he is]

Henry: [his eyes narrow, looking him over for a moment, before turning back to Cora] Who is this guy? He sweet on you or something?

Cora: He's my best friend.

Henry: Right, sure. Okay best friend, as I said, I'm not done talking to her yet.

Stiles: And I said you are. [and he is going to walk over to Cora, his eyes checking her to make sure she's ok and knows she has an out to disengage from Henry and escape] Come on, Cora, Lena's waiting.

Henry: [sees Stiles start to move and he moves a bit faster, bridging the space between Cora and him a bit faster and taking her by the arm before she can react. He drags her away from Stiles, despite her protests, and just backs towards the edge of the building] No. She's not going anywhere.

Stiles: [and he stops, eyes narrowing] Let her go. You don't want to do something you'll regret later. [his hand is in his pockets. One is texting Kara on his phone to get security to the roof. The other is feeling his arrowheads to look for the one with the carbon wire in case he needs to tie him up]

Cora: [is trying to push him off her, but he's stronger than she is, and she's not a werewolf in this world. Henry stops just shy of the edge of the roof, raising an eyebrow in Stiles' direction]

Henry: I'm not sure my regrets are the ones we should be worrying about here.

Stiles: [and the facade drops, and the soldier murder face comes out from hiding. He has the arrowhead, plus two more that he pulls from his pocket] You're the one making all the choices here. You've got two right now. Let her go now and leave peacefully, or we wait for security and they make sure you leave, peacefully or not. [his eyes are doing calculations. One step back. He has seconds if that happens. God he hopes it doesn't happen]

Henry: [his eyes the arrows, and eyes Stiles. He knows that Stiles has limited options if he wants to make this work and honestly, he hadn't been intending to give Cora very many options in the first place. She was either coming back with him, or she wasn't coming back at all. Cora can tell the moment he makes the decision too. She can see it in his eyes, and the way his hand tightens around her arm, before giving her one hard shove backwards, knocking her off her feet and sending her tumbling over the edge] I think I'll go with option three.

Cora: [screams as she falls over the edge, though some of that morphs into his sister's name - at least to the superpowered ears downstairs]

Stiles: Fuck. [he took off running the second he saw his arm move. His left hand takes the two normal arrowheads and he flicks them at Henry's face as he rushes by and leaps off the roof.

It's a long fall - L-Corp is a tall building thankfully. He tucks himself in to increase his falling speed, eyes locked on the Cora and the scenery coming up behind her quickly. He catches up with her around the fortieth floor and as one arm wraps around her waist, the other throws the grapple arrow at the fire escape] HOLD ON!

Cora: [she isn't expecting Stiles to get to her first. She expects it to be Kara, because it always is, but when he tells her to hang on, she does, not knowing what else to do]

Stiles: [he's holding the wire around his wrist, the other end with the arrowhead wrapping around a railing of the fire escape on the building across the alley. It goes taunt five floors from the ground as they swing across the alley. He aims it right and releases the wire, sending them both for a messy but safe landing in the dumpster]

Cora: [the landing knocks the wind out of her and it takes a few moments to realize that she's alive. She fell off the building and she lived but she also almost died and everything is coming too hard and fast that she's shaking and hyperventilating and trying to cry all at the same time]

Stiles: [yeah, he can see that, but his adrenaline is racing and they still aren't safe yet. He tries to stand up, wincing as his wrist points out that it just took both their weights and not happy about it, but he ignores it to hop out of the dumpster.] Cora, I need you to focus. We need to get back into your office. Can you do that for me? [he holds his good hand out for her]

Cora: [it takes her a second to try and pull herself together, but once she does she nods, and goes to try and climb out of the dumpster as well]

Stiles: [and he will help her out, and then shield her to the door to the building, using Lena's passcard to get them both inside] Your office, now.

Cora: [she nods, and he knows the way at this point, which is good because she's not sure she can lead with the way her legs are feeling shaky and they might come out from under her at any moment. but they quickly make it there, and from there, to the modified closet that she had been using as a bedroom. The door to the closet closes behind them, making it seem as though no one else was ever there, and once that's done and she and Stiles are completely alone, she full on bursts into tears]

Stiles: [and he will pull her to him, holding her with one arm, the one that has the broken wrist, while pulling out the phone and checking for messages from Kara with the other] We're safe here, Cora. I've got you.

Cora: [yeah, she's just going to keep crying for a while, but Stiles will have gotten texts from Kara saying that they caught Henry trying to flee and Lena has video footage from the roof that shows what happened, so he's being turned over right to the cops]

Stiles: [texts Kara to recover his arrowtips if she can so they can't trace anything back to him. And that they are in Cora's lab] Ok, Kara says they're taking Henry into custody. I'm sure he'll find himself a new girlfriend in jail.

Cora: [eventually the crying jag lessens and she still seems visibly rattled, even if she is comforted by the fact that he is in jail] He threw me off the roof. [she's still trying to process it all, and the fact that she's alive in spite of it, and it's ... a lot]

Stiles: Yeah. He's a big drama queen. But I promised you I wouldn't let him hurt you. [small smile]

Cora: No, that's ... he's never actually hurt me before. The first time he tried is the time I left. [and even that wasn't something like this. It was him holding her a little too tightly and a look in his eyes that was just enough to scare her. She pulls away from Stiles to try and get some space and make her thoughts make sense, but when she does she catches the way his wrist is swelling and bruising and her eyes widen] Are you okay?

Stiles: [he wants to tell her that he hurt her plenty before with how scared she is of the world, but this wasn't the time to point that out. He looked down at his wrist and rubbed it, wincing] Yeah, just a bit of rope burn. [ow] And maybe a strained muscle? [totally not a broken wrist]

Cora: [no that's totally a broken wrist] We need to get you to the hospital.

Stiles: No, it's fine. Just need to put some ice on it.

Cora: No, you need a doctor. We should go find Kara.

Stiles: Cora, I'll be fine. Right now I just want to make sure you're safe.

Cora: No, we need to go get this looked at. It could heal wrong. [the look on her face is desperate, begging him to let her do this so that she can make something right in all of this mess. she needs to do something.]

Stiles: [sighs] Ok. Do you want to wait for Kara or go now?

Kara: [she's about to answer when Kara steps into the office, glancing around in confusion] Stiles? Cora?

Stiles: Behind the invisible door, Kara!

Cora: [opens the door so that Kara can see them and opens with] Stiles needs to go to the hospital, I think his wrist is broken.

Kara: Are you okay?

Cora: I'm fine, he needs a doctor.

Kara: [glances to Stiles]

Stiles: We're heavier than I thought. [shrugs]

Kara: Okay. The cops want to talk to you, but I'll just redirect them to meet you at the hospital.

Stiles: Oh goodie. [eyebrow up, silent asking if she got the arrowheads]

Kara: [nods and smiles before gesturing them to the door. Lena is also there, and she takes Cora by the shoulders to lead her out while Kara whispers to her brother] Is she okay?

Stiles: [whispers back so softly that only Kara can hear] No, she's in shock. Hyper focused herself on my wrist to keep from dealing with what happened.

Kara: [nods, before she gently pushes her glasses down so she can x-ray vision his arm] She's right though. That wrist is totally broken.

Stiles: [sighs] Fuck.

Kara: Don't worry, it's pretty clean. You won't be in there long. [and with that off they go to the hospital! Where Stiles will get x-rayed and casted and Cora will give her statement and will be waiting with Kara in the waiting rooms for when Stiles is given the all clear]

Stiles: [at least his fingers are free so he'll still be able to use his bow. But still, the cast sucks. Even if it's purple]

Kara: [that is what you get for jumping off a building without her to catch you!!]

Stiles: [he didn't have enough time to text her that Cora was falling off a building, ok?! But anyway, he will walk out with his cast, a sling, and a thingie of pain pills] Hey.

Cora: [and both his girls stand up, but Cora is closer and she walks over to him] You okay?

Stiles: Yeah, clean break. I'm good.

Cora: Good. The cops are done so ... we can go home. [though she doesn't want to go home and be by herself at all]

Stiles: [he figures] Want to come crash on our couch for the night?

Cora: I don't want to ...

Kara: You are coming to stay at our place. [she doesn't ask. she dictates. She takes Cora by one arm and Stiles by the other and leads them out of the hospital] Come on. I have ice cream, and an entire library of movies we can watch.

Stiles: These pills are pretty strong and have drowsiness warnings.

Kara: Then you can sleep and we can watch all the movies.

Stiles: I can do that.

Kara: Good. [and home they will go, stopping at Cora's very briefly so she can get a change of clothes and some toiletries before returning to Kara and Stiles' apartment and settling in for the night]

Stiles: [and he will go change into his pj's and come back out, making a nest of pillows and blankets on the floor in front of the couch since he knows he will pass out and that will let the girls have the entire couch to themselves]

Cora: [and they will watch movies until Kara passes out and Cora won't be able to sleep, so she'll work instead. because that's a totally healthy coping mechanism. so if either of them wake up at any point, Cora will be nestled on the couch, the light of the tablet illuminating her face]

Stiles: [and he will soon shift in his nest, the painkiller wearing off and pulling him out of sleep with a groan]

Cora: [glances over the edge of the couch] You okay?

Stiles: [muttering] Yeah, just sleeping on the bad wrist isn't the smartest thing.

Cora: Want me to get you some ice or something?

Stiles: No, but some water and my pills.

Cora: [she nods, and will get up to go fill up his glass of water]

Stiles: [and he will adjust himself to sit up against the couch, rubbing his fingers gently]

Cora: [she returns and moves to sit next to him] How're you feeling?

Stiles: Sore. But okay. What about you?

Cora: [she shrugs. it's pretty obvious she's not okay]

Stiles: [takes his pills, then motions for her to come down into his nest]

Cora: [does as she's told, curling into him]

Stiles: [wraps his arms around her, just keeping her close] Don't worry, I've got you.

Cora: He's going to get out.

Stiles: Yeah, and in the meantime we'll get you a restraining order against him.

Cora: He's not going to care.

Stiles: He violates it, he gets arrested. And goes away for longer. [or he gets an arrow through an eyeball]

Cora: He has money, Stiles. It won't stick.

Stiles: Money can't buy everything, Cora. Trust me.

Cora: It can buy enough.

Stiles: Guess we'll see who has the bigger piggy bank then.

Cora: I shouldn't have come here.

Stiles: Cora, if he's stalking you, it doesn't matter when you go. At least here you have friends and people who will back you up. You're not alone.

Cora: [and those friends and people don't stand a chance of getting hurt. She's not disagreeing with him, but it doesn't feel like this is the right choice. not when she knows how good Henry is at getting what he wants]

Stiles: Just trust us, ok?

Cora: I do. But I also know him.

Stiles: Then you tell us what we need to know about his habits and we can use it against him.

Cora: His habits are that he doesn't accept no, and he has the money to throw wherever he can to smooth things over and make them go away.

Stiles: Well, I'm sure you know someone on your side who can do the same thing for you. And Kara is pretty good at making people learn to accept no.

Cora: [she's quiet, curling into his arms more and not really wanting to talk about this further. she just doesn't see and end yet, and it will take a while before she actually believes it.]

Stiles: [and he will tighten his snuggle grip on her, nestling his drowsy eyes against her head]

Cora: [and she will just stay there, and if he falls asleep, she won't disturb him, but she probably won't sleep herself]

Stiles: [totally snoring into her hair]

Cora: [that's okay, they're cute snores. and eventually she may doze off from pure exhaustion just long enough for Kara to get up around them and leave them there]

Stiles: [he totally can call out from work, right?]

Cora: [that is up to Stiles, but Lena definitely isn't expecting Cora in today]

Stiles: [nope, sorry DEA. Stiles is broken and home recovering]

Cora: [Kara will call out for him. and eventually cora will wake up from what little sleep she's getting, jerking awake out of a falling nightmare, heart racing and not recognizing where she is at first or who is keeping her in place]

Stiles: [and he will jerk awake, yelping]

Cora: [turns to face him and cringes] Sorry! Sorry, I ... forgot where I was.

Stiles: No, it's ok. I just... I didn't mean to startle you.

Cora: You didn't. Not really. [and she'll roll over so that she's facing him more] In fact it was the opposite of you, because I couldn't see you.

Stiles: Oh. Well, still. Sorry.

Cora: Not your fault. [she tucks one arm under her head as she settles down next to him again. she's quiet for a moment, before looking up at him again] I never thanked you for jumping after me last night.

Stiles: [smiles] I guess they don't make a Hallmark card for that, huh?

Cora: [she shakes her head] No they don't. [then she pauses, and in a moment of pure impulse, she pushes up and kisses him gently]

Stiles: [and he blinks because wait, he's being kissed. He stops breathing a moment before leaning in to kiss her back]

Cora: [it was just going to be a quick thing, but when he starts to kiss her back she lingers in it, wanting to enjoy something that she wants for a change, rather than being afraid of everything]

Stiles: [he isn't going to push, letting her still lead, just pressing back enough to let her know he is interested but not going to take over.]

Cora: [which she appreciates. eventually she will pull back completely, looking up at him for a moment before ducking her head sheepishly] Sorry.

Stiles: [blinks, his lips still hanging out there a moment before he realizes it's over and he watches her look away] I'm not.

Cora: [she looks back at him before moving one hand to rest against his chest] I'm still not sure I'm relationship material yet, but ... it seemed like a good idea.

Stiles: Hey, you're the one leading here. [he reached up to put his hand over hers] But thank you. For trusting me enough to thank me with that. It means a lot.

Cora: Of course. [she turns her hand over to squeeze his] There's ... probably no one I trust more than you.

Stiles: [grins, not really knowing what to say to that, but he will squeeze her hand]

Cora: Just ... anything else is probably going to be kinda slow.

Stiles: Even if we never do anything, Cora, I'm fine with that. I'm just happy being with you.

Cora: [and she looks up at him] Really?

Stiles: Yeah, really.

Cora: [part of her doubts that because he's a healthy adult guy and it's natural for him to want to do those things with someone he's attracted too, and she honestly doesn't think he wants to have a celibate relationship with her for the rest of forever. But the fact that he's willing to say it and it sounds sincere enough that it makes her smile] That's sweet of you to say.

Stiles: I mean, my hand and I get along really well already. Hate to break up with it. [there's a smirk, trying to lighten the mode. See, still Stiles after all these years]

Cora: [she snorts before shaking her head] I'm not saying it's forever. I just ... haven't really been into it in a while and if we do do it, I ... really want to be into it.

Stiles: Understand completely.

Cora: Good. [because that ... hasn't been her experience as of late, but she doesn't want to say that because things are already complicated enough] The kissing part was pretty good though.

Stiles: I'm glad to hear that. For a minute I was worried I sucked at it.

Cora: Definitely not.

Stiles: Because if I was, I would need to practice.

Cora: Well, in engineering, there's always room to improve something. Practicing might be worthwhile.

Stiles: So you're saying I need to keep kissing you, for science?

Cora: I mean, it seems like the logical conclusion.

Stiles: Can't really argue with science.

Cora: It is what makes the world go round.

Stiles: So when should we start this science?

Cora: I'd say whenever you're ready. [because she's already done the kissing. she's ready to be kissed in return]

Stiles: [and he will grin, leaning in to kiss her, hand cupping her cheek]

Cora: [and she will happily kiss him back, intending to fully enjoy that for a good long while, until her phone begins to buzz on the coffee table nearby, with the accompanying ring tone of her own voice saying: "It's Kelly. Answer now or suffer the consequences later." She whimpers before pulling away from him] We're going to come back to this.

Stiles: Yes ma'am.

Cora: [and she picks up her phone and pushes up from the floor to go take the call in the kitchen] Hi, Kelly. Yeah, I'm okay ...

Stiles: [and he is going to go use the bathroom while she talks on the phone, then brush his teeth before going to find coffee]

Cora: ... You do not have to come all the way ... fine. I'll let James know you're coming. I'll see you soon. [and she will hang up and head over to him when he's making coffee] Is there enough there for me?

Stiles: There's enough here to fuel a small army.

Cora: You're the best. [and she will grab things to fix herself a cup]

Stiles: So, who's Kelly?

Cora: James's sister. She's a therapist who specializes in PTSD, James talked me into Skyping with her to help deal with stuff.

Stiles: Ah. [and he will sip his cup] Has your brother texted you yet?

Cora: Oh, that won't be a text. That will be a waiting on my balcony for me to come home so that he can give me the full worried face.

Stiles: I'm surprised he'd wait there and not come here.

Cora: He has some boundaries. Also the last time he was worried about me and went to check on me when I wasn't home he saw things he never wanted to see. [that was a less serious scenario and clearly not happening here, but it was a lesson that neither of them ever forgot]

Stiles: [and he almost snorts coffee out his nose] Oh.

Cora: Yep. He never did that again.

Stiles: I'm really glad Kara and I have our pants rule.

Cora: I feel like Clark and Laura had something to that effect but he didn't think he needed one for me. [probably because she was the baby and therefore never supposed to be a sexual being]

Stiles: Then you're brother's an idiot.

Cora: I was the baby. I don't think it was idiocy but more ... seeing me a certain way and needing a shock to knock me out of that box.

Stiles: Uh huh.

Cora: [downs the rest of her coffee] Anyway, I should ... go deal with him, and shower and get dressed so that I feel like an actual person but ... maybe we can have dinner later?

Stiles: Yeah, I'd like that. If you don't want to leave the building, we can get takeout.

Cora: Sounds perfect. My couch this time?

Stiles: Works for me.

Cora: Okay. [and she leans in to give him a quick kiss before heading downstairs to see if her brother was waiting]

Clark: [Totally waiting, sipping a coffee he grabbed on the way over, leaning over the balcony and watching the city]

Cora: [lets herself in and, then lets him in] Hi.

Clark: [and yes, he's going to look her over because concerned big brother is concerned] Hey. How are you doing?

Cora: [she shrugs, because it's touch and go] Better than I was last night.

Clark: If he gets out, I'm going to drop him off the tallest building in Gotham.

Cora: No, you're not.

Clark: Bruce will help.

Cora: Clark.

Clark: He threw you off one. It's only fair.

Cora: Don't you think it might be kind of obvious if you went around getting revenge on my ex-boyfriend?

Clark: Um, that's why I'd go to Gotham. [he's just venting. he's too much of a boy scout to actually follow through]

Cora: [she knows that, and is just going to stare him down because sure he is] Are you done?

Clark: [huffs] No. [and he is going to storm forward and hug her tightly]

Cora: [and she will let him and just burrow into him and take the comfort being offered]

Clark: [yeah, he was worried, Cora. He's going to tuck her into him and be a shield against the world for her]

Cora: [which she appreciates, and she's missed and she might break down a little because she didn't do that last night and has just been running on a whole lot of shock]

Clark: [and he will eventually get them to the couch. He might have hover flew them as not to disturb her cuddle position]

Cora: [you're a good big brother and she appreciates you. which means she's just going to curl up into him more until she's done crying and pulls back to look at him] Sorry.

Clark: I'd have been here earlier if I had known.

Cora: You couldn't have known. I didn't know until he was ... there.

Clark: Still, I could have been here last night after.

Cora: It's okay. Stiles and Kara had my back. We watched pretty much every rom com Kara owns.

Clark: [chuckles] I'm surprised it wasn't Star Wars.

Cora: That's because Stiles was knocked out on pain pills because he broke his wrist.

Clark: You got lucky then.

Cora: Star Wars isn't so bad. You're just biased cuz you're from space. [she's kidding. mostly]

Clark: Uh huh, sure.

Cora: What's so wrong with it?

Clark: I'm pretty sure the only reason you like it is because Stiles did.

Cora: [looks so offended] Why would you say that?

Clark: Because you two were thick as thieves back as kids.

Cora: Well, I can like things on my own, thank you. And Princess Leia was a badass.

Clark: Um hmm.

Cora: [rolls her eyes] What. Out with it.

Clark: I here he was your hero last night.

Cora: ... Yeah? [what is he getting at? she doesn't intend to tell him about the earlier kissing, but she wants to know where this is going]

Clark: Just... be careful, ok?

Cora: ... Of what? He's Stiles. We've been best friends since we were five.

Clark: Who managed to jump off a building, save you, and all with an arrowhead.

Cora: He's been training in archery. And he works for the DEO.

Clark: The DEO isn't a good place to work.

Cora: [brow furrows] Kara's been working with them and she hasn't said anything.

Clark: Kara only works with them because of Stiles, I think.

Cora: So you're saying that Stiles is just willingly involving himself in something shady?

Clark: Maybe. I just know that the guy in charge? He and I don't see eye to eye on things.

Cora: That doesn't make him bad.

Clark: I know. But just the same, be careful.

Cora: Okay. [though ... she's not really sure what she's being careful of] You do know I'm not working for the DEO, right?

Clark: Yeah, I know. You're with Lena's side of L Corp. [and Lena has taken care of Cora so she right now is getting the benefit of the doubt]

Cora: [s i g h] She's a good person, Clark.

Clark: [hands up] I didn't say anything!

Cora: But you want to.

Clark: Actually, I don't.

Cora: But you want to throw shade at Stiles instead? [she's just ... very confused]

Clark: Lena doesn't work in an office with Kryptonite in a safe in case it's needed.

Cora: Does Kara know this?

Clark: No. Not that I know of.

Cora: Then maybe you should be having this conversation with her.

Clark: No, because every time I try to tell Kara about something she shouldn't do because it's dangerous, what does she do?

Cora: [sighs] Look, Kara is trying to prove herself. Prove that she's capable. There's nothing wrong with that. There's also nothing wrong with the DEO having kryptonite, because bad Kryptonians happen. Zod, being a prime example. But if they're keeping that from her willfully, then that's a concern on whether or not she can trust them, and you should warn her.

Clark: I will. Right now, though, we're talking about you.

Cora: We're talking about you accusing my best friend, who you've known since he was five, of being shady.