Chapter 50

By the time their food gets to their table, it's a bit less awkward because Winn is a little more relaxed. But only because Alex and Lena prompted him to go off on a nerdy tangent, arguing with them that having super strength would be way better than having heat vision. Complete with scientific details.

He's so focused on proving them wrong that he actually forgets for a second that he's sitting next to his crush. And the others can tell when he remembers, because his eyes get comically wide and he stutters over his words.

"You know, there's only one way of settling this." Alex says, saving Winn from stumbling through another sentence. "Pool."

"Oh Rao, no. Alex!" Kara groans. "You already know that you're good, and I don't know about Lena, but remember what happened last time Winn played pool?"

Alex snorts. "Hell yeah I do. That hole in the wall is still there."

"Then Maggie can play for me!" Winn suggests.

"Winn, I already know I can't beat Alex. And Lena over there's some child prodigy, I can't beat these nerds."

"But you won't put a hole in the wall." Alex chimes in, earning an exasperated look from Winn.

"True," Maggie concedes. "How did that even happen?"

"I um. I hit the ball with the cue stick and it went flying." Winn says shyly.

"The second time he tried to shoot he nearly hit me in the face with the cue ball." Alex adds.

"Almost." Winn points out.

"Only because Kara has superhuman reflexes." Alex says, pointing her finger at him.

"Babe." Maggie puts her hand on top of Alex's, lowering them to the table. "How about we all just play pool instead of bickering? Minus Winn, of course."

"Don't worry, Winn. I'll stay with you." Lyra says, a gleam in her eyes.

Winn gives Alex a pleading look, terrified about what might happen. Alex grins at him and subtly gives him thumbs up before she, Maggie, Kara, and Lena get up. Lena smirks at him as they head to the nearby pool table and Winn squeaks quietly in protest, suddenly finding himself away from his family and with his crush. He feels like a gazelle, watched by a gorgeous lioness that can't decide whether to eat him or make him hers.

"Do you think he'll ask her out finally?" Kara asks excitedly. "They would be so great together!"

"I think it's more likely that Lyra will ask Winn out." Alex says. "Winn isn't exactly known for his way with people he likes, though somehow he's managed to charm Lyra."

"It must run in the family." Lena teases, earning a protesting "hey!" from both Danvers sisters and a high five from Maggie.

"Have you ever played?" Alex asks Lena as Maggie begins setting up the table.

"No. But it's math and physics, so it can't be too hard." Lena shrugs.

Alex grins at her response, which was almost exactly what she said the first time she played pool. So this should be fun.

"How about we do teams?" Kara suggests. "I'll be with Lena, you be with Maggie."

Alex grins and nods. "May the best couple win. You guys are going down."

Lena raises an eyebrow at Alex's choice of words but shrugs it off.

Maggie takes her pool stick and gestures for someone else to go first, which ends up being Kara when both her sister and her girlfriend insist. She mutters under her breath, too softly for Lena to hear what she's saying.

"What is she saying?" She murmurs to Alex, keeping her voice quiet in an attempt not to distract Kara.

"She's doing some form of Kryptonian calculations with Kryptonian units." Alex explains quietly. "Kara has tried to explain it to me, to convert it into pounds or something, but it's more difficult than you would think. We still haven't managed to crack it."

"That's fascinating. Does she always do those calculations?"

"For something like this, yes. Also whenever she has to land, stuff like that. She used to have to do them for everything, calculating how much pressure to exert on the floor without cracking it, how tight she can hug us before it hurts. She does things like that automatically now."

"Wow." Lena breathes. "That must have been difficult. And she was grieving for the loss of her entire race. Gods, I never thought about how much of an adjustment that would be. Because she didn't have powers on Krypton, did she?"

"No she didn't." Kara says with a soft smile, walking over to join them.

Maggie, who's been listening to Alex and Lena's discussion as well, waits for them to finish talking before she makes a shot.

"Sorry darling, I didn't mean to talk about you behind your back like that." Lena apologizes.

"It's okay, Lee. You're curious." Kara says, wrapping an arm around Lena's waist. "Plus, babe. I have super hearing, remember?"

Lena smiles at her girlfriend and nods before returning her attention to the game. She studies Maggie's form as she leans over and hits the cue ball. She can feel Alex doing the same thing, but for different reasons than her. Lena does it to see how she should position herself when it's her turn. Alex, on the other hand, is just checking out her girlfriend as she bends over a pool table.

"I can go before you for this turn so you can see my stance." Alex offers.

"Thank you."

Lena observes Alex as well. Alex sinks a couple of balls for her and Maggie, then it's Lena's turn. She walks over to where the cue ball is and squints at the table, looking at possible trajectories to get the balls in the pockets. There's a few that are risky, with balls in the way or possible screw ups with bunching of the green fabric.

Lena gets into the position she saw Alex in, making minute arrangements to suit her own frame. She decides to take the easiest shot, then she can get used to the feel of the stick in her hands. To her surprise, she makes it in.

"She's already better than you." Lena hears Alex tease who she assumes is Maggie, since she's the only one so far that hasn't gotten a ball in (Kara did, but her second try she nearly slammed a hole right through the cue ball, which Lena prefers to think is because she took off her sweater to reveal her low cut top).

"Well we can't all be aliens and/or geniuses." Maggie grumbles good-naturedly.

Kara lets out a gasp as Lena is lining up her next shot, slightly riskier than last time. Lena straightens up and looks over, ready to fight someone. Kara's pointing over at Winn and Lyra, who are kissing. Lena wasn't expecting this so soon, Winn seemed rather nervous before.

Her answer comes when she looks at Winn closer. His arms flail awkwardly at his sides, kind of like Kara has done when Lena kisses her unexpectedly. Ah. So Lyra must have kissed him. That makes so much more sense.

Lena smiles softly, happy for Winn. She refocuses on pool to give them more privacy, though that doesn't really do much because they're in a public bar.

The game ends up being close, with Maggie and Alex barely winning. Lena isn't as frustrated or as mad at herself as she usually is when she loses. Maybe it's because she enjoys the happiness and surprise on her new friends' (can she call them that?) faces. Maybe it's because Kara gives her a "victory" kiss anyway.

Either way, when they all leave the bar (including a smirking Lyra and a flustered Winn), she's genuinely happy. That is, until Alex reminds her and Kara that they still have to talk to Cat Grant.

They both groan, wanting to just collapse into bed (even though they couldn't do that anyway, they still have to pack).

"But Alex..." Kara whines.

"No," Alex points at Kara. "Cat's doing this for you, remember? If she tells your story, she won't twist your words. Plus, she's doing a special edition for 'the Danvers sisters and their girlfriends.' So she's going to grill us too."

"That does make me feel better." Kara admits. "I know Miss Grant will be fair."

They walk the rest of the way back, not talking about the heavier subjects like the fact that Lena and Kara are leaving again tomorrow. Instead, they tease Alex about nearly losing for the first time in a while. They gently tease Winn and Lyra, while still making sure they both know they all support their blossoming relationship.

They go their separate ways when they get inside the Danvers castle. Lyra drags Winn toward the kitchen with the promise that she'll make his favorite dessert. Alex and Maggie head towards their room while Kara and Lena head toward where Kara knows Miss Grant prefers to meet them.

Cat greets them warmly, but the sharpness in her gaze does nothing to help with Lena's nervousness. They sit down and the interview begins, with two assistants scrambling to write word for word what everyone says.

Next chapter, some of the interview! And if we get to it, Kara and Lena leaving! Also, wow. How are we already at chapter 50? Anyway! Thank you all for reading and for your amazing comments! Stay awesome!