Cherry Wine {lex luthor}

chapter forty

https://open.spotify.com/track/1RPFnPCvtBc46BFVOnzmPx?si=2IfCyO8XQP-EZ5m_gsuuPA

well, I've been afraid of changing
cause I've built my life around you
but time makes you bolder
even children get older
and I'm getting older, too

Fairy lights hung above the bed in a tangled, unordered pattern of stars. They were the once concession that had been made to the bedroom-I needed a nightlight, and these delicate chains of tiny bulbs shed enough light to keep most of the nightmares at bay. Them, and the sleeping pills, made my nights as black and bottomless as they had once been fraught. I was healing. I was happy.

It was the week after I had been brought home-Valentine's Day. Of course. I was gaining back my autonomy, one step at a time. I was still in pain with every breath, but less. I couldn't be alone without the image of a hand descending over my mouth coming to haunt me, but I was getting there.

Slow progress is still progress.

My cheeks were pink and full, and you couldn't count the outline of my ribs through my shirt. If you didn't know about the bandages and the slowly dissolving stitches, you would never have known about my accidents-none of the three of them. I looked, for once, like a normal teenager. I wasn't a frail, broken shell anymore.

Sunlight streamed through the open blinds, and I stared up at the lights above me. I was warm, curled into a mess of blankets. I was alone in bed, but I could hear the voices of maids chattering in the hallway, the run of a vacuum somewhere. The sounds of the house filled up the air, and I smiled. I never had siblings, never had the large, loud, family, but the happy noise outside the door made me nostalgic nonetheless.

Before long, though, I was up. I wrapped a pink sweater around myself, and opened the door. I didn't have bandages around my leg anymore, and as contorted as the scar was, none of the maids even gave it a second glance. They smiled warmly at me, waving me past. I got the distinct sense that my disappearance had ruffled them, too. We weren't exactly friends, but I had missed my mornings in the kitchen with them, letting their conversations wash over me while I ate breakfast. They pointed me in the direction of the study, sharing secretive glances.

The door was ajar when I knocked, and I pushed it open. Lex had his back to me, standing in front of the fire, puzzling over some folder, his muscles tense as he flipped through pages. I tiptoed in, and wrapped my arms around his waist. He jumped as I made contact, but settled when he realized it was me. A warm hand wove through mine, and Lex turned.

"Morning." I said. "You been up long?"

Lex set the folder down on the couch, shaking his head. "Couple of hours. I had to make some calls. I tried not to wake you when I got up."

"You didn't wake me." I smiled. "Have you eaten yet, or is it just all work around here? Should I make breakfast?"

"Actually, I thought we could go out for a bit today. I have some real estate agents coming around later."

I frowned at him, puzzled.

"Real estate agents? Are you selling?"

Lex laughed, draping an arm over my shoulders, pulling me towards the open door. "No, my love. I like to know the value of my assets. I just would rather we didn't get in their way."