MADC Chapter 7 Open Emotions

The alley reeked of blood, oil, and burnt rubber. Sirens howled in the distance—first faint, then growing louder, bouncing off the concrete walls. Somewhere above, the mechanical whir of camera drones cut through the air, their red lights flickering like vultures’ eyes.

Kara’s head snapped upward first. Her enhanced hearing picked up the chatter of approaching police, the hum of hovercams hovering closer for a better shot. Within seconds, the press would swarm this place.

“Great,” She muttered, brushing dust from her gloves. “Just what we need—Metropolis’s morning headline: Supergirl and Power Girl demolish Southside.”

Galatea folded her arms, smirking. “Not my fault if they were too fragile. Maybe next time they should pick a fight with someone of their own species.”

Kara shot her a glare. “You nearly broke that one’s spine.”

“He’ll live,” Galatea said, waving it off. “Probably.”

The groans of the battered gang echoed around them, one of them wheezing something about calling an ambulance. A broken chain lay near Kara’s boot, half-buried in puddled rainwater. The metallic scent of blood hung heavy, mingling with the ozone left behind by the Kryptonians’ blows.

Zack, crouched near a trash bin, peeked out nervously as sirens blared closer. “Uh, ladies? As much as I love being surrounded by groaning criminals and airborne paparazzi, maybe we should not be here when the cops arrive?”

Kara turned, nodding sharply. “He’s right. We have to move. Now.”

Galatea tilted her head toward the sound of an incoming police cruiser. “Oh, look—they even brought friends.”

Kara’s eyes narrowed. “Stop talking and fly.”

In a flash of red and white capes, both women grabbed Zack—each by an arm—and launched skyward.

“Whoa, hey—wait!” Zack yelped, his feet leaving the ground as the city shrank beneath him. The wind roared past his ears as he dangled between them, his stomach twisting. “Can someone at least warn me before the zero-gravity rollercoaster?!”

But neither seemed interested in his comfort.

Galatea’s grip tightened possessively around his wrist. “I’ll take him,” she said flatly. “You’ve done enough damage for one week.”

Kara’s hold didn’t waver. “Excuse me? You’re the one who dragged him into half this mess in the first place. I’ll handle it.”

“Oh sure,” Galatea fired back, voice edged with sarcasm. “Because running off and leaving him in the middle of Metropolis was such a great plan. Real responsible of you.”

Kara’s eyes flashed with heat vision she barely restrained. “At least I didn’t kidnap him like a prize!”

“Kidnap?” Galatea’s smirk turned sharp. “Please. He stayed because he wanted to.”

“I didn’t exactly have a say in any of this!” Zack shouted over the wind, his voice cracking as they passed over rooftops. “Can we not do this at five hundred miles an hour?!”

Neither listened. The argument spiraled, growing louder and more vicious as they tugged at him like children fighting over a toy. The wind whipped his hair wildly, and he swore he could feel his shoulders stretching in two directions.

“I’m not letting go,” Galatea growled.

“Neither am I,” Kara shot back.

“Let me go!” Zack finally yelled, thrashing between them. “I swear to whatever Kryptonian god you two believe in, if you keep treating me like a stress ball, I’ll—”

“—you’ll what?” Galatea challenged, arching a brow mid-flight.

“—I’ll throw myself off and walk home!” Zack snapped.

That got their attention.

Both women froze in the air, their capes flaring in the wind as the city spread out below—rows of rooftops, glittering glass towers, and the faint siren chorus still chasing behind. They hovered there, suspended against the gray clouds, the tension between them palpable even in the thin air.

Zack wanted to yank his arms free, but settled on glaring at both of them, his voice trembling more from anger than fear. “Do either of you even hear yourselves? Somehow aren’t you two family!”

Kara’s lips parted slightly, her chest rising and falling with the weight of his words. Galatea’s fingers twitched, her expression faltering for a fraction of a second before she looked away.

The silence that followed was awkward and heavy. Even the wind seemed to hush.

“...He’s right,” Kara admitted quietly, guilt softening her tone. “We can’t keep doing this.”

Galatea exhaled slowly, her anger fading into something resigned. “Fine. Whatever.” Her blue eyes met Zack’s. “You good with me carrying you?”

Zack hesitated, still fuming but too tired to argue further. “As long as nobody tries to dislocate my shoulders again, yeah. Fine.”

Galatea moved closer and lifted him gently this time, one arm under his knees and another around his back. He tensed for a moment, caught off guard by the firm but oddly careful hold.

Kara hovered beside them, arms crossed, her expression tight but calm. “My apartment’s close,” she said. “It’s safe, and we can talk there—away from cameras.”

Galatea nodded curtly. “Lead the way.”

Kara gave a small nod and shot forward, the streak of red and blue slicing through the clouds. Galatea followed close behind, the wind whipping at her hair as she carried Zack.

He looked up at her face—focused, serious, the earlier fury replaced with something quieter. Despite everything, she still held him like he was something precious.

‘What even is my life?’ He thought with a sigh, glancing between the two streaks of color in the sky. ‘One minute I’m almost getting mugged, the next I’m an airborne football in a Kryptonian custody battle.’

Helicopters and drones swarmed the Southside district they had left behind, recording the wreckage of the gang fight—the craters in the walls, the groaning men, the shattered asphalt.

And high above that chaos, three figures cut across the clouds. For now, Zack was at least glad they had stopped fighting. But the air between them still burned with unspoken words.

—-------------------------------

The flight ended on a quieter side of Metropolis. The sun was already high in the horizon as businesses and streets were bustling with activity. From above, the city looked peaceful with every citizen going by their day, a far cry from the chaos from the neighborhood they’d left behind.

Kara descended first, landing softly on the balcony of a modest high-rise apartment. Her boots clicked against the glass floor panels, the faint hum of the city below echoing up through the railings. Galatea landed seconds later, holding Zack securely before setting him down with a care that surprised even her.

Zack blinked, steadying himself on the railing. “So… this is your place?”

Kara gave a small nod, brushing her hair behind her ear as she keyed open the sliding door. “Yeah. It’s not much, but it’s home.”

The door slid open with a faint whoosh, revealing Kara’s apartment, a cozy, cluttered space filled with color and life. The walls were painted a warm cream, dotted with framed photos of Metropolis skylines, newspaper clippings of rescues, and even one with Clark smiling awkwardly beside her.

But what really stood out were the plushies. Dozens of them, lining the couch, stacked on a shelf, even perched near the TV. A soft pastel blanket hung over the armrest, and a mug half-full of cold cocoa sat abandoned on the coffee table.

Zack’s eyes widened as he stepped inside. “Whoa…”

Kara’s stomach dropped. “Whoa what?”

He looked around, smiling softly. “It’s… nice. Like, really nice. It definitely feels like you live here.” He gestured toward a shelf filled with cute trinkets, figurines, and books arranged with chaotic neatness. “Warm. Bright, but also… I don’t know—” He grinned. “It’s pretty adorable.”

The word hit her like a meteor.

Kara froze, heat flooding her cheeks. “A-Adorable?! It’s just— I mean—these were gifts! And the plushies—those were—uh—”

“From fans?” Zack teased lightly.

Kara’s blush deepened as she fumbled for an explanation. “No! I mean—some were, but—look, I didn’t exactly plan for anyone to come over!”

He chuckled, holding up his hands. “Hey, relax. I think it’s great.”

But Kara’s embarrassment only grew. Her apartment was supposed to be her private refuge, the one place where she could just be Kara, not Supergirl. And now Zack, of all people, was standing in the middle of it, surrounded by her pile of plush animals and her half-finished jigsaw puzzle on the coffee table.

Before she could reply, a sharp grunt came from behind.

Galatea stood near the doorway, arms crossed, her expression unreadable but her tone dripping with annoyance. “How… quaint.”

Kara’s head snapped toward her. “If you’re going to insult my home, you can wait outside.”

“Not insulting,” Galatea replied flatly, stepping further inside. “Just stating the obvious. You live like a teenage girl.” Her gaze drifted over the pink couch cushions and framed photos of Kara with her friends. “Figures.”

Kara’s hands clenched at her sides. “Better than living in stolen apartments.”

Galatea’s jaw tightened. “At least I make do with what I have. Not everyone gets to live picture-perfect.”

Zack felt the tension instantly. The air thickened, the temperature seemed to rise, and both women’s capes rustled slightly as if responding to the charge between them. He scratched the back of his neck, trying to defuse it. “Okay, okay, let’s not—uh—start round two of the Kryptonian wrestling match, alright?”

Kara exhaled sharply, folding her arms. “Fine. You’re right.” She looked at Galatea, her voice lower but trembling with contained emotion. “We should talk.”

Galatea met her gaze. “Then talk.”

The room fell into a heavy silence. Zack stepped back toward the couch, the plushies staring at him like spectators as he slowly sank down, deciding it was safer to sit out of the blast zone.

Kara broke the silence first. “You could have killed them.” Her voice wasn’t angry now — it was weary, disappointed. “Those men on the street… they were criminals, sure, but they were still people. You went too far.”

Galatea crossed her arms tightly. “And what would you have done? Talked them into surrendering? They were about to shoot him.” She pointed at Zack. “You were late, Kara. I saved him.”

Kara’s eyes flashed. “That’s not saving. That’s beating them until they can’t move!”

“They deserved worse!” Galatea snapped back, stepping closer. “You weren’t there when he was surrounded. You didn’t see how close they were to killing him.”

“I didn’t need to! I trust myself to handle things without turning the street into a warzone!”

Zack winced as the two edged closer, their voices rising. He could almost feel the static in the air. The bond between them might have connected them to him, but right now it seemed to be fueling their anger instead.

Galatea’s voice dropped lower, colder. “You think you’re so perfect. Always pretending you’re above it all. But you’re just like me.”

Kara blinked. “What did you just say?”

“You heard me.” Galatea took another step, her eyes fierce. “You think because you wear the ‘S’ and smile for cameras that you’re better? You’re not. You feel the same things I do. The jealousy. The anger. The fear of losing him.”

Kara’s breath caught. The words struck deep. “That’s not true.”

Galatea’s tone softened, but it cut even deeper. “Then why did you run away after your bond was completed?”

The question hit like a punch to the gut. Kara froze, her lips parting, but no sound came. She turned her face away, the color draining from her cheeks.

“I—” she started, but her voice cracked. “I didn’t know what to do. Everything I felt… too much and I panicked."

Galatea frowned. “So you couldn’t handle a bit of feelings so you ran away like a coward.”

Kara’s chest tightened. “And what about you? You think clinging to him is any better? You act like he’s yours to claim.”

“Because he is!” Galatea’s voice broke into a shout before she realized it. Her fists trembled at her sides. “For once in my life, I found something that makes me feel real. He makes me feel like more than just a copy!”

Her voice cracked, raw emotion bleeding through the steel. “You don’t know what it’s like to be me. To wake up every day and wonder if you’re even worth existing!”

Kara’s anger faltered, replaced by a flicker of pain and understanding. “...Galatea…”

For a long moment, the two women just stood there, one trembling with anger, the other struggling with guilt.

Zack stood slowly from the couch, his voice softer than either expected. “You both care about me. I get that. But this—” he gestured between them, “—isn’t helping anyone. You don’t have to prove who’s better or who deserves more. I just…” He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. “I just don’t want to be the reason you hate each other.”

The silence that followed was deafening. Kara’s shoulders slumped, the fight leaving her eyes. Galatea looked away, jaw tight, but her breathing had slowed.

Finally, Kara spoke, her voice quiet. “You’re right. We…just need to talk and not fight.”

Galatea nodded once, still staring at the floor. “Yeah. Talk.”

Zack exhaled, tension easing from his body as the two super-powered women finally stepped back from each other. But even as calm settled over the apartment, the emotions still hung heavy, guilt, jealousy, affection, all tangled in a web none of them knew how to untangle yet.

Kara moved to the kitchen, her voice steady but soft. “I’ll make tea. It’s… the least I can do.”

Galatea scoffed quietly but didn’t argue. “Do whatever you want,” she muttered, and with a flick of her cape, she sank down onto the couch. The soft cushions dipped beneath her weight as she sprawled out, one arm draped lazily over the backrest like she owned the place. Her usual confident posture was there, but her expression had softened.

Zack lingered awkwardly near the armrest before sitting beside her. The couch was smaller than it looked; their knees brushed. He tried to focus on anything but that. The faint hum of the refrigerator, the ticking clock near the bookshelf, the faint vanilla scent from one of Kara’s candles, all of it strangely comforting in contrast to the chaos they’d survived.

He glanced around at the cozy clutter again, the framed photos, the scattered books, the ridiculous amount of plushies, and smiled faintly. “You know,” He said, scratching the back of his neck, “for a superhero, Kara’s place looks like it was designed by a golden retriever.”

Galatea snorted. “Figures.” She reached for one of the plushies, a round, smiling sun and squished it absentmindedly. “It’s too… soft.”

Zack chuckled, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. “I don’t know. Kind of makes me think maybe you need some of this softness in your life.”

Her blue eyes flicked toward him, but she didn’t answer. The silence stretched between them — not awkward, just heavy, like the air before a confession.

Zack broke it first. “Hey, uh… can I ask you something?”

She turned to him slowly, brow arching. “That depends. Are you about to say something stupid?”

He laughed nervously. “Probably. But I’m serious.” He hesitated, the memory still nagging at him. “When I woke up this morning, you were gone. The bed was empty, and for a second I thought…” He trailed off, unsure if he wanted to say ‘I thought you left me too.’

Galatea’s smirk faltered. For a moment, her usual confidence slipped away. “Oh.” She looked down at her hands, fingers tightening around the plush toy. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”

Zack tilted his head, studying her expression, the faint redness on her cheeks, the way her eyes avoided his. “Then what happened?”

Galatea hesitated, biting her lip. “When I woke up… my mind felt different. Clearer. Like that… haze I had before was gone. Everything I’d done up until then, fighting Kara, holding onto you like I’d die if I let go, it all just left and then… it hit me at once.” She exhaled slowly, her voice softening. “I needed air. I needed to think before I did something I’d regret.”

Zack’s chest tightened with guilt. “So I made you uncomfortable.”

“What?” She blinked at him, surprised.

“I must have,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I mean, if you had to get away from me just to breathe, I probably—”

“Stop.” Her voice was quiet, but firm. Zack froze.

Galatea turned toward him fully now, her blue eyes bright with something raw and unguarded. “You didn’t make me uncomfortable,” She said softly. “You made me feel something. Something I didn’t even know I could feel.”

Zack blinked, unsure what to say. “I… what do you mean?”

She leaned back slightly, looking up at the ceiling as she tried to find the words. “All my life, I’ve only ever been told what I am. A clone. A weapon. A mistake they decided to keep alive. But when I’m with you…” She paused, the smallest, most vulnerable smile tugging at her lips. “It’s like that noise finally stops. You make me feel… like a real person.”

Zack’s throat went dry.

She turned back toward him, her voice trembling slightly now. “So no, I don’t regret what happened. I love these feelings. Every single one of them, even the ones that scare me. Because they’re mine. And I…” Her cheeks flushed a deep pink, her next words almost a whisper. “I want to stay with you. For as long as you’ll have me.”

Zack’s heart skipped. His face went red instantly, the air in his lungs catching somewhere between disbelief and panic. “Y-you—uh—I—uh…”

He stammered uselessly, his mind running laps. ‘Did she just say she loves these feelings? Did she just say forever?’ His brain was melting.

Before he could find his voice again, the sound of clinking porcelain broke the moment.

Kara stepped back into the room, carrying a tray with three steaming cups of tea. Her eyes immediately caught the scene, Zack sitting close to Galatea, faces flushed, air thick with warmth and her steps faltered.

“Oh,” She said flatly, setting the tray down on the coffee table with slightly more force than necessary. “Am I… interrupting something?”

Zack practically jumped in his seat. “N-no! We were just—uh—talking!”

Galatea smirked smugly. “Really? You look like you are about to combust.”

Kara’s pout deepened as she crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. “You two seem awfully close for a pair of strangers that met yesterday.”

Zack tried to speak, but Kara’s glare shut him down before he could.

Galatea’s smirk only widened. “Maybe that’s because we’re more honest about what we want.”

“Honest?” Kara’s voice rose an octave. “You mean reckless.”

“Same thing,” Galatea shot back.

“Girls—” Zack tried, raising his hands in surrender, but it was useless. The tension was already building again, invisible lightning crackling between the two Kryptonians.

Kara turned away sharply, trying to compose herself. “Let’s just sit down and talk before this turns into a crater in my living room.”

Galatea grumbled but followed, taking her cup of tea and sitting back down beside Zack, a little too close, just to annoy Kara.

Kara sighed, taking the chair opposite them. “Fine. Let’s talk.”

For a moment, the three just sat in silence. The only sounds were the faint hum of the city outside and the clink of spoons against ceramic.

Kara finally broke the quiet. “I’ll say it first. I like him.” Her tone was firm, straightforward, but her cheeks betrayed her with a faint blush. “I don’t know how or why this bond thing works, but it made me realize how much he means to me. And I’m not going to pretend that isn’t true anymore.”

Galatea’s jaw tightened, though her expression softened slightly. “At least you admit it.”

Kara met her eyes. “And I’m not going to fight you over him. But I will protect him — even from you, if I have to.”

Galatea set down her cup, her voice lower now. “You don’t have to protect him from me. I’d never hurt him. He’s…” She hesitated, the word catching in her throat. “He’s the only thing in this world that’s mine.”

Zack sat between them, silent, the weight of their words pressing down on him. Two powerful women, both looking at him like he was something precious, something fragile and all he could think was how unworthy he felt of it.

He finally exhaled, his voice soft. “You two… really care, huh?”

Kara looked at him with gentle eyes. “More than I want to admit.”

Galatea gave a small, confident smile. “More than she can handle.”

Kara shot her another glare, but Zack’s quiet laugh broke the tension this time.

“Okay,” He said with a nervous grin, rubbing his temples. “Maybe… let’s not make me the reason Metropolis needs rebuilding. We can figure this out. Together.”

The two women exchanged a long look — not friendly, but no longer hostile. A fragile truce hung in the air.

Kara sighed softly. “Together, then.”

Galatea nodded once. “For now.”

Zack leaned back on the couch, finally letting out the breath he’d been holding. Between the plushies, the tea, and two very intense Kryptonians, he wasn’t sure whether this was peace or the calm before the storm. Either way… it was going to be one long day.

The tea had gone lukewarm by the time anyone spoke again. The three of them sat there in the soft glow of Kara’s apartment, the bustling noise of the city leaking through the half-open window. A cool breeze stirred the curtains, carrying the faint scent of rain from far away.

For once, none of them seemed in a hurry to break the silence. Kara leaned forward slightly, her elbows resting on her knees, fingers tracing the rim of her cup. Galatea sat back against the couch beside Zack, her arms folded, though her eyes were distant — softer than usual. Zack sat between them, caught between curiosity and unease, trying to read the unspoken atmosphere running between the two women.

Finally, Kara exhaled. “You know…” she began, her voice low but steady, “I’ve been trying to understand what exactly this bond did to me. It’s not just… emotional.”

Galatea glanced at her, intrigued despite herself. “You feel it too, huh?”

Kara nodded slowly. “When it first happened, I thought I was losing my mind. It wasn’t just attraction or protectiveness — it was… something deeper. Every emotion I had around him got amplified. I couldn’t think clearly. I felt this pull, this… need to be near him.” She frowned at her tea, her reflection warping in the liquid. “It scared me.”

Zack listened quietly, his chest tightening at the pain behind her words.

Kara continued, her voice softening. “But after it hit one hundred percent, that feeling — that desperation, simply vanished. What replaced it was… peace. Like someone finally turned off all the noise in my head. I can still feel the connection, though. It’s faint, but it’s there. Like a heartbeat in the back of my mind.”

Galatea’s lips pressed into a line. “Yeah. Same here.”

Kara’s head lifted. “Really?”

“Don’t sound so surprised.” Galatea leaned forward, resting her forearms on her knees, her gaze fixed somewhere on the floor. “Before the bond was completed, I couldn’t think straight either. It was like my instincts were in control, not my mind. Every time he looked at me, every time I touched him, I felt like I’d fall apart if I let go. It wasn’t just desire. It was terror. Like if I wasn’t near him, I’d stop existing.”

Zack blinked, startled. “That sounds… awful.”

Galatea gave a small laugh, dry and humorless. “It was.” She turned her head slightly, eyes catching his. “But when it finished, everything cleared. I could think again. I could breathe again. And I finally realized what those feelings meant.”

Kara tilted her head, curious. “What did they mean to you?”

Galatea hesitated for a long moment before answering. “To me, it's not about control. Or obsession. It’s about… belonging.” Her voice softened, almost wistful. “You have to understand, I was built to destroy. To be an echo of you,” She added, glancing at Kara, “and to surpass you. That was my only purpose. Everything I did was supposed to prove I was better, stronger. But when I met him…” She nodded toward Zack. “Something changed. For the first time, I wasn’t defined by you. Or by what they made me to be. I was defined by how he or I saw me.”

Her confession lingered in the air, delicate but heavy.

Kara’s expression softened, guilt flickering across her face. “I didn’t realize… how much it meant to you.”

Galatea’s jaw clenched slightly, but she gave a small shrug. “You couldn’t have. You’re the original. You don’t know what it’s like to live with someone else’s face and memories and not know where you start.”

The words hit Kara hard. She looked away, staring down at her mug, the edges of shame pricking her chest.

Zack, sensing the weight of it, finally spoke. “And you, Kara? What did it mean for you?”

Kara blinked, caught off guard by the question. She hesitated, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she gathered her thoughts. “For me… it was realizing I could feel like that again.” Her voice cracked just slightly. “I’ve always kept people at a distance, because when you’re someone like me, getting close means risking their safety. It’s easier to care from afar. To be the hero and not the person. But then you showed up.”

Zack’s eyes widened slightly. “Me?”

She nodded, smiling faintly. “You didn’t care about Supergirl. You didn’t even know who I was. You just… treated me like a person. You made me laugh. You annoyed me. You made me feel normal. And that terrified me.” She laughed weakly, shaking her head. “So when the bond started taking over, when those emotions grew stronger, I thought it was wrong, that it was corrupting me. But now I understand.”

Galatea watched her closely. “Understand what?”

Kara’s gaze shifted between the two of them — between her reflection and her mirror. “That maybe… it wasn’t changing me at all. Maybe it was just showing me what I’d been missing.”

Silence fell again, soft and fragile. Zack felt the air grow heavier, but not with tension this time. It was something more intimate — a shared vulnerability that none of them knew how to navigate.

He took a slow breath. “So… both of you went through all that because of me?”

Galatea smirked faintly. “Congratulations, you’re officially our emotional earthquake.”

Kara rolled her eyes but smiled despite herself. “She’s not wrong.”

Zack rubbed his face with both hands, groaning. “Great. I break people’s emotional stability. I’m really killing it lately.”

The girls both laughed softly, the sound easing the lingering tension. For the first time that night, they seemed united in something other than rivalry.

Galatea leaned back against the couch, looking at Kara with something that wasn’t quite hostility anymore. “You know… maybe you’re not as bad as I thought.”

Kara arched an eyebrow. “Careful. That almost sounded like a compliment.”

Galatea shrugged. “Don’t get used to it.”

Zack smiled faintly, watching the exchange. The tension that once filled the air was now replaced with something more peaceful. They no longer felt like enemies.

Kara leaned back in her chair, her tone thoughtful. “In a way this bond thing. It’s forced us to face who we really are, the good and the ugly.”

Galatea hummed in agreement. “Yeah. It’s like looking in a mirror you can’t turn away from.”

Their words lingered between them — soft, uncertain, but honest.

Zack looked down at his tea, still half-full, the reflection of the two Kryptonians shimmering in it. ‘They’re both stronger than I’ll ever be,’ He thought quietly. ‘And yet… They're sitting here, confessing things they can’t even admit to themselves. Because of me.’ The thought scared him and warmed him at the same time.

Outside, thunder rumbled faintly as the peaceful weather turned into a rainstorm.

Kara stretched, breaking the heaviness with a quiet sigh. “Alright. We’re not solving everything today. But… we made progress.”

Galatea nodded. “For once, I agree.”

Zack leaned back, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Progress sounds good. As long as it doesn’t involve you two throwing cars at each other again.”

Kara gave him a mock glare. “No promises.”

Galatea smirked. “Depends on who starts it.”

He groaned, sinking into the couch. “You two are gonna give me gray hair before I hit middle age.” But despite his words, a quiet sense of peace settled over him. For now, that was enough.

The three of them sat together in Kara’s warm little apartment, a strange trio bound by something none of them fully understood. 

Done. Tell me what you think and if I made any mistakes.