Summary: Sutton shows back up from the other dimension, and there’s one person she really wants to see.
Note: I apologize for the similar title to my Grayson x Laurel fic, but it just worked, and titles are the worst.
Coming back to Earth is more anti-climactic than Sutton expects. She’s seen enough sci-fi movies that she fully expects to find herself crash-landing in a random field, or waking up in a hospital completely disoriented, or thinking that she’s been gone for a few days but it’s really been years.
Instead, she simply strolls through an opening or a portal or whatever it is, in whatever dimension she’s been in, the hauntingly familiar voices of her birth parents guiding her, and finds herself walking into Prescott Industries early one morning. Sutton figures she can’t have been gone too terribly long, because there are people milling around the still-damaged building making repairs. She spots Grayson and ducks out of sight behind a mammoth pillar. She knows he must have questions, ones she’s not ready to answer. Ones she’s not sure she can answer.
Sutton waits until no one is near the side entrance, and then slips out, squinting as the bright sunlight temporarily blinds her when she peels her mask off. She worries for a minute that someone will recognize her as Luna Phoenix in her suit, so she tugs the top over her head and tucks it under her arm, leaving her in a gray tank top and the black pants. At least she doesn’t stick out quite as much that way.
It’s strange, but she doesn’t really feel any different. She’s tired, and could really go for some coffee, but that’s not anything new. But otherwise…she feels normal. A little stunned at what just happened, but otherwise…normal. Well, she thinks to herself, normal for Luna Phoenix, anyway. Her powers feel the same when she ducks into an alley to test them. She catches a glimpse of herself in the windows of a storefront and she looks the same.
She should get ahold of the rest of the team, but all she can think about at the moment is getting out of her suit and showering. And in any case, her mask was damaged and she has no idea where her phone is. It’s calming doing mundane things like getting on the train and going to her apartment. Unlocking her door with her hidden spare key. Showering and letting the hot water beat against her skin.
She’s tired, but when she lays in bed, Sutton finds herself unable to sleep. She flips her pillow over, kicks the blanket off, then pulls it back up, rolls to her side, but her eyes refuse to stay shut. Finally, she huffs out a frustrated sigh and gets out of bed. She puts her shoes on and finds herself strolling out of her apartment, no real destination in mind, but somehow, her feet lead her to the train, down a few blocks when it stops, and right to Kenji’s apartment building.
“Yeah?” he answers dully when she presses the callbox, and her heart simultaneously beats faster at the familiar sound of his voice, and drops at the hint of defeat in it.
“Kenji?” she says, her voice shaking slightly.
The silence seems to last forever before he says, “Sutton?”
She waits for him to buzz her up, but doesn’t hear the familiar click of the door unlocking. Her finger hovers over the call box button again, about to press it, and then suddenly the door is flying open and Kenji nearly plows her over, his arms wrapping so tight around her that she gasps for breath. Her arms automatically twine around his neck, her fingers sliding up into his hair, and she buries her face against him. Relief floods through her as she sinks against him, closing her eyes.
“Christ, Sutton, where have you been?” Kenji asks into her hair.
He pulls her back, her eyes opening when she feels his hands cupping her cheeks, his eyes roving frantically over her face.
“I really don’t know,” she says.
A smile splits her face as she looks at him, and Kenji grins. She covers his hands with hers, then asks, “It’s really good to see you, but can we go upstairs?”
Kenji glances up, realizing a few people are staring at them curiously as they walk by. He takes her hand, squeezing her fingers and leading her on to the elevator and into his apartment, never letting go of her hand. The smell of strong coffee washes over her immediately, and the words “Oh my god, coffee” come bursting out of her mouth.
Kenji looks at her in disbelief. “You’ve been missing for a week…and the first thing you want is coffee?”
”Okay…maybe not the very first thing,” she says with a wink, and Kenji chuckles.
“I’m glad I’m one step above coffee.”
“Who said it was you?” Sutton asks teasingly, grabbing a mug from his cupboard.
“Ouch,” he mutters.
Sutton sets the mug down next to the sink, turning and wrapping her arms around his waist, nuzzling her lips against his neck. “I’m kidding, Kenji,” she murmurs.
She tilts her head back. “I really missed you,” she says, her breath hitching.
Kenji brushes his lips over hers. “I missed you too, Sutton.”
She sighs as he kisses her slowly, softly, their kiss gradually growing deeper as his hands settle around her waist. When he pulls back, his eyes are shining slightly. “Are you okay?”
“I think so,” she answers, then realizes something.
“Hey,” she says. “Did you start drinking coffee while I was gone?”
A flush runs up his neck. “No.”
“So what’s with the full pot over there?”
“You can’t laugh,” he warns her.
That, of course, makes her want to laugh, but she swallows it down.
“I won’t.”
Kenji exhales noisily. “It reminds me of you. It was nice being able to smell it and…think you were here.”
He won’t meet her eye as Sutton stares up at him, so she cups his face and brings his forehead down to rest on hers. “Kenji. Why would you think I’d laugh at you for that?”
He sighs, brushing his nose against hers. “I know we didn’t…define whatever this is before you disappeared. I thought you might think it was weird. Or creepy.”
“No,” she reassures him, swallowing hard at the sob she feels building in her throat. “No. I think it’s-“ Her heartfelt words are cut off as she yawns, and Kenji smiles at her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Maybe we can talk about everything after a nap?” he suggests.
“A nap sounds great.”
“Bed or couch?” Kenji asks her, tucking her against his side as they walk out of his kitchen.
Sutton yawns again. “Bed. You hog the couch.”
“I hog the bed too,” he points out.
“At least it’s bigger.”
His bed is a mess, like it always is, and it’s comforting to bury herself in the blankets that smell like him, her head on his chest, his arm snug around her back. The steady rise and fall of his chest as he breathes is soothing, and her eyes drift closed immediately. Kenji’s lips brush gently against hers as she drifts off.
“Sleep tight, darling,” Kenji says quietly, and she can almost hear the soft smile in his voice.
“Mmm,” she mumbles. “Night, Kenji.”
When she wakes, Kenji is wrapped around her, snoring softly, and it makes her smile. It’s good to be home.