692. Chapter 692

Nervous doesn’t begin to cover how he’s feeling.

He’s pacing Alex’s apartment and murmuring to himself as he texts back and forth with his mother, who – Maggie assumes from the embarrassed blush on his face – is assuring him what a handsome young man he is and how lucky Maggie’s friends are to be meeting him.

“Ade?” Maggie tries once, twice, three times, because he doesn’t hear her at first. When he finally looks up, she’s right next to him, and he jumps a little.

“Hey there,” he says, his voice cracking like it used to when he first went on T, and she smiles indulgently at the memory.

She raises her hands to clap down on his shoulders, but waits for his assent before actually touching him. When he grants it, he sinks into her touch eagerly.

“They are going to love you, Adrian Rodriguez. Just like I do.”

“And like I do,” Alex chimes from where she’s been battling the fire alarm, something both of them have long since learned to just let her do on her own.

He nods wordlessly, fingers lifting absently to the silver stud in his ear.

“That was the first one you got, huh?” Maggie tilts her head as she kisses his cheek, and he blushes and smiles.

“Just when I came out.”

“I remember,” Maggie grins, cupping his face between her palms. “You’ve got this, kid.”

“Just like I’ve got this damn alarm!” Alex tries to help, and it works, because Adrian laughs, long and hard.

“You’ve just gotta stop letting it antagonize you,” he suggests, and Alex fake scowls as he and Maggie laugh and laugh.

They laugh until the door swings open, because Winn Schott isn’t really one for knocking on his family’s doors.

“We brought a choice of pizza and Chinese because Alex inevitably destroys the food!” he announces with a grin and full hands, James trailing behind him with bottles of beer and soda and bags of takeout.

“Index finger, Schott,” Alex threatens, and Winn’s eyes draw to Adrian when he snorts.

“And this must be Mr. Rodriguez!” Winn ceremoniously drops the pizza boxes into Maggie’s waiting arms as he holds his hand out to Adrian. “I’ve heard awesome things about you from Maggie. And Alex, but don’t tell her I told you that, because she doesn’t like anyone to know she can even say good things.”

“I’m standing right here, Winn,” Alex rolls her eyes as she helps Maggie and James with the boxes and bags.

“I’ve heard good things about you too, Mr. Schott. And not all of them from Maggie.” Adrian adds the last thing as a whisper, and Winn smiles broadly as he points at Adrian with the hand he isn’t using to shake.

“He called me Mr. Schott! Finally! Some respect!”

James slings his arm around Winn with a shake of his head as he holds his own hand out to Adrian. “James Olsen. Just James, none of that Mr. stuff. And don’t Mr. him either, it’ll give him a complex,” James grins sideways at his date.

“I’m sure you’re tired of hearing it, but I’m a big fan of your work, Mr…. uh, James.”

Maggie comes up behind Adrian and squeezes him softly. “My boy is so respectful, look at him.”

“Mags,” he squirms, but he’s smiling from ear to ear.

“Alex says you’ve got a real mind for physics,” James saves him from parental embarrassment, and Adrian reaches out for Alex.

“Awww, Alex, did you really say that?”

“I only speak the truth, Ade,” Alex takes him by the hand and pulls him in for a side hug. “You are really good. And hey, did anyone hear from my sister?”

“She and Lena are probably late because – “

“Hush, she’s my sister, I don’t need to hear it!”

Winn pretends to cover Adrian’s ears. “And there’s a child present!”

Adrian laughs and finds Maggie’s eyes amidst the loving commotion.

“Told you,” she mouths at him with a wink, and he practically preens.

He’s already met Kara – so that part is easier – but he has another star-struck moment when she and Lena finally stroll in, Lena, sure enough, with a hickey on her neck.

“Ms. Luthor, I know some kids at that hospital you support, and just… thank you, you know, for giving it that much help – “

“Oh nonsense, darling, the people who work there are to thank, not me. But I appreciate your kindness in saying so. And it’s Lena. Just Lena.”

She looks around the room for a moment: at the way Winn slides across the floor to hug J’onn as he walks in; the way Alex kisses Maggie casually, lovingly, while sharing a soda with James; the way Kara beams across the room at her, her eyes full of promise.

When her eyes find Adrian’s again, she recognizes something in them – something familiar. The thrill and disbelief, at being welcomed into a new family so full-throated, so completely, simply because you’re… you.

“Welcome to the family, Adrian,” squeezes his hand, and he squeezes back with tears in his eyes that match hers, because they’re both, somehow, home.