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Querl Dox did not snoop. His 12th level intellect just made him more aware of everything going on around him. So when he found out that J'onn not only wrote poetry but was planning on reading it at a local coffee shop, he casually mentioned it to his girlfriend Nia.Considering they had been talking about wanting to support Kara now that the world knew she was Supergirl, he had thought it was relevant to want to support J'onn. He sometimes forgot he was the only one who might have figured out a secret, not that he realised it was something J'onn might want to keep secret. "What do you mean J'onn writes poetry?" Nia asked, looking up at her boyfriend, her head still resting on his shoulder. They were just waiting through the credits of a movie for an end scene (which Brainy had researched and determined did not exist, but failed to mention when he realised it meant he could stay a little while longer with Nia). "You know, in those notepads he keeps in his new office, inside the false books.""What?" Nia sat up this time, "have you been snooping?""Of course not," Brainy felt offended by the suggestion. "He simply had a copy of a book on the shelf which surprised me as it looked out of place so I was going to move it for him and discovered that it was hollow. Inside was a notepad with poetry in his handwriting.""Brainy..." Nia was half-tempted to tell him that what he had done was definitely snooping, but she also wanted to know more about J'onn's poetry - which wouldn't happen if they started arguing over the definition of 'snooping'. "Were his poems any good?""By human or Martian standards?"Nia smiled, "either.""I cannot be sure, but he obviously feels confident enough if he plans to read them in public.""And how do you know that?""Because he had circled the date on his calendar and there was a leaflet for the event between the pages of his notepad.""Maybe you should change jobs and become a detective," Nia suggested. "So, do you think we should go and support our friend?"Nia thought about it for a moment, "I'm not sure. He hasn't told us, so he might not want us to go, but..." "But?""I really want to hear his poetry now I know, and we'd be going to support him, right?"Brainy nodded, "exactly.""Okay."
Nia didn't realise he was going to invite the rest of the SuperFriends. It hadn't occurred to her that she would need to tell him to keep it a secret. So when Kara asked whether they were meeting at the coffee shop or somewhere else before, she was a little surprised. "Brainy, how many people did you tell?" she asked, whispering down the phone from her desk at work. "Only the SuperTeam. There was no point sharing the information with those not acquainted with J'onn." Nia held back a groan and prayed that J'onn wouldn't be angry with them.
Lena was the last to arrive at the coffee shop. She wasn't sure anyone would want her there, but Brainy had mentioned that it was important to support friends and she felt like she had no choice. Things were still strained between her and Kara, though they were working on it and she hadn't socialised with the others since she found out The Secret. Kara had turned to look around when she arrived. Lena didn't have time to wonder whether she was just reacting to the sound of the door or something else as Brainy waved her over to their table. She found herself sitting next to Kelly, with Kara on opposite her. The therapist made small talk, asking how she was and Lena answered on autopilot, eyes darting across to Kara as if to check that it was really alright for her to be there. Eventually the owner walked over to the small area which had been cleared for the poets and thanked everyone for coming. There were two other people up before J'onn, Lena sat through their readings clapping politely when they finished. Then J'onn stood up. She saw his surprise when he turned and saw them all there, realised that he hadn't known they were coming. He didn't falter though, just straightened his shoulders and spoke him poem from memory. As Lena listened to the words, it gradually dawned on her what the poem was about and her gaze flicked over to Kara who was steadily watching J'onn but starting to blush. Lena looked at the others, to see how they were reacting to the poem. Kelly and Alex were watching her, Kelly with a small smile and Alex with a slight frown. Nia had put a hand on Kara's arm, but the blonde refused to look away from J'onn. Brainy was the most relaxed, listening to J'onn while his fingers tapped against his leg in rhythm with the words. Finally the poem ended and Lena felt like she could breathe again. She joined in with everyone else clapping, but her legs longed to run to the door. She needed fresh air, a chance to clear her head. J'onn walked over to their table slowly, trying to gauge their reactions. Lena couldn't think what to say to him, and as she listened to the others congratulate him she just nodded and tried to smile. Kara seemed to be having a similar difficultly. She made some excuse, pretending to have heard an emergency, and rushed off. With her departure, Lena relaxed. "I have to get going," Lena told Brainy. "thank you for inviting me." "Of course, I believe J'onn will be reading again in a fortnight, you should come along then as well."Lena opened her mouth, then closed it, not sure how to answer. She looked over at J'onn, then avoided the gaze of everyone else saying a general goodbye to them all before rushing out.
"So, I believe that went well," Brainy said to Nia as he walked her home. "This supporting of friends in their personal endeavours was not unpleasant.""Brainy!" Nia had been holding her tongue in front of the others, but now that they were alone she realised it was time to set him straight."Is something wrong?""Why didn't you tell me the poem was about Kara and Lena?""Kara and... oh no, the poem was about...""It was about Kara, her conflicted feelings for Lena, their falling out and how she still loves Lena," Nia told him firmly. "But..." Brainy took a moment to replay the poem in his mind. "Oh. I see. Very clever. I shall need to listen more carefully to his other poems, I may have missed other hidden messages.""That's not the point.""Oh?""You invited Kara and Lena to listen to a poem about Kara's feelings.""But Kara's feelings for Lena are obvious to everyone. J'onn didn't need to hide them in a poem." Nia groaned, "sometimes..."Brainy just looked at her so innocently that Nia didn't have the heart to finish that sentence. She changed the subject instead, knowing he would happily talk to her about anything.
Kara flew over National City without a clear destination in mind. Unfortunately there didn't seem to be any crime requiring her attention so she was forced to keep flying with no distractions from her own thoughts. She was so embarrassed. She couldn't believe J'onn had written that poem, or that Brainy had invited Lena to listen to it. When Alex called she ignored her, not ready to talk to her sister. She was about to head home when she heard Lena's voice. Her first instinct was to tune it out, to not intrude on her friend, but there was something in Lena's tone that wasn't quite right. She flew towards her, moving faster when she realised Lena was in trouble, and landing behind the two thugs holding a gun at her friend. Lena smiled when she saw her, one of the guys turned around and swore. Kara grabbed the gun, then lifted the two men up by the back of their jackets and carried them to the nearest police station to be dealt with before flying back to Lena. "You okay?" she asked, landing at a bit of a distance, wanting to give Lena some space. "Thanks to you," Lena told her. "Okay, do you want me to follow you home, to make sure nothing else..."Lena smiled, "what happened to flying me away from danger? That's what you usually do.""Oh, I..." Kara blushed, "I wasn't sure, after J'onn's...""Kara, why didn't you tell me?""I couldn't. We're friends, and my last secret almost ruined that.""Doesn't that suggest that secrets are bad?""I don't know! When I'm around you I just get so confused, and...""Kara, it's okay.""No it's not, J'onn just read a poem in front of all of our friends and now they know and you know...""Actually I think Brainy's the only one who still hasn't figured it out. No-one else seemed surprised though.""What?""Yeah, apparently 12th level intellects still have blind spots.""No, I mean...""So do some Kryptonians.""What?" Kara felt herself getting more and more confused. Lena stepped closer to her, "Kara, I like you too.""You do?" "Yes."Kara smiled and closed the gap between them, "how much?""A lot. Probably enough that J'onn has another poem written about it."Kara laughed, "I'll have to ask him to read it next time.""So..." Lena tilted her head as she stared into Kara's eyes, "about that walk home...""Oh my god, you like it when I fly you, don't you?"Lena laughed at Kara's surprised tone, "of course. You always make me feel safe."So Kara held out her hands, took hold of Lena and soared up into the night sky.