MADC Chapter 9 Shopping

Metropolis, Kara’s Apartment

The morning sunlight crept slowly through the curtains, painting the room in a soft golden hue. The apartment was quiet, peaceful and for a fleeting moment, everything felt almost normal.

Zack stirred first, though it took him a second to realize why he couldn’t move. His head rested against something soft… too soft. His arms and legs were pinned by an impossible warmth that seemed to press from both sides.

He opened his eyes — and froze.

Kara was on one side of him, her face peaceful as she slept with a faint smile, her body pressed close, her legs tangled with his. On his other side, Galatea had her arms wrapped tightly around his head, pulling it against her chest as if it were a pillow.

For a full three seconds, Zack’s mind simply shut down. He couldn’t believe how soft her funbags were.

He blinked rapidly, his heart pounding, every nerve screaming that this was the exact kind of scenario that caused misunderstanding. Both of them, the two stunning Kryptonian blondes were snuggled up against him like this was the most natural thing in the world.

Galatea sighed softly in her sleep, her grip tightening as she pushed his face further into her cleavage.

Zack made a muffled noise of protest, though it came out something like, “Mphh—Galatea—air—important—”

Meanwhile, Kara shifted slightly, her arm draping across his stomach, her bare legs brushing against his as she unconsciously used them to pull him closer. Her soft, sleepy breathing tickled his neck, and every ounce of self-control Zack had was being tested to its limit.

He tried to stare up at the ceiling, his soul leaving his body. ‘This is fine.’ He told himself desperately. ‘Totally fine. This is now our new morning and I have to get used to this. Between two superpowered aliens. Who could probably break my spine if I move wrong. No pressure.’

Then, mercifully, the blare of an alarm shattered the quiet.

Kara groaned first, rubbing her face against his chest as if trying to hide from the noise. “Ugh… morning already?” She murmured, her voice thick with sleep.

Galatea just grumbled, tightening her hold. “Five more minutes…”

Zack’s muffled voice came out from somewhere in her arms. “I–I’d love that, but—can’t breathe—”

Neither moved.

After a long moment of internal screaming, Kara finally pushed herself up with a groan, rubbing her eyes. Her golden hair was a tousled halo, falling over her face in waves that somehow still made her look annoyingly perfect. She blinked down at him and smiled faintly, her morning voice soft.

“Good morning, Zack,” She said, stretching her arms above her head.

Zack, still pinned, managed an awkward smile. “M–Morning, Kara.”

She smiled warmly. “I’ll make breakfast for the three of us.”

“Uh—yeah, great idea,” Zack said quickly, pretending like this was all normal and ignoring the way Galatea was still practically using him as a body pillow.

Kara slid gracefully out of bed as she simply flew out and landed on the carpet, smoothing out her hair with her fingers and adjusting her shirt. The morning light caught her just as she turned toward the door, the faintest blush on her cheeks when she glanced back at him. Then she left, the sound of her footsteps fading into the kitchen.

The moment the door closed, Zack exhaled sharply, finally trying to lift his head. “Okay, Galatea—time to get up—”

But Galatea only groaned and tightened her hold again, burying his face deeper into her chest. “Mmm… five more minutes,” she muttered sleepily.

“Galatea, please—” Zack struggled, his voice muffled and panicked. “I can’t—oxygen—”

“Shh…” she murmured, pressing his head gently against her. “You’re comfortable. Don’t ruin it.”

Zack’s mind went blank for a second, his face redder than it had ever been. ‘This is how I die, isn’t it? Smothered by Kryptonian affection. Not the worst way to go, but still—’

Then, suddenly, Galatea’s nose twitched. The faint smell of frying eggs and butter wafted through the door. Her eyes fluttered open, and she sniffed the air once, twice, then smiled faintly.

“Breakfast?” she murmured.

“Y-Yeah,” Zack said, still squished. “Kara’s cooking.”

Galatea hummed, clearly awake now, but she didn’t move right away. Instead, she looked down, realizing exactly where Zack’s head was nestled. Her smirk returned instantly.

“Well,” She said in a low, teasing tone, “looks like someone got a little too comfortable.”

Zack practically shot upright, his entire face red. “I—I was trapped!”

Galatea laughed softly, swinging her legs off the bed. “Sure you were.”

He sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

“Flattery will get you everywhere,” She replied with a grin, stretching lazily. The movement pulled Kara’s borrowed shirt tight across her chest again, and Zack quickly looked away, his face still burning.

Galatea chuckled at his reaction, her voice softer now. “Relax, Zack. You’re cute when you’re nervous.”

“I’m not nervous,” He said unconvincingly.

“Of course not.”

The sound of dishes clinking came from the kitchen, followed by Kara’s cheerful voice. “Breakfast is ready!”

Galatea turned toward the door, her smirk softening into a small, genuine smile. “Guess that’s our cue.”

“Yeah,” Zack muttered, trying to compose himself.

With that, the two of them made their way to the kitchen, the smell of pancakes filling the air.

—------------------------------

The smell of breakfast filled the apartment with warm eggs, butter toast, and the faint sweetness of pancakes with syrup. Sunlight had begun to filter through the clouds, glinting off the glass walls and washing Kara’s kitchen in gold.

Zack sat at the small round table by the window, still wearing Kal’s oversized shirt, which hung off one shoulder like it was made for someone twice his size. His damp hair stuck up at odd angles, and his eyes were still heavy from sleep. Across from him sat Galatea,with a teasing smile never left.

Kara moved gracefully around the kitchen, barefoot and humming softly under her breath as she placed three plates on the table — scrambled eggs, buttered toast, and a few slices of fruit.

“Here we go,” She said, smiling proudly. “It’s nothing fancy, but it should be enough to start the day.”

Zack blinked down at his plate, momentarily at a loss for words. “You made this?”

Kara gave a small, playful glare. “Yes, I made this. I’m not that bad at cooking, you know.”

Galatea leaned on one elbow, grinning. “Guess it’s not terrible. But I bet when she first tried, the smoke alarm only went off twice.”

“Hey!” Kara shot her a look, her cheeks puffing slightly. “That was years ago, and I was still learning.”

Zack chuckled. “Well, for the record, this looks amazing.”

“Thank you,” Kara said, sitting down beside him with a satisfied smile. “At least someone appreciates my effort.”

Galatea snorted softly but didn’t argue. She picked up her fork and started eating, though a faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “Alright, fine. It’s good.” She admitted between bites.

Kara’s smile widened. “See? I knew you’d come around.”

Zack couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of peace as he watched them. After everything that had happened — the fights, the fear, the chaos — this felt surreal. Two superpowered women having breakfast with him like it was the most ordinary thing in the world.

They ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Galatea leaned back in her chair, tapping her fork against her plate thoughtfully.

“So,” She began casually, “What’s the plan for today? Are we just gonna sit around and watch daytime TV all morning?”

Kara wiped her mouth with a napkin, considering the question. “Honestly, I hadn’t thought that far ahead yet. I was planning to go out on patrol and check a few cities to see if there’s been any incident, but…” She glanced at Zack with a smile. “Maybe we should do something normal.”

Zack looked up from his toast. “Normal sounds nice. I could use a day that doesn’t involve running from gangs.”

Galatea chuckled. “Then it’s settled. We’ll do something normal, starting with clothes.”

Zack blinked. “Clothes?”

Galatea gestured at him with her fork. “Yes, clothes. As in, you need some. You can’t just keep wearing Kal’s hand-me-downs forever. People who know will start asking why Superman’s shirt is walking around on a smaller guy.”

Kara giggled behind her hand. “She’s not wrong.”

Zack looked down at himself, tugging at the loose sleeve. “Yeah, fair point. I guess I can’t exactly go job hunting like this either.”

Galatea smirked. “Or go anywhere without looking like a lost charity case.”

“Hey,” Zack protested, though his grin betrayed him. “You’re supposed to be one of my girlfriends, remember? Aren’t you supposed to be nice now?”

“I’m being honest,” She said sweetly. 

Kara laughed quietly. “Well, I think she’s right. We should go shopping today. It’ll be good for all of us.”

Galatea raised an eyebrow. “All of us?”

Kara nodded. “Yes. You’ll need clothes too. You can’t keep raiding my closet every time you run out of clean shirts.”

Galatea looked down at herself, wearing one of Kara’s white blouses that fit a little too snugly — and smirked. “True. As much as I enjoy making you jealous, I’d rather have something that’s actually mine.”

Kara groaned, face flushing. “I’m not jealous!”

Zack chuckled. “You kinda sound jealous.”

“I do not!” Kara shot back, her blush deepening.

Galatea grinned triumphantly. “You so do.”

Kara sighed, burying her face in her hands. “Why do I even bother…”

Zack smiled, taking another bite of toast. “Because deep down, you love us.”

That made Kara look up, blinking at him and then, unexpectedly, she smiled. “Yeah,” she said softly. “I guess I do.”

For a brief moment, the three of them just blushed and smiled at each other.

Then Galatea stood, stretching her arms over her head, her voice snapping the moment back to practicality. “Alright, lovebirds. Let’s get ready before the stores fill up.”

Zack then thought of their shopping spree and got nervous. “Hopefully we don’t take forever.”

“Maybe I’m very thorough,” Galatea replied with a smirk as she walked past and went to get dressed.

“Thorough is one word for it,” Kara muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes.

Zack chuckled as he began clearing the plates. “Guess this is happening, huh?”

Kara smiled warmly as she took the dishes from him. “It’ll be fun. You need to see more of Metropolis anyway. We’ll find you some decent clothes, and maybe…” She hesitated, thinking aloud. “Maybe it’ll be good for all of us to just… feel normal for a while.”

Zack nodded. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

By the time breakfast was cleaned up, Galatea reemerged in casual wear — black jeans, a fitted jacket, and a pair of sunglasses that made her look effortlessly confident. Kara followed soon after, dressed in a simple white blouse and denim skirt, her hair tied back in a loose ponytail.

Zack couldn’t help but stare for a moment, caught between admiration and disbelief. “You two… look incredible no matter what you wear..”

Kara grinned. “We try.”

Galatea smirked, grabbing her jacket. “Try? Please. We make this look good.”

Kara rolled her eyes but smiled. “Come on, show-off. Let’s go.”

And with that, the three of them stepped out into the apartment building with eager smiles expecting a simple day of shopping.

—---------------------------

Central Mall

Metropolis’s shopping district stretched out in a line of shining glass. The mid-morning sun bounced off the storefront windows, and the sidewalks were crowded with weekend shoppers carrying bags and coffee cups. The hum of conversation, the scent of food carts, and the distant thrum of air-cars overhead gave the street its usual rhythm.

Zack walked between the two Kryptonian women, trying not to look as out of place as he felt. His new borrowed clothes at least made him look presentable, though Clarks’s giant shirt still billowed every time the wind kicked up. On either side of him, Kara and Galatea were already eyeing stores like they were about to wage a campaign.

Kara pointed to one of the larger shops, all bright displays and posters of smiling models. “That one looks good. Affordable, too.”

Galatea eyed a sleeker boutique across the street. “Affordable is boring. We should get him something that won’t make people think he came from a dumpster.”

Zack groaned good-naturedly. “You know, I am standing right here.”

Both women smirked at him in perfect unison before grabbing an arm each and steering him toward the first store.

—---------------------

Inside the first store, it smelled faintly of cotton and fabric softener. Bright pop music played overhead, and racks of everyday clothes stretched down the aisles.

Kara moved with focused energy, piling shirts into Zack’s arms faster than he could protest. “Try these. Simple colors, nothing too flashy. You’d look great in blue.”

“I’m starting to see a pattern,” He muttered, glancing at the stack. “You really like blue.”

“I guess green would be better as it would bring out your eyes.” She said without thinking. Then, realizing what she’d said, she coughed and busied herself with another rack.

Galatea leaned on a display stand, watching with amusement. “Adorable. But he’d look better in black. Adds mystery.”

Kara rolled her eyes. “He doesn’t need to look mysterious; he needs to look normal.”

Zack sighed. “I’ll settle for ‘dry and clean,’ honestly.”

They pushed him into the changing stalls, and a few minutes later he emerged in a dark blue button-up that actually fit.

Kara’s face brightened. “See? Perfect.”

Galatea circled him once, assessing. “Not bad. But it’s missing something.” She reached over, tugged his collar open just enough to make him flustered. “Better.”

Zack tugged it closed again immediately. “Can we maybe not treat me like a mannequin?”

“No promises,” Galatea said, smirking.

—------------------------

The next store was a chosen boutique that was quieter, with soft lighting and mannequins in sleek, modern designs. The prices on the tags made Zack’s stomach drop.

“Relax,” Galatea said. “You’re not paying, Kara is.”

“Hey!” 

“That’s exactly what worries me.”

Galatea then started to choose everything from fitted jackets, darker jeans, even a pair of gloves. Her taste leaned toward sharp lines and just-enough swagger. Kara trailed after them, pretending she wasn’t impressed.

When Zack stepped out again, dressed in Galatea’s selections, the effect was startling: confident, older, more put-together. As he now looked cool in his opinion.

Galatea grinned. “See. Now you could pass for someone important now.”

Kara crossed her arms but smiled despite herself. “Okay… I’ll admit that works.”

Zack turned in front of the mirror, trying not to smile too much. “I almost look like I know what I’m doing.”

“Almost,” Galatea said.

—-----------------------

After a few stores, both women had exhausted their enthusiasm for men’s fashion. Kara spotted a boutique full of summer dresses and light jackets and suddenly declared, “Our turn.”

Zack blinked. “Wait, what?”

“You helped us pick for you,” she said brightly. “Now you get to return the favor.”

Galatea’s smirk widened. “Careful what you wish for, boy. You’re about to have opinions.”

He tried to protest, but they had already dragged him to the store that catered to Women. They then were gone as each disappeared into a different rack of clothes. After picking  and piling various clothes on each arm. They then took him to the changing rooms and entered their own personal room.

Minutes later, Kara emerged in a soft white sundress that made her look like she’d stepped out of a photograph. Galatea followed in a deep red blouse and black skirt with black stockings that managed to look both mature and dangerously confident.

Zack forgot how to speak for a moment. “Wow. Uh—both of you look… amazing.”

Kara’s cheeks turned pink as she twirled once, embarrassed but pleased. “You think so?”

“Definitely,” He said honestly.

Galatea leaned closer, teasing. “See? He likes the color red.”

“I never said that,” Zack stammered. “I said both of you look amazing.”

“Which means mine stands out more,” Galatea countered smoothly.

Kara shot her a glare. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re predictable,” Galatea shot back, but there was a trace of laughter in her voice that softened the words.

Zack just smiled, watching them bicker lightly while other customers snuck glances at the strange trio. 

The two girls then reenter the small rooms and begin to dress themselves with another set of clothes.

Kara emerged first, wearing a soft cream sweater and a flowy skirt that caught the light when she moved. Her hair fell naturally over her shoulders, and she looked… effortlessly radiant.

Zack’s jaw nearly dropped. “Wow. You look—uh—really good. Like, really, really good.”

Kara blushed but smiled shyly. “Thank you, Zack.”

Then Galatea stepped out. Her outfit was again the opposite, sharp, confident, and bold. A fitted blouse that showed her cleavage, black jeans, and a black leather jacket. She struck a mock pose. “Well?”

Zack blinked rapidly. “I—I mean—you both look amazing. I’m just gonna… stop talking before I say something dumb.”

Galatea grinned. “Too late.”

Kara giggled behind her hand.

“Alright,” Galatea said, eyeing him playfully. “Time for the real test. You’re helping us pick the next ones.”

Before Zack could protest, she grabbed his wrist and dragged him toward the changing area.

“Wait—what are we—Galatea, seriously?!” He sputtered as the curtain swished closed behind them.

Inside the cramped space, Zack found himself surrounded by a dizzying mix of hangers, blouses, and fabrics. Kara’s voice called from outside, worried. “Galatea! Don’t you dare cause trouble!”

“Relax!” Galatea said through a laugh. “He’s just here for fashion advice!”

The next second, the curtain was yanked open again and Kara stepped inside, cheeks pink but determined. “If you’re dragging him in, then I’m coming too!”

Zack froze, wedged between the two Kryptonians in the world’s smallest space. “This… feels like a trap.”

Galatea grinned mischievously, holding two blouses against herself. “Which one?”

“Uh—both look great!” Zack said instantly.

“That’s not an answer,” Galatea teased, holding them closer. “Come on, be honest.” Galatea then took out the blouse she had on, revealing a red bra that made Zack unable to look away. Galatea was then seen putting on one of the two blouses.

Seeing Galatea have Zack’s total attention made Kara pout. Before Zack could think, Kara grabbed a cardigan from the rack. “Fine, then I’ll ask. Does this one look better on me or her?”

Kara then did as Galatea and started to take out her sweater revealing that she didn’t have a blouse under it and showed her white bra. She then put on the cardigan. 

Zack blinked helplessly between them, the two Kryptonian women staring him down expectantly. “Is there a third option where I don’t die?”

They both glared. “No.”

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Okay, Kara, yours looks cute and classy. Galatea, yours looks fierce and bold. You both look great. Can we please leave before the store manager calls security?”

The two glanced at each other, then burst into laughter.

Kara smiled softly. “Alright, fair.”

Galatea grinned and nudged him. “You survived the changing-room test, congratulations."

“Barely,” Zack muttered, running a hand through his hair.

—---------------------------

An hour later, the three of them stepped out of the boutique beneath the soft, golden glow of the Metropolis afternoon. Kara and Galatea were laughing as they walked, their arms full of shopping bags swinging lightly at their sides.

Kara looked relaxed as her poise softened. Galatea’s ever-present smirk had shifted into a content smile. And Zack, though his face was still a faint shade of pink from the relentless fashion show, couldn’t stop smiling either. Somehow, he’d survived a Kryptonian shopping trip, and the fact that both women seemed genuinely happy made it worth it.

They stopped by the curb as the pedestrian light changed, the noise of the city pulsing around them. Cars hovering past them, street vendors calling out their prices, and music playing faintly from nearby cafés. Kara adjusted one of her bags and sighed with amusement. “Well, that’s the wardrobe problem solved. I’d say that went better than expected.”

“Speak for yourself,” Zack said, shifting the weight of his own stack of bags. “I think my arms are about to fall off.”

Galatea snickered. “Oh, please. You’re fine. Besides, you looked great in that last outfit.”

Zack groaned, his ears burning again. “Yeah, yeah… let’s not make this a recurring thing, okay?”

“Too late,” Kara said with a light laugh, nudging him playfully. “You’re officially our favorite dress-up project.”

Zack let out an exaggerated sigh. “Just great.”

“Completely,” Galatea said with mock sympathy, her grin widening.

They reached a small plaza where a fountain gurgled lazily in the center. Kara set her bags down briefly and looked around. “Alright. Clothes are done. Now we need the basics for each of you. Toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, towels, shoes, deodorant, and…” she paused, remembering the growing emptiness of her fridge, “definitely groceries. I’m going to need a lot more food now that I’m feeding three people.”

Zack chuckled. “You make it sound like I’m an army.”

“After watching Galatea eat breakfast, I might not be exaggerating,” Kara teased, earning a “Hey!” from her clone.

Galatea then leaned against a nearby lamppost, eyeing the growing pile of shopping bags. “Tell you what, I’ll take these back to the apartment. It’ll only take a second, and I’ll come right back.”

Kara frowned slightly, the responsible tone in her voice slipping in immediately. “Alright, but be careful how you go about it. I’m still trying to keep a normal life. The last thing I need is someone catching video footage of my ‘twin sister’ running at supersonic speed through downtown.”

Galatea rolled her eyes, scoffing good-naturedly. “Relax. I’ll be careful. I’ve done this before, you know.”

“I know,” Kara said softly. “Just… be mindful.”

Galatea smirked, her tone turning almost teasing again. “Yes, Mom.”

Before Kara could retort, the air shimmered and, with a small rush of displaced wind, Galatea was gone, a streak of white and red disappearing into the distance. The bags that had filled her arms vanished with her, leaving only the faint sound of fluttering paper and a few startled gasps from nearby pedestrians.

Kara sighed, shaking her head but smiling nonetheless.

Zack laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “She’s confident. I’ll give her that.”

“Overconfident, more like,” Kara said, though the affection in her tone was unmistakable. She turned to him, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Come on. Let’s get the rest of what we need before she comes back bragging about how fast she was.”

Zack nodded, and before he could react, Kara reached for his hand, a small, casual gesture that caught him completely off guard. Her hand was warm, soft but firm, and she didn’t seem to notice how the contact froze him in place for a moment.

“Uh—” Zack stammered, glancing down at their joined hands. “You, uh… you’re holding—”

Kara looked back at him and smiled, faintly amused. “It’s crowded. Don’t want to lose you in the rush.”

Zack chuckled nervously. “Right. Yeah. Makes sense.”

They fell into an easy rhythm as they walked toward the nearest supermarket, weaving through the bustling crowd. Kara’s pace was light, almost graceful, and Zack found himself matching it without effort. 

They passed shop windows filled with gleaming displays and cafés packed with weekend customers. Kara glanced around, taking it all in. “It’s nice,” She said softly. “Just us… walking like this. No villains, no citywide panic, no need to pretend to be anyone else.”

Zack looked at her profile as she spoke, the way the sunlight caught her hair, how calm she looked and smiled. “You really don’t get to do this often, huh?”

“Not really,” she admitted. “I love being Supergirl, don’t get me wrong. But it’s… nice to just be Kara sometimes. To have moments like this.”

Zack nodded. “Guess I’m lucky to be part of one of those moments.”

Kara blinked, glancing at him before a faint blush touched her cheeks. “You’re sweet, you know that?”

“I try,” He said with a grin.

They walked the rest of the way hand in hand, the noise of the city fading into a pleasant background hum. When they finally reached the supermarket, the automatic doors whooshed open to the cool scent of fresh produce and baked bread. Kara tightened her grip on his hand for just a second before letting go, grabbing a shopping cart.

“Alright,” she said, her voice bright again. “Let’s stock up. Do you think Galatea will complain if we don’t get snacks?”

Zack laughed, grabbing a basket. “Yeah, something tells me she’ll want half the junk food aisle.”

“Half?” Kara said with mock exasperation. “You’re being generous.”

And with that, the two of them headed down the aisles together, chatting and laughing like any other couple on a weekend.

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