Content: When Yvette leaves National City for a job opportunity, Nia finds herself in need of a new roommate.

It was a few weeks after moving in with Yvette that Nia had become aware of her roommate's life goal. She wanted to be an actress, and was constantly attending different auditions for a wide variety of parts in an even wider variety of media. Nia quite enjoyed helping Yvette get ready for her auditions, as well as hearing about how they'd gone. They were both in the habit of getting their hopes way up whenever Yvette got a callback, which Nia was starting to notice was happening a lot more recently. She'd yet to actually land a part, though, meaning that they were also in the habit of being sorely disappointed on a regular basis.

When Yvette came running down the stairs one evening, phone in hand and grinning like a lunatic, Nia assumed it was because of another callback. Her second one in as many weeks. Nia barely glanced up from the article she was working on to smile back.

But when Yvette cried out that she'd gotten a part, she suddenly had Nia's full attention. She was actually going to be on a tv show. Part of the main cast, too. They got so excited that they broke out the expensive champagne to celebrate.

For nearly an hour, they sipped their drinks and happily discussed Yvette's opportunity. She was absolutely giddy as she went on about how this could be the start of a exciting new career, about how she was finally a real actress. Nia could've listened to her all night. Her dream had finally come true, and Nia couldn't have been happier for her. At some point, Nia asked where filming would be taking place, and suddenly Yvette had that 'I have bad news' look on her face.

As it turned out, filming was to take place in Central City. In order to accept the part, Yvette would have to move there for at least ten months, possibly longer if her show was renewed for more seasons. Hearing that was disappointing, to say the least, but Nia thought she reacted well. It was just too good an opportunity to refuse. And besides, just because Yvette was moving didn't mean they were going to lose each other as friends. They'd visit one another, and Nia would be fine covering rent on her own until she could find another roommate.

In the following weeks, Nia helped with packing and assisted in searching online for Central City apartments. On Yvette's last night in National City, they went out for drinks. Filming wouldn't start for another month or so, but they'd both agreed that it would be best for her to get situated in her new home before her hectic new job began. The next morning, they said their goodbyes and headed off; Nia to CatCo and Yvette to an entirely different city.

Nia realized quite quickly that living alone was not her style. It was her first time living without roommates or family members, and she sorely missed having someone to come home to. Someone to ask about her day and to tell her about their own. Someone with which to have fun nights in and bond over their shared space. Yvette had essentially been her live-in best friend, and without her, Nia found the apartment far too quiet and empty.

Her solution? Have her boyfriend over as often as physically possible.

It started gradually. Nia often found herself lonely in her newly empty apartment, so naturally, she began inviting Brainy over more often. A few times a week quickly turned into practically every day, with Brainy staying over most nights. After about a month, it got to the point that he would spend consecutive days in Nia's apartment without going home.

At that point, she went and bought a spare key to put under the mat for him. Now she didn't even have to invite him, he just naturally showed up after work at least five days a week.

After four straight days of him staying over and going to work only to come back to the apartment, Nia made a light joke about them practically living together. Almost as soon as she said it, it hit her that they actually could. Neither of them had roommates, they'd been dating for nearly a year, and Brainy seemed to vastly prefer her apartment to his own.

Despite deciding right then and there that she wanted to ask him to move in with her, Nia said nothing that day. She wanted to be cute about it. She'd always liked the idea of those little mini proposals with keys to one partner's house. Sure, she'd already bought a spare key for him, but that wasn't exactly the same thing. That wasn't his key, it was the spare that she'd told most of her friends the location of.

Two days later, Nia had a brand new key nicely giftwrapped for Brainy. The second she got home from work, she plopped down on the couch with it in her hands to wait for Brainy to arrive. She was expecting him soon; she'd ended up having to stay late at CatCo, so they were actually getting home around the same time for once. Home. She liked the sound of that. She couldn't wait to hear Brainy call the place home.

Assuming he accepted her proposal, of course. Nia didn't see any reason why he wouldn't, but she had to remember that she was asking to take a huge step in their relationship. There was always a chance that he wasn't ready for this yet. Maybe she was totally wrong and he really did like living by himself in his own apartment. She sincerely doubted it, but maybe.

She was broken out of her thoughts when the front door opened, followed quickly by Brainy walking in.

"Hey," Nia hopped up, holding the gift box behind her back. "How was work?"

"Quite boring, actually," Brainy replied as he shut the door behind him. He seemed to be about to say more, but then he squinted at Nia. "What is behind your back?"

"I have something for you." Nia crossed the room, stopping in front of him, and brandished the gift box. She passed it into his hand, watching delightedly as he carefully opened it.

"A key." He observed, glancing between it and her.

"A key." She confirmed. "I thought, since you've been practically living here for the past month, we might as well make it official. And I know I already got you a key, but that one's more of a spare, this one is yours. If you want it, that is. I know it's a huge step, so I totally get it if you're not ready for this, but-"

"Nia Nal," Brainy reached for her hand, holding it gently. "I would be honored to move in with you."

"Really?" Nia felt her grin growing as he nodded.

"I've been sorely missing cohabitation since separating from the Legion." Brainy replied. "Spending time here, with you, has significantly eased that longing. I think that living with you would rid me of it entirely."

Overwhelmingly happy to hear those words, Nia looped her arms around his neck and pressed a kiss to his lips. He kissed back, circling his free arm around her back, still delicately holding his new key in the other hand. It was one of those long kisses where neither of them wanted to be the one to break away, but eventually, they had to come up for air.

Once they'd separated, Brainy closed the box with his key and stowed it safely away in his pocket.

"Whenever you're ready, I can start helping you move your stuff over here." Nia offered as the two of them finally left the front door in favor of moving to the couch.

"That won't be necessary," Brainy shook his head as they sat down. " I don't have many belongings to be moved. I can have them here by tomorrow evening."

"If you're sure." Nia leaned into him, and he instantly put an arm around her shoulders.

They fell into a comfortable silence, half-cuddling on what was now their couch. It was kind of crazy to think that everything here was theirs now. This place was theirs. This was where they were going to start building their life.

Comforted by Brainy's warmth, Nia began to fall asleep against him. She knew she'd have to get up soon so they could have dinner, but she just wanted to stay here with him for a little while. He let her drift, gently combing his fingers through her hair, and when she found her way into the dreamscape, she dreamt of a future together.