Work Text:
Lena can count the number of real friends she’s ever had in her lifetime on one hand. It’s a little painful thinking of the number of times that has reduced by one.
“Hey Lena, can you hand me that wrench?” She looks up to see Winn smiling at her encouragingly. He knows what this day means to her and had invited himself to a visit at her private labs.
She passes him the torque wrench from the tool chest and continues to watch him from afar. “I have to leave in a bit,” he mentions. “It’s Kara’s engagement party.”
Of course, an invitation had also come in by mail to both her personal address and to her work. When Jess had received the stack of postage, the grimace Lena saw when walking to her desk told her what was in the pile.
There were also texts and calls and eventually she switched numbers under the guise of harassment by some of her partners that she fired recently that month.
Winn’s eyes are desperately sympathetic. “Do you want to come as my plus one?”
“What?” she squeaks.
Winn nods his head firmly with an idea she can tell is forming in his head. “It’d be great! Lyra’s out of town with her girlfriends and you can tell me more about that interdimensional portal you’re building.”
“That’s supposed to be top secret, Winn,” she says, her lips upturning. His shrug is nonchalant and Lena can’t resist her smile forming.
“Will you?” Winn asks again.
Lena sighs thinking of the bad terms that she and Kara left at, or what she thinks are bad terms. A part of her was incredibly relieved when the elder Danvers sister took her side and did her fair share of keeping Kara away from Lena.
When Alex had visited Lena at work, explaining, “You have the best scotch,” she had made vague references to how heartbroken Kara had been, but Kara understood.
“I can’t really stop her from sending you an invite though. I mean, everyone is getting them. Even Snapper Carr is invited, but he declined.” Alex told her, taking a swig straight from the bottle.
Lena had grimaced then, thinking of someone drinking $200 scotch without having the decency to pour it in in a glass.
“Can you at least consider going? I know that’s a really shitty thing of me to say, but I’m her sister, you know?”
Lena sighed then, “Yeah, I’ll think about it.”
Now, she’s sure there must be a conspiracy, because two weeks later, Winn comes by and now she’s weighed down by his and Alex’s pleas for her to attend.
“I’ll go,” Lena agrees reluctantly.
Winn pumps his fist in the air, tossing the screwdriver in that hand far into the air where it falls loudly onto the floor.
He winces. “Sorry…”
--
Winn and she arrive a little late, despite her defending that her work outfit was indeed party-ready. She had gone back to the apartment to change while Winn switched to an actual dress shirt and nicer pants.
When they got to the doors of Kara’s apartment, he extends out his arm for her to take and greets her with a reassuring smile. “Thanks for coming,” he whispers, opening the door, while coworkers that spot them beginning welcoming them.
Standing amongst Kara’s friends and other coworkers, some inquire about why Kara’s taken herself off all L Corp articles. Her exclusivity on previous L Corp articles raise some heavy suspicions amongst CatCo.
For every question, Lena drinks a glass of whisky. The questions come so frequently, however, that Winn starts to take her glass, and steers her away from most of the party.
“I’m sorry,” he starts, realizing his error.
However, before he can continue his apology, Alex spots Lena before Lena does, immediately marching over to her and Winn standing in the kitchen. She points an accusatory finger at Lena. “You. Me. Patio. Now.”
The practically feral growls Lena receives is frightening, which says a lot considering how buzzed she is. Winn makes a move to accompany them but Alex glares at him, stopping him in his tracks. “Not. You.”
Lena obediently follows Alex outside where they are far enough removed from the party.
“Are you going to talk to Kara?” That sobers her up instantly.
Her eyebrows shoot up. “No? I thought we were on the same page about that.”
“Then why are you here?” Alex says sharply.
This was hardly the warm welcome Lena was expecting and out of the corner of her eye, she spots Winn from the patio doors, giving her a worried look. “I’m Winn’s ‘date,’ I’ll have you know. And you’d asked me to think about coming.”
“I was hoping that would include you talking to Kara again. She’s miserable.”
Lena scoffs. “She’s engaged. To a frat boy, sure, but she’s made her decision. She should be over the moon,” she spits.
She can tell what she’s said has finally gotten to Alex, who is now gripping the railing far too tightly. “She’s not. She misses you and if she just knew…”
“Lena?”
Both of them turn around to see Kara standing, eyes wide, glass of champagne held so tightly, Lena’s sure she heard a crack.
“Kara.” Lena forces a smile that she’s sure looks like a grimace. “Congratulations on your engagement.”
With Kara too stunned that Lena made it to the party, Alex shoots Lena a smug look before excusing herself and leaving them alone.
Kara shakes herself out of her stupor. “Thank you,” she says sincerely. “I didn’t think you were going to make it. I didn’t get an RSVP. Not that I’m not glad you are here!” Kara adds quickly.
Lena laughs and it feels like it’s been ages since she last did that. “I’m sorry. It was a sort of last minute decision to attend. Work cleared up a little and Winn reminded me,” Lena lies.
“Well, I’m really glad you’re here. It wouldn’t be my engagement party if my best friend wasn’t here.”
She’s not honestly sure what happens that makes her admit the slightest amount of truth. She’s a Luthor; she was raised to lie; she should be good at this! “We’re not really best friends anymore, Kara. Or friends at all.”
The intense hurt look on Kara’s face makes her heart ache painfully. “What? I thought we would always be friends.” she says quietly.
Forget all of those months she had spent avoiding Kara like the plague if she was just going to try and rip her heart out anyways, and at Kara’s engagement party nonetheless.
“Yeah, see, that’s where you were wrong.” Lena murmurs. “I think it’s physically impossible for me to be your friend when I just feel so much for you.”
Lena didn’t know eyebrows could shoot up that high. Is that another Kryptonian superpower? Her name escapes Kara’s breath in a whisper, but Lena’s saved by Winn who has been watching them the entire time.
“Hey Kara,” he stretches. Winn wraps a protective arm around Lena’s shoulders and turns them away. “I think Lena’s had a little too much to drink. We should probably be heading back. I’m sorry we didn’t get a chance to really talk! I’ll see you at work!”
Lena wants to laugh when she hears how quickly Winn is explaining. In the car ride home, Lena nudges Winn in the shoulder, smiling at him, “Thanks for saving me back there, Winn.”
When Winn drops her off at the lobby of her building, he embraces her tightly. “What are science bros for?”
--
It takes a couple weeks before Kara and Lena talk. She had feared for days after the party, the hangover of her decisions throbbing in her chest, that Kara would come by. But instead, there was complete radio silence. Lena didn’t know if she should be relieved or sad.
However, when Winn comes by to finish the modifications they had been working on for Alex’s standard issue DEO gun, he explains, “I tried to do some damage control. I didn’t mean for you—or that—to happen. I said you had a rough time at the party. Some of those CatCo guys are pricks.”
Lena is so incredibly thankful for Winn that she sends him her plans for the interdimensional portal and invites him to work on it with her.
However, not him nor Lena could have predicted that when L Corp made their quarterly project announcement that Kara resumed writing the L Corp articles.
“Miss Danvers is here to see you,” Jess urgently whispers through the intercom.
“What?!”
She can hear Jess sigh on the other line. “I’m sorry. CatCo told me Drew Andrews would be coming to interview you. I just received a call that it’s been changed.”
“How do you receive a call and Kara’s already here?” Lena frantically asks.
The door opens and Lena knows Kara has heard the entire conversation from the waiting room. “I flew.” Kara answers easily, meeting her surprised look with a determined gaze.
“On a bus?” Lena adds jokingly, trying to regain her composure. Kara pouts and Lena’s heart soars. She hates herself a little bit right now for feeling that way.
“I’m sorry to come on such short notice. Drew wasn’t feeling very well…”
Lena rolls her eyes, but still gestures to the chair, hoping this will be brief and Lena can call “investor’s meeting” soon.
“I think we need to talk.” Kara begins, rejecting the seat in front of Lena’s desk in favor of the couch. “Can we? Please?”
The pleading look on Kara’s face is enough to bring Lena around from her desk, but her arms are crossed in defense.
“I, Kara, I just want to say that was never my intention to tell you any of that during your engagement party. That was the last thing I wanted.” Lena apologizes, slumping her shoulders the minute she sits on the couch next to Kara.
Her eyes are downcast until she feels soft, warm hands grasp hers. When Kara’s pale hands enter her field of vision, she notices that all fingers are free of any rings. Beside her, she hears, “Lena, can you please look at me?”
But at the sight of bare hands, Lena has already met Kara’s request with her gaze. “You don’t have—“
Lena can see the slow spread of a smile on Kara’s face. “An engagement ring,” Kara finishes, her smile now wide. However, the lack of reply sends Kara backtracking with a ramble.
“And I know this all seems a little presumptuous, but I also wanted to be sure and to give you some space because of what Winn said.”
“Are you sure?” Lena’s voice is shakier than she’d hope but she asked the question she’s been dying to ask.
Kara tightens her hands around Lena’s. “I want to be with you. Can I be with you?”
There’s a rush and Lena feels like flying as she says, “Yes.”