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“Kara, come on. We’re going to be late.”
“No, we’re not. Meeting doesn’t start for another 15 minutes.” Kara rolls her eyes, picking up her stride only slightly, behind the brunette carrying a stack of pizza boxes. “But you’re right...the club president doesn’t like it when you’re late for being early.”
Lena fixes the blonde with a look as she tries to reach for the door handle, “She certainly does not.”
“Hm, sounds like she needs to lighten up.” Kara says in jest, lifting her chin up, as she grabs the pizza boxes (most of them being for Kara anyway). She walks right in when Lena finally opens the door.
“Any other requests you want to take up with me, Kara?” Lena finally replies in mock irritation, but then her smile turns soft when she walks into the room and finds Kara stuffing a large slice of pizza into her mouth as if her life depended on it. Quickly sweeping the room for any other occupants, Lena muses, “If only your Kryptonian makeup would allow you to walk faster than you eat.” Kara whips around wildly, eyes quickly scanning the room for anyone that could’ve heard. “Now, who’s the one who has to lighten up?”
Kara silently grumbles as she reaches for another slice of pizza, which she pointedly and petulantly eats slower to spite her best friend.
Lena chuckles at her antics, but continues to read over notes and agenda for the robotics meeting that’s starting shortly. She lets Kara eat her pizza without another quip.
“Guys!” They look up to find Winn practically running through the door. “Guys, I have news.”
Lena tilts her head, waiting for an answer. But Kara decides to blurt out, “James finally asked you out?”
Winn opens his mouth and shuts again before directing a glare Kara. “First of all, rude. You know, I’m still working on that. Second, no.” He then turns his attention to the club president. “I may have recruited someone who can produce schematics of our designs. Product Engineering major, so she knows a thing or two, and can probably do our designs more justice.”
Lena grins when Winn motions for a high five. “Brilliant. Is she coming to today’s meeting?”
Winn’s face falls and he reaches behind his head to scratch his neck. “Well, I actually don’t know. She said she’s got a busy schedule so she doesn’t know she can actually commit.” Lena shares a disappointed look with Kara, and Winn tries to salvage the mood. “She seemed really interested, though.”
Kara stares at Winn with scrutinizing eyes when the mystery person doesn’t actually attend.
***
Lena runs off to the engineering labs with Jack to finish a project, leaving Kara and Winn to clean up before heading back to the dorms together.
“So,” Kara starts, “what’s the deal with your product engineer?”
“She...didn’t show?” Winn says carefully as he places the pizza boxes into the trash bins.
Kara glares at him. “Don’t make me call Alex.”
“Oh, alright.” Winn raises his hands in surrender as he walks out the door. “Lucy’s got this whole hatched scheme going to get Lena and this girl Sam together.”
“Sam? This is your Product Engineer?” Kara asks, practically on his heels.
“Yes.”
Kara’s eyebrows furrow, “But why…”
“Because Lucy. That’s why.” Winn finishes the statement. “She thinks they’re, and I quote, meant to be.”
“Wait, what does that mean?”
“It means--”
“No! No mansplaining, Winn, or I will personally fling you into space.”
Winn blinks at his blonde friend, “You can’t do that.”
“Ya wanna wait and find out?” Kara threatens, obviously getting worked up.
“N-no.” Winn stutters before he asks, “What’s your deal? Why would it be such a bad thing to set Lena up with, according to Lucy, equally as hot, equally as talented, and equally as brilliant as Lena? Doesn’t she deserve at least that much?”
That makes Kara stop in her tracks, suddenly a new purpose in her step. “At least that much, and then some.”
“Well, alright then!” Winn says as they approach the dorm building at the edge of campus. “So, you’ll help? I’ll tell Lucy.”
***
And Kara wants to help. Of course, she does. Lena’s her best friend, after all. And Kara wholeheartedly, with every fiber in her extraterrestrial being, believes that Lena deserves to find someone who would make her happy.
Both Lucy and Winn seem absolutely sold on this Sam Arias, who has 300 Facebook friends, 150 instagram followers and probably has more business being a model than an engineer. Not that it’s a necessarily a bad thing. Kara’s all about women empowerment, and Sam could damn well achieve both if she really wanted.
So, really, Sam could be the person that would make Lena happy. They share similar interests. They both have backgrounds in business and lab management as well as hands-on engineering. They both really don’t need their degrees and could probably get top-seated corporate jobs on merit alone.
“Not to mention, Sam is the finest engineer I’ve ever laid my eyes on.” Lucy says, fanning herself.
“Lucy, stop. You want to set her up with Lena, remember?” Kara reminds her friend, who actually hasn’t stopped making a fanning motion with her hand.
“I have eyes, don’t I?”
“I’m not very sure Alex is okay with you looking at other girls.”
“Oh, I’ve shown your sister this girl and she agrees.” Lucy explains, finally stopping the fanning gesture and replacing it with the OK gesture. “Hot as fuck, she said.”
“Ew, gross!” Kara exclaims, covering her ears with her hands. “I didn’t need to know.”
“You brought up Alex.”
“You’re supposed to be dating her.”
Lucy smirks and responds shamelessly, “Oh, I totally am.”
“Enough!” Kara demands, gritting her teeth.
Lucy cackles and relents. “Alright, Danvers, I’ll stop. But your sister will get an absolute kick out of that.”
“Enough about you and my sister, please. What’s the plan?” Kara asks, looking at Lucy and hoping she actually has a plan. Because so far, Kara’s only been concerned with whether or not Sam can Lena happy and...well, jury’s still out. It doesn’t help she hasn’t met her or know anything about her.
But she wants to be thorough.
“Well, Phase 1 of Operation Get Luthor a Hot Girlfriend is implemented.” Lucy notes, looking around for Winn, who comes walking through with bags of fast food in hand. “Phase 1.5 is currently in motion. Phase 2 is on the horizon.”
“What’s what?”
Winn finishes distributing food between his two friends and pipes up. “Phase one was Lucy finding the perfect candidate. Complete.”
Kara wants more options, but this isn’t her operation. And it’d be really hard to find agents more compelling than Lucy Lane and Winn Schott.
“And 1.5?”
Lucy chimes in on this one, “Celebratory food for completion of phase 1, duh. Do you know how hard I looked?”
“Very, it seems.” Kara grumbles as she shoves a handful of fries in her mouth. “What’s phase 2 and why is it on the horizon?”
Lucy continues to eat, so Winn provides explanation. “Phase 2 is you.”
Kara laughs nervously, “Me?”
“Yes, young padawan.” Winn brings his two hands together. “Who did Lena go to when Jack asked her out?”
“Me.”
“And who did Lena go to when she kindly turned him down?”
“Me.” Fear settles into her gut because she knows where this is heading. “What? You want me to play Sam’s wingwoman or something?” Lucy and Winn share a glance and then shake their heads.
“We want you to convince our brilliant CEO-in-the-making to make the first move.”
“Wait, hold on. You don’t have Sam’s approval on this?” Kara is outraged and has to stand up so she can pace Lucy’s small dorm. “I knew something was wrong here! You don’t even know if Sam herself is interested in girls-- interested in Lena!”
“Kara, calm down.” Winn soothes her back into a chair. “She’s interested.”
“How can you be sure? The two of you don’t even know her or know she’s gonna join our club and you’re willing to bet Lena’s happiness on this.”
“Kara,” Winn looks her in the eye. “She just sent the robotics club an email.”
“What?”
Winn shows Kara the email:
Hi everyone,
I know it’s a little late in the semester to be asking, but is there a chance that there’s a spot open in the robotics club? I’ve got all the best CAD tools and could really use a challenge.
I’d love to hear back from you guys.
Best,
Sam Arias
____
Product Engineering Undergraduate
School of Science and Engineering
National City University
[email protected]
Lucy asks, “How’s that for interested?”
Kara blinks rapidly because this is about as much as a trainwreck as she’s ever going to try to stop. “So phase 2?”
“Phase 2 rests upon your shoulders, young padawan.”
***
Kara wants to let the email be a coincidence. She also wants to let Lena’s ecstatic reply to the coincidental email also be a coincidence.
She wants to chalk it all up to coincidence-- not serendipity, not fate, and definitely not meant to be.
But then Lena says to her one day as they’re heading to lunch, “You know, I’m really excited for robotics club.”
“You know, only a nerd would say that.” Kara teases, bumping shoulders with her friend.
Lena lets out chuckle, “I’m serious.”
“Okay, I’ll bite.” Kara rolls her eyes. “Why is my best friend in the whole wide world excited for robotics club?”
“So you know that email we got from Sam Arias?” Kara nods, and Lena just keeps going. “Well, when I told her to come during our meeting, we actually just started emailing back and forth about material limitations and battery capacity and ARM-based microcontrollers.”
“So, you two geeked out over robotics.” Kara takes that as a good sign. “And you’re all giddy and smiley.”
“It’s just not every day I get to go into crazy detail like that. She’s got programming experience too, so I definitely want her to have a chat with Winn and Vazquez if she’s willing.”
“Oh.” Kara knows it’s not a dig at her, but she does deflate a little anyway. “Yeah, that is probably a great idea.”
“You alright?” Lena asks, concern coloring her features. “You seem quiet today.”
“Sorry, I’m fine.” Kara forces a smile, “Head in the clouds, ya know?”
Lena lowers her voice to tease her friend. “Are you sure you’re not already floating up to the clouds?”
Kara offers up a half-assed laugh. “More jabs at my lineage, Miss Luthor?”
Lena shakes her head. “All things I love about you, I promise.”
Kara pretends her heart didn’t flutter.
(She also pretends she didn’t actually just float an inch or two off the ground when Lena takes her hand and leads them to Kara’s favorite Chinese restaurant.)
***
Kara can’t help but worry. Lucy and Winn seem absolutely set that everything is fine. But she can’t help but feel a little protective of Lena’s involvement in all this. It just feels orchestrated and maybe a little forced from her perspective.
It feels dishonest.
And Kara Danvers has never been good at dishonesty. But it’s for a good cause. Lena’s happiness is probably the best cause, Kara reasons fiercely.
“Today’s the day, Kar!” Winn jumps up and down in front of a dazed Kara.
“Huh?” She blinks up at him.
“Robotics club! Phase 2, hello!” Winn stops his commotion and looks at his friend. “You alright? You didn’t eat anything healthy did you? You know that always puts you in a mood.”
“What? I’m fine.”
“I mean, you don’t look fine.”
She retorts in frustration, “And how do I look?”
“Constipated.”
“Excuse you?” Kara says glaring up at him.
Winn scrunches up his nose, “Do Kryptonians even get constipated?”
Kara’s scowl is enough for him to stop. “Winn.”
“Sorry.” He lowers his voice when he notices Lena’s footsteps down the hall. “Are you nervous about them meeting?”
If it wasn’t for the guilt, perhaps she would feel a little more excited. Before she can actually answer Winn, Lena struts in with a huge smile on her face.
She spends the next 20 minutes thinking that smile has to be worth, at least, a million suns.
She also spends the next 20 minutes holding her breath for when the rest of the club members come in, including Sam.
But then Sam walks in all her pretty glory, big smile and loose ponytail, and Kara hears Lena’s heart start to race.
(Alternatively, Kara’s heart sinks to her stomach. There’s no turning back now.)
Winn nudges her and gives her a thumbs up. She returns the gesture for posterity’s sake only.
(Little does anyone in the room know that she holds her breath for the rest of the evening.)
***
Phase 2 is easier when she knows there’s interest on both parties, and that Lucy and Winn didn’t just spin this up because they were bored.
Phase 2 is easier when she spends less time following Sam and Lena around, and more time eating ice cream by herself.
Phase 2 is easier when Kara slips away to write papers so she can ruminate over Lena’s laugh and Sam’s warm smile and their nerdy jokes.
Phase 2 is easier when Kara realizes it’s never been about Sam.
It’s always been about Lena.
(So, she’ll stay away in hopes of remaining guilt free. Lena will come to her when she’s ready.)
***
“Kara!” Lena greets her with such excitement and warmth that she realizes just how much she misses her best friend. Kara closes her notebook and watches Lena sit herself down on the grass.
Three weeks is a lot of time to spend a significant amount of time without your best friend. Even Lena must know that.
“Lena,” Kara smiles bright and genuine because, Rao, Lena looks radiant in the daylight. “Hey, did we have plans today?”
“No,” Lena throws her a curious look, “How are we supposed to make plans when we’ve hardly seen each other?” Kara shrugs, refusing eye contact. “Well, I miss you.” Lena hesitates, “You, um-- you seem distant.”
“Have I?” Kara tries to lie. “Snapper’s got me on so many articles these days. He says it’s to improve my spelling or something rotten like that. It’s put me in a distant mood.”
“Well, I certainly don’t doubt that.” Lena admits, as she fidgets with her fingers wringing in her lap, “but you’ve gone MIA at robotics club too and I’ve been meaning to ask you for your help on something.”
Kara smiles fondly at her friend. “Anything, you know that.”
Kara can practically hear Lena holding her breath in nervousness. Lena shuts her eyes and blurts, “Sam asked me out on a date.”
Surprised, Kara struggles to find an answer. “Oh, I mean, well, that’s great. What did you tell her?”
(She ignores the pace of her own speeding heart.)
“I said maybe.
***
“Maybe?”
“Who is she, Carly Rae Jepsen?” Lucy says incredulously.
Winn chuckles, “Lena’s more Irish than Canadian.”
“Winn, not the time.” Kara reminds him urgently. “What am I supposed to do?”
Lucy laughs. “You’re supposed to complete Phase 2.”
“What? Force Lena to go on that date?”
“Uh, yeah,” Winn looks confused, sharing a look with Lucy. “Operation Get Luthor a Hot Girlfriend, remember?
“Right.” Kara clenches her jaw. “I absolutely knew that.”
Is she supposed to admit that she doesn’t actually want Lena to go on a date with more-than-perfect Sam?
(Phase 2 is hard when Kara finds herself in love with Lena Luthor.)
***
“Hey, Kara, right?”
Kara turns around to find Sam waving at her. She takes a sigh of relief when she determines Lena is nowhere in sight.
“Sam, hi.” Kara suddenly realizes she has had no previous conversation with Sam without Lena or anyone else present. She also realizes that they’re in the food court at the student union. “You, um, grabbing lunch?”
“Just grabbing coffee.” Sam raises a cup, chuckling as she emphasizes. “Necessities.”
Kara nods. “Of course.”
“Hey, I was wondering if you’ve seen Lena lately?” Sam is fiddling with the edge of the lid on her coffee cup, and Kara half wonders if she’ll shred it apart any time soon.
“Oh, um, no actually. I’ve been super busy and so has she.”
“Oh, alright. I was kind of get the feeling she was avoiding me specifically, but if you haven’t really seen her, then I guess she’s just busy.”
“Did you guys have plans?” Kara’s going to play the clueless card because that’s what Kryptonian wing-women do, right?
“Well, actually, we were supposed to meet up tonight. But, I actually just want to talk to her about a few things.”
“I’m sorry, Sam. I’ll let you know if I see her. Right now, I gotta be somewhere.”
Sam looks a little sad as she walks away and Kara hates that she actually kind of likes Sam. And that’s how she finds herself forcing her way into the NCU’s engineering research labs to look for her ridiculous best friend.
“I’m sorry, but you can’t be in here without a clearance badge.”
“Look, just let me see Lena Luthor and I’ll be out of here. I don’t even know what half of this stuff is.”
And it’s true. Earth’s technology is vastly different than what she grew up with on Krypton and while Kara could try and figure it all out, she’d rather not. She’s here for Lena.
Finally, she hears her name. “Kara, what are you doing here?”
“Hey, someone get her out of here.” A guy in a white lab coat is rushing at her and she quickly hides behind Lena when he spots her.
“Hey, it’s alright, she’s with me. I’ll walk her out.”
He fixes her an annoyed look, but walks away grumbling. “Keep your girlfriends out of the lab, Luthor. We have more important things to do.”
“He seems rather friendly. Could probably give Snapper a run for his money.” Kara says sheepishly as Lena leads her out of the research lab, hanging up her coat before their outside.
“So, what are you doing here?” Lena crosses her arms and looks expectantly at her friend.
Trying to pretend to not be in love with her best friend, Kara wants to say. Instead, she says, “Oh, I just ran into Sam. She was looking for you, so I said to myself. Where is the one place she’d be that Sam won’t find her.”
She can see Lena’s expression tighten into something guarded. Kara’s not used to this look anymore. Kara’s used to a softer side of Lena. She wants to just reach out and stroke the creases away.
“I’ve kind of left her hanging.”
“I know.” Kara says with her eyebrows raised. “But if you quit throwing yourself into work, you might be able to get a second chance.”
“Oh, I don’t know, Kara. Would she still really be interested in me?” Lena looks terrified. And Kara has to wonder why she’s so hesitant about Sam.
“She’d be crazy not to!” Kara tries to encourage her, anyway. This is what friends are for.. “But you can’t just ghost her.” The blonde clicks her tongue and then studies Lena’s face. “You’re not actually nervous about being rejected, are you? She asked you out first.” Kara laughs outright. “And to answer your question yes, she said she wants to meet with you tonight.”
“So, you’ll help me?” Lena tilts her head, pouting at her best friend just enough to know that Kara can’t and won’t say no.
“Always.” That’s how she got into this mess in the first place. She’d do anything for her, no hesitation. “But if you want to get ready in time, let me fly you back to your apartment.”
“But Kara,” Lena whines slightly, “I hate flying.”
“Come on, I’ll be super careful this time.”
“Yes, because almost going through the top floor of the medical sciences building was something I needed to be reminded of when you’re about to fly me across campus.”
“That was ONE time.” Kara cries out before lifting them into the air. “And it had been years!”
“Just don’t kill me tonight, please.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Kara starts picking up the pace, “Besides, you got a date.”
***
“See? I got you back in one piece.”
“So are trees also optional for avoiding?” Lena complains as she pulls a twig out of her hair.
Kara laughs sheepish and and borderline contrite. “We’re on a timeline?”
Lena raises an eyebrow at her friend’s antics before grabbing a towel and heading for the bathroom. When she emerges from her shower, Kara’s practically raided her closet and picked out the best outfits for an agreeable first date. Not that she’s got expertise in picking outfits. She always needed Alex to pick things out for her, but she’ll try for Lena.
Lena doesn’t seem to mind the haphazard mix of clothing strewn about her bed. Until she sees two items of clothing. “Kara, you’re not gonna let me leave looking like a grandma.”
“What?” Kara says picking up the black and white patterned blouse. “This looks good on you.”
“No, it doesn’t.” Lena argues, clicking her tongue. “It’ll probably look better in the garbage.”
“It’s not that bad, but let’s save that for a later date.”
“No, never! It’s going in the dumpster in the back parking lot.”
Kara rolls her eyes, “So dramatic.” Her eyes fall on an outfit that is so undeniably Lena that all she does is grab the items and shove it into Lena’s arms. “Go try this on.”
“I don't know about this, Kara...” Lena calls out as she steps out in black pants with an accented belt, a tucked in black blouse and an orange leather jacket.
Kara’s breath catches in her throat and all words fail her. Lena looks like perfection. She gazes up at her in awe, like she’s looking right at the brightest star the universe could offer. “Wow, Lena.”
“Not bad?”
“You’re breathtaking.” Kara catches herself, and elaborates. “Sam won’t know what hit her.”
“You think so?” Lena’s got a twinkle in her eyes, and Kara can’t deny her that.
“Absolutely.” Kara urges her out the door, “Now, go.” Lena hesitates at the door, and Kara is quick to not let her change her mind. “Don’t make me fly you over there.”
Instead of taking off, Lena hugs her-- holds on to her tight and warm and like Kara means more to her now than she ever has--everything Kara wants, but can’t have.
She shuts the door and leans against it heavily. And suddenly she can’t breathe.
Even though she doesn’t want it to be, Phase 2 is complete.
(But why does she feel like her heart got ripped out?)
***
Kara takes off into the air, high up until she feels the clouds. She takes a steady breath and takes relief in the quiet. Basks in being unable to hear how well Sam and Lena’s date is going-- how well Lena is doing without her.
She flies in circles above National City, contemplating on whether or not she should visit Alex. But, she can’t hear Alex’s heartbeat in the city. Instead, she finds the familiar sound on campus. She doesn’t want to be on campus. It’s too close to everything she doesn’t want to unfold.
So, she flies home-- lands on the front porch at the Danvers’ home in Midvale and knocks softly at the door.
“Kara?” Eliza asks, surprised. “What are you doing here? Is everything alright? Did anyone see you?”
Kara shakes her head, forlorn and missing home.
Eliza doesn’t say another word and just wraps up her youngest child in her arms, setting her on the couch.
Kara finally pipes up. “I’m sorry for dropping in on you like this. Alex was on campus visiting Lucy and I--”
“Shhh.” Eliza rubs circles on her back. “You are always welcome home, you know that. I’d prefer that you didn’t fly here, but I can let Alex lecture you about that. She enjoys that.” She presses a kiss to Kara’s temple. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No. Yes.” She furrows her brows. “Yes.”
Eliza waits patiently-- even prepares a hot chocolate for Kara.
Kara sighs. “I, um, helped Lena go on a date with this really awesome girl tonight.”
She doesn’t know how far to go into the story about how she got pulled into a scheme and genuinely wants it to work out. She just wanted her best friend to be happy. She never could’ve guessed that she had already caught feelings and complicated everything. But Eliza looks at her patient and understanding, and she suddenly doesn’t feel as guilty as she did when she landed on the porch.
“You’re such a good friend to her. Does she know how much you care about her?” Eliza asks, already knowing where this is going.
“I don’t know.” Kara answers dejectedly. “I just--should be really happy that she found someone she’s interested in.”
“But?” Eliza squeezes her hand, a sign of support.
“But for some reason, I feel like I’m losing her.” Kara’s brows furrow together, and Eliza tries to smooth out the crinkle that forms before tucking a strand of hair behind Kara’s ear. “It’s not like she’s a possession or anything. She’s not mine. I just think, you know, this changes things. My feelings for her changes things. At first, I thought I was being jealous because she’s my best friend and I didn’t want her spending all her time with someone else. But then I realized it’s because I wanted to be the one that made her happy.”
She takes a sip of her hot chocolate and sighs even deeper than she had previously.
Eliza smiles at her. “I think if you talk to Lena about how you’re feeling, perhaps things won’t change in the way you think.”
Kara can’t help but laugh. “Is that a mom way of saying Lena might like me back?”
“I’m saying you’ll never know until you’re honest with her about your feelings.”
“But what if she continues to see Sam? And I wouldn’t really blame her. But what if she does?”
“I can’t tell you anything for sure on how things will turn out, but you won’t know until you lay it all out. Whether or not it has to wait until Lena’s not seeing anyone, it’s up to you.”
***
Kara mopes.
She can’t help herself, really. Because everything feels so much. She’s in love with her best friend, but continued to set up said best friend anyway. Happiness and rationale, be damned.
And, it’s not like Eliza wasn’t amazing for letting her drop in and giving sound advice, but she feels a little lost-- feels like everything hinges on the beautiful girl with green eyes and a big heart.
(The same girl out on a date, probably having a great time. The same girl who apparently holds her heart.)
So, she sits in her dorm, with a pint of brownie ice cream. If Alex and Lucy found out she was eating this by herself, she’d never hear the end of it.
But, she’s trying to fill a void here.
She’s also watching Some Kind of Wonderful. She tries not to burn a hole through her only TV because she finds herself identifying with Watts in a way only Ginnifer Goodwin in He’s Just Not That Into You would probably sympathize.
She knows it gets pathetic, and maybe a little cringe worthy, when you get past the terrible, yet exhilarating realization that you’re in love with your best friend.
(And maybe she wants to have the breakdown, have the moment when the two main characters finally figure it all out.
Maybe all this time with Lena has made her more of a realist, and a huge part of her is telling her that’s not real life.
And then it hurts a little more.)
***
Kara falls asleep under a blanket and halfway through the movie, only waking up to rapid knocking at her door. She’s a little slow to react. Her TV shut itself off a while back. She still has to disentangle herself from her blanket.
“Kara Danvers, you open this door right now.”
Although she hears Lena’s fast heartbeat first, she knows Lena’s voice.
“Kara Zor-El, don’t you ignore me!”
Kara throws the door open, and while she has superspeed, she’s impressed by how fast Lena walks into her room. She closes the door softly, taking a deep breath. She knows she’s in trouble, but she’s not really sure why. Unless Lena found out about Winn and Lucy. In which case, she’s in deep trouble. She momentarily considers where she could hide instead. But Lena would find her. Or Alex. Then she’d really be dead.
She exhales, and musters enough courage to face her best friend.
She expects several things: Lena telling her she had a wonderful time with Sam and that they’re gonna see each other again; Lena yelling at her for interfering with her love life; Lena telling her she hates her and never wants to see her again.
She doesn’t expect Lena to push her back against the door.
She doesn’t expect Lena’s shuddering breath crawling up against her neck as Lena trails her hands up Kara’s arms, up her neck, until she can finally frame Kara’s face within her hands.
She surely doesn’t expect Lena to lean forward, close the distance, and kiss her with everything in her being.
(She also never expected to reciprocate so fiercely.)
Everything suspends around them-- the tension, the confusion, and all the emotions-- as their lips move against one another.
And, then, just like that, it all comes crashing down. Lena pulls back and slowly backs away from Kara.
To Kara’s benefit, Lena’s hands are still trailing down Kara’s arms-- painful and tortuous all at once.
To Lena’s benefit, Kara’s eyes are fluttering as if she’s still lost in that searing kiss.
Lena breaks the silence first, probably afraid that Kara might bolt. “I’m sorry.”
“What? Sorry? Why would you ever apologize after-” Kara pauses, waiting for her breaths to even out, “after a kiss like that?”
“I’m in love with you.” Kara simply gapes at her, and Lena feels the need to explain. “I’m not sorry for kissing you. Unless you didn’t want that to happen, in which case, I am sorry.” Lena rambles, and Kara tilts her head in adoration. “I’m not sorry for being in love with you either.”
“Then, why are you apologizing?” Kara asks, confused and bemused.
“I’m sorry for not telling you my feelings sooner than tonight. I’m sorry it took a date with someone else for me to actually admit it. I’m sorry for barging in here and then attacking you--”
“--with your lips--” Kara teases, but Lena’s speech can’t be stopped.
“I’m sorry for attacking you...with my lips.” She pauses for a moment to smile. “I’m sorry for keeping this to myself for almost 2 years, when I should’ve been honest with you from the start.”
At this point, Kara can’t actually stand her own guilt. She remedies the feeling by surging forward, and kissing Lena herself in hopes of conveying similar sentiments and intentions. When they part, Kara notes, “How’s that for being dishonest?”
Lena shakes her head, “Wait, you-you like me back?”
Kara laughs, “What? The last two kisses weren’t indication enough?”
“How come I didn’t know?” Lena asks, as if that would ever be her fault.
The blonde shrugs, chuckling still, and reaches out for Lena’s hand. “I didn’t really know, either, until recently.”
“So how did you…?”
Kara looks down at their joined hands, almost afraid to admit this part aloud. “Sam joined the club and Lucy and Winn wanted to set you two up. I resisted at first because I didn’t know her. But then I resisted because I realized I was in love with you. And...I wanted to be the one to make you happy.”
Lena lifts Kara’s chin with her finger, so Lena can look into her blue eyes. “You always make me happy. Just by existing, and believing in me.”
“Even when I’m jealous and can’t admit my feelings because I set you up with someone else?”
“Even then.” Lena assures her, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. “So, don’t shut me out this time. Come back to robotics club meetings so Sam won’t hunt you down and tell you everything I said during our dinner.” Kara looks at the brunette confused, especially at the word ‘date’ having been omitted from the scenario. “Because I want to you to hear everything from me. Kara Danvers, let me make you happy.”
“Bad date with Sam?”
Lena shakes her head. “You’re insufferable. But, no. We had a great time. Except unfortunately, my heart belongs to a silly blonde who might be an alien.”
“And she was okay with that?”
It’s Lena’s turn to chuckle now. “She was actually trying to see if I needed her to make you more jealous so you could come to your senses and like me back like she knows you do. I didn’t believe her, obviously.”
“Obviously.” Kara shoots her a smile, and Lena feels like she could drown in the view.
“She’s great. And if I wasn’t so hung up on you, then yeah I think we’d be good together. She might light up a room, but you, Kara Zor-El, light up the galaxy for me.”
Kara absolutely blushes, can’t even fight it, because Lena’s looking at her like she hangs the stars in the night sky. And Kara hopes to Rao that Lena can see the way she lights up her world, too.
It’s at this moment, when Lena finally notices the state of Kara’s room. “Were you moping?”
“No!” She protests a little too intensely, as she finds her phone.
“Liar!”
***
Group chat with Alex, Lena, Lucy, Sam and Winn
Lucy [12:32am]: Was Operation Get Lena Luthor a Hot GF successful???
Alex [12:33am]: Honestly, have you two figured it out yet?
Kara [12:33am]: Phase 2 is complete.
Lena [12:34am]: I do have a Hot GF.
Sam [12:34am]: :) :) :)
Winn [12:34am]: :D
Lucy [12:35am]: Get it, Danvers! ;)
Kara [12:35am]: LUCY
Alex [12:35am}: LUCY
***
“Kara, come on. We’re late.”
“Yeah, and whose fault is that?” Kara huffs, trailing slowly behind.
Lena stops and faces her girlfriend, with a raised eyebrow. “I’m sorry was I the one who turned into a koala when I didn’t want to wake up from my nap?”
Kara pouts. “You wouldn’t kiss me.”
Lena rolls her eyes, and then kisses her girlfriend. “There. Happy?”
Kara grins and takes her hand.
“Will you two quit making out in the hallway?” Sam calls out from the doorway. “We’ve got a meeting to run!”
Lena buries her face into Kara’s neck, shaking her head at their friend.
Sam throws her hands up in the air, “Okay, honestly. If you two are gonna take two years to run this meeting, I’m quitting.”
Kara muses, “Did it really take us two years?”
“Love at first sight, to be honest.” Lena mumbles into Kara’s shoulder, as she leads them into the room to join the club finally.
Kara kisses the top of her head and whispers, “So worth the wait.”