Work Text:
Christmas had been a whirlwind of visiting family and parties with friends, a decidedly different Yuletide tradition from the one Lena had experienced growing up - presents under the tree Christmas morning, her father checking his watch the entire time until sometime around 10am he’d disappear into his study, mother leaving Lex and Lena to enjoy their gifts - and with one of the many nannies who came and went through her childhood.
But Christmas with the Danvers family had been something else entirely. First came the L-Corp Holiday Season Celebration, not a big deal, just bonuses for the entire company, a band, catering from the 21st to the 23rd, then mandatory three-day vacation for everyone, and Kara by her side the entire time. On the 23rd, the CatCo Midwinter Ball, a fashion world staple, the greatest names in fashion, the fanciest designers, the most glamorous models, the creme de la creme of the industry, second only to the Met Gala, and Kara the most beautiful woman in the world, smiling at Lena, dizzyingly in love, every glance a jolt of electricity, every hand held or casual caress a meltingly warm glow overcoming her.
That had been their public face for the Holiday season. In private, on the 24th, Kara and Lena had invited all their friends over to Lena’s penthouse for a day-long Open House, drop in whenever, stay as long as you like, a chance for mulled wine or cider, good company with no commitment. It had, of course, become a long day of good friends and good cheer, but most of their friends had departed for their own families and Christmas planning.
And then, Christmas morning. Kara of course had been up at dawn, too excited to sleep in, making coffee and waffles and waking Lena up at the ungodly hour of 7am, but no time for gifts as they had to dress, pack, and head out to pick up Alex and drive to Eliza’s for lunch. A surprise visit from Jeremiah made it a Christmas to remember, the family singing carols - which Lena politely but firmly refused to join, though she happily refilled everyone’s drinks to keep them singing. Alex left before supper for some mysterious rendez-vous with “someone new, really casual, please don’t make a big deal about it”. Kara promised to get more details as soon as possible.
And then Boxing Day in Smallville, of all places - being trusted with the Kents’ secret was a tremendous honor, one Lena swore to be worthy of and hold forever. Lois Lane was surprisingly warm to Lena, her belly showing her obvious pregnancy. More gifts, more food, more good cheer; possibly the happiest Christmas celebration Lena had ever been included in. That night she fell asleep in Kara’s arms, deeply, wholly content with her life.
They had, of course, been invited to every New Year’s party in National City, been invited by every celebrity, star, captain of industry, everyone they knew, everyone they didn’t know but who wanted National City’s Premiere Lesbian Power Couple in attendance. While each party held its appeal, Lena and Kara had elected to turn them all down, spending the evening with each other, watching movies and eating potstickers until the countdown beeped on Lena’s smartwatch. Kara opened the champagne and poured them each a tall glass, and they celebrated with a kiss exactly at midnight.
“To us,” Lena toasted after they parted. Kara nodded and drank her champagne.
Lena drank from her own glass, closing her eyes to focus on the taste of Dom Perignon 2008. “Exquisite,” she said, opening her eyes to see Kara had gone.
Gone down on one knee.
Holding a ring.
A ring.
A ring.
Kara was holding a ring and saying something.
“- and I’ve been in love with you for ages, and you’re just the most amazing woman I’ve ever met, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I want to make you smile, and laugh, and hold you when you’re sad, and just, just, I just - Will you marry me?”
Lena felt her knees buckle, and the grip on her glass slip, and the thought of losing even a drop of the Dom Perignon made her fumble to keep the glass from falling, which was far more thinking than she was capable of at that exact moment, and she sat down hard with a thump on the couch, and somehow she didn’t spill a drop while simultaneously bursting into tears. With shaking hands she placed the champagne glass on the coffee table and launched herself into Kara’s arms, sealing her mouth with a long kiss, then following up with a hundred more all over Kara’s face.
“Is that a yes?” Kara asked, laughing.
“Yes yes yes yes yes, of course, yes, yes, a million times yes,” she babbled, crying, grinning harder than she ever had.
Kara slipped the ring on Lena’s finger as they laughed and cried and kissed. Lena’s hands wouldn’t stop shaking.
“I scoured the asteroid belt for the perfect stone,” Kara said eventually. The diamond on Lena’s hand glittered and gleamed.
“It’s perfect,” Lena said.
“Not quite,” Kara answered with a scrunched nose. “Under a microscope there’s a tiny occlusion - it’s shaped like an L.”
Lena’s eyes, reddened from crying, brilliantly green, widened. “L?”
“L for Lena, L for… House of El. Which you would join, as my wife.”
Lena began to cry again, wondering where all the tears could possibly be coming from. Surely she had run out? She kissed Kara again. Wife, she had said. Wife.
“Lena Zor-El?” Lena asked.
Kara grinned. “Well, on Krypton it would have been Lena Kara-El, but on Earth… How does Lena and Kara Danvers-Luthor sound?”
“Like a dream,” Lena answered, and kissed her fiancée again.
Her fiancée. Her soon-to-be wife.
Lena’s brain finally broken through all her emotions and reminded her of something. “Oh!” Lena said, kissing her fiancée, her fiancée Kara, Kara her fiancée, her fiancée, and reached for her purse.
“What is it?” Kara asked.
“I had one last Christmas gift for you,” Lena said as she dug through her purse, “but forgot it at my place, and… ah-hah!”
Lena pulled out a small flat square jewelry box, too large for a ring but too small for a necklace.
“Until we can go shopping for a ring for you,” Lena said, handing Kara the box, “perhaps you’ll wear this as an engagement gift?”
Kara opened the box to reveal a beautiful sapphires-and-rubies-in-gold bracelet. Her gorgeous blue eyes widened and her jaw dropped, the exact reaction Lena had hoped for.
“Will you?” Lena asked.
“Of course,” Kara answered with a grin that sparkled more than any diamond. “Mrs. Danvers-Luthor.”
“Mrs. Danvers-Luthor,” Lena replied, with a grin that matched.