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Of course, is all Lena can think when she hears the roar of the bus too late to step back.
Just when everything is going right for her – disentangling herself from Lex’s schemes, taking control of the company, successfully arranging the move to National City – she’s going to be killed by walking into traffic because she looked down at her phone at the exact wrong time.
Except – it doesn’t come.
Strong arms encircle her, jerk her back. The bus speeds past inches from her face, doing no more damage than to blow her carefully tamed hair about wildly.
“Hey, it’s okay. You’re safe.” The voice is soft. Lena feels a breath in her ear, the faint thrum of it through her saviour’s chest pressed up against her back. Suddenly, those strong, strong arms loosen. Lena’s being turned, stood properly upright, but hands linger around her biceps, steadying her. She realizes her heart is pounding like crazy, not all of it from the close encounter with death, and she’s shaking a little. “You good?”
Lena can only reply with a little nod, because Supergirl.
Of course she was the one that saved her, she’s part of what drew Lena to National City. But to suddenly have the reality of her slammed into her face – or wrapped around her, really – is a little overwhelming. As is her soft voice, her continued closeness, the concerned look on her face, and those vivid blue eyes.
Lena straightens up a bit, and offers her hand to Supergirl.
“I’m Lesbian.”
Supergirl barely reacts, thankfully. “Lena!” She blurts out, then takes a moment to collect herself. “Lena Lesbian,” she says confidently, nodding a little as she speaks.
This time, Supergirl does react. A bit of a blush, a little bashful duck of her head. Lena gestures wildly, as if trying to ward off the words she just spoke but not trusting herself to say any more. But then Supergirl gently takes hold of her hands, stilling them. She smiles at Lena.
“It’s okay, Miss Luthor. I know who you are.”
“Oh god. You know what, I’m just going to pretend my dignity wasn’t run over by a bus like I nearly was.”
“Don’t worry about it. I know adrenaline can funny things to people.” Right. Adrenaline. “I’ve actually been looking forward to meeting you,” Supergirl says, becoming almost shy at the end.
She’s forcefully reminded of the press hounding her at the trial, of the gossip and rumours and looks she’d get whenever someone recognized her in public. Of Clark Kent following her across the country to accuse her of trying to blow up a spaceship she herself was meant to be on, even when she was nothing but helpful. “Oh?”
“Yeah!” Supergirl says brightly, and that’s all it takes for her fears to melt away. “You’re such a big inspiration for girls getting into science, and the medical tech you’ve put out for aliens is just amazing! And…” Supergirl pauses, and it hits Lena how softly she’s still speaking. Pitching her voice so as not to carry. It gives the conversation a strange air of intimacy. “I know what’s it like to a be a woman making a name for herself outside of her family.”
Oh. Lena doesn’t really know what to do with this, not used to having someone she admires (or anyone, really) having anything positive to say about her. The eye contact is also starting to get a little too intense, so Lena shakes herself, and looks at her watch as a distraction.
“Running late?” Lena nods, looking somewhere over Supergirl’s shoulder. “I could give you a lift, if you want?” she offers nodding towards the soon to be replaced Luthorcorp sign down the street.
“I actually don’t do too well with heights.”
Supergirl shrugs. “It’s okay if don’t want to. But, if you do, I promise you’ll be safe with me.”
Lena checks her watch again. There’s no way she’ll make her first meeting otherwise. That’s the only reason she’s accepting. “Okay. Okay.”
“Alright, maybe just – ” Lena’s already slipping off her heels, and after a little nod from the hero, stepping onto her boots. “ – yeah.”
She closes her eyes as soon as Supergirl’s arms are around her once again. She doesn’t open them again until they touch down on the roof and Supergirl whispers we’re here.
She stumbles back a little, avoiding looking too directly at Supergirl as she slips her shoes back on.
“You good, Miss Luthor?”
Lena nods.
“Alright.” Supergirl takes a few steps backwards, and hops up onto the edge of the roof. “I hope to see you again soon, Lena Lesbian.” Then she winks, gives Lena a jaunty little salute, and lets herself fall backwards off the building.
For the rest of the day, Supergirl’s parting words – the way she wrapped her tongue around Lena’s name and that faint echo of an unearthly accent – run through her mind. She also makes a note to have finishing her office balcony and having the proper doors installed moved up the renovation priority list.
It’s about a week later when a reporter – Kara Danvers, from Catco – shows up. They’re running a series of profiles of women in science and engineering, and she wants to interview Lena.
It’s because of her brief conversation with Supergirl that she accepts almost without thought, and doesn’t immediately treat Kara as a threat.
She admits to Lena that she’s new on the job, and this is one of her first assignments. She’s a little shy, a little awkward. But it doesn’t take her long to get through Lena’s walls, to figure out just what to say to get her to open up. She doesn’t hold back in her questioning. But she treats Lena fairly, and seems genuinely interested in her work.
Throughout their conversation, though, there is something that feels off to Lena. Like there’s something right in front of her and she can’t quite see it.
Then they’re done, and she’s shaking Kara’s hand. They both get just a little too close, and suddenly Lena’s looking right into those vivid blue eyes. She doesn’t stand quite as tall; she doesn’t have the same aura of unshakeable confidence. But it’s unmistakable.
Neither says anything, but Lena knows, and Kara knows.
“I hope this isn’t the last time we talk.”
“I hope not either.”