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Lena let out a soft sigh, barely audible even to herself, as her car came to a smooth stop outside a huge building illuminated by bright beams of light. She was nestled in the backseat, legs crossed and hands neatly folded together in her lap as she readied herself for a long night of dull politics, business and schmoozing.
Lena shifted towards the door, legs extending out with practiced elegance as the was door opened for her. She climbed out of the car adorned in a black strapless dress that was chic yet conservative enough that people wouldn’t mutter, but nowhere near the stuffy clothes some of the older women present would be dressed in.
A smartly dressed greeter welcomed her at the foot of the stairs leading up to the plaza where the CatCo gala was being held. He offered her a helping hand as she teetered a little up the steps.
The large double door entrance was thrown up to permit her to the party, the buzz of chatter and music audible even from the entrance. Lena was led through the plaza to the grand hall where she found the party to be in full swing. All of National City’s finest and beyond were in attendance, dressed in pristine suits and beautiful dresses. Lena spotted a variety of faces she knew in the sea of people, few of whom she felt any real joy upon seeing.
At the centre of the hall there was dancing, the music currently a jazzy tune that had the partakers spinning around and laughing. Lena allowed herself to be pulled into the crowd, her hands instantly grasped into warm handshakes and faux words of pleasant greetings and compliments. She smiled through it, nodding where necessary and relaying the same rehearsed chatter.
Businessman after businessman, influencer after influencer, aristocrats, celebrities, Lena weathered them all with the upmost grace and decorum while her absent mind strayed far away from the party at hand. She didn’t want to be here, her thoughts straying to a familiar warm embrace in the sanctity of a homey apartment that smelled like slightly burnt cookies. She thought of a bright smile that lit up a room, and blue eyes you could get lost in for hours. Lena thought only of someone else as she drifted between each person around her.
‘I imagine the media attention surrounding your brother has been harmful for trade, hm?’ asked a man with a thick moustache that matched his even thicker eyebrows. Lena blinked back into reality, almost disgruntled to return there.
‘It has certainly been a challenge, though the fiascos surrounding my brother haven’t come without at least one or two silver linings,’ Lena replied evenly, smiling the sincerest smile she could.
The man chuckled, patting his stomach. ‘I welcome any attention if it keeps my company running,’ he said, ‘perhaps your brother did you a favour.’
‘Perhaps,’ Lena didn’t smile this time.
‘George,’ a woman appeared beside the man, tugging his arm, ‘come dance with me.’
He excused himself, leaving Lena momentarily alone for the time since she arrived. She took the moment to look up the arched ceiling above. A great many lights had been hung there for the party, dangling far above the heads of the crowd like captured stars.
Lena’s quiet moment came to an end as a soft voice spoke beside her ear, ‘would you like to dance?’
Lena turned, the faintest gasp leaving her lips as emerald eyes met bright blue. ‘Kara,’ she breathed in surprise, the first genuine smile of the night pulling at her lips.
Kara Danvers stood sheepishly before her, dressed in an elegant dark blue suit, her blonde hair subtly curled and hanging around her shoulders, black rimmed glasses slightly askew after having no doubt been fiddling with them moments before she spoke. She smiled a smile that washed away all the negative thoughts from Lena’s mind as she extended a hand to her.
‘I’d love to,’ Lena replied, taking Kara’s hand without hesitation and allowing herself to be led onto the polished dance floor.
Her heels hit the hardwood as new song began to play, a golden oldie she didn’t recognise. The tune was slow and the words smooth as those already on the dance floor drew together, heads nestling against chests as arms held each other close.
Kiss me each morning for a million years
Hold me each evening by your side
Tell me you'll love me for a million years
Lena looked to Kara hesitantly, turning her body so that they faced one another. Kara visibly swallowed, her eyes flickering everywhere from Lena’s face, to her hands, to the dancers around them.
Lena placed a tentative hand upon Kara’s shoulder, raising her other hand with Kara’s own still in it as they began to move to the slow beat of the song, neither focusing too hard on the dancing as they were effortlessly consumed by being so close again.
Then if it don't work out
Then if it don't work out
Then you can tell me goodbye
‘I didn’t expect to see you here,’ Lena murmured as they gently turned upon the spot. Kara smiled a half smile and jerked her head back towards the crowd.
‘Cat,’ she replied, giving Lena all the clarification she needed. ‘I hoped I would see you.’
Lena smiled at the admission, drawing closer to Kara like a magnet. Kara shifted with the movement, dropping the hand upon Lena’s back a little lower so that she might pull her closer.
Sweeten my coffee with a morning kiss
Soften my dreams with your sighs
Tell me you'll love me for a million years
Then if it don't work out
Then if it don't work out
Then you can tell me goodbye
Lena rested the side of her head against Kara’s chest, breathing in her scent as subtly as she could. Kara closed her eyes, her body anchored to Lena’s. They didn’t speak again for a moment, content to be so close as the song continued to play around them.
If you must go, oh no, I won't grieve
If you wait a lifetime before you leave
‘Lena,’ Kara near whispered, tilting her down so that she might speak beside Lena’s ear.
‘Yes?’ she replied, glancing up to see Kara’s brow drawn together. The continued to sway as Kara seemed to mull over her words for a moment longer.
‘It’s good to see you,’ she finally said, smiling at her again in the way that brightened Lena’s life.
Lena lifted her head, the hand upon Kara’s shoulder shifting ever so slightly so that the tips of her fingers brushed the side of her neck.
Then if you must go
I won't tell you no
Just so that we can say we tried
‘You too,’ Lena replied, her face awash with emotion as she looked at Kara deeply. Kara’s face mirrored her own, blue eyes drifting towards her lips with each slow blink. ‘I’ve missed you, more than you know.’
‘Surely not as much as I’ve missed you,’ Kara murmured.
Tell me you'll love me for a million years
Then if it don't work out
Then if it don't work out
Lena bit her lip, both hands on either side of Kara’s neck now as they stood still upon the dance floor, lost to everyone and thing around them but themselves.
‘You can say it, if you want,’ Lena offered, yearning to hear words of love spill from Kara’s lips, for her to voice the feelings that screamed within Lena’s heart.
‘You know I would,’ Kara whispered, looking beyond Lena to the crowd around them, seemingly trying to reconnect to their forgotten reality.
‘I know,’ Lena nodded. The magic faded away.
Then you can tell me goodbye
‘Kira!’ a snappish voice invaded the bubble they had created, effortlessly bursting it as the two of them broke apart as the short blonde form of Cat Grant appeared beside them. ‘Where did you get to? A walking piece of hair gel just tried to convince me to invest in his son’s slime business. Since when is slime a business? What even is "slime"?’
‘I’m sorry, Miss Grant,’ Kara apologised quickly, her awkward, flappy energy returning as Cat looked between them suspiciously.
‘Lena Luthor,’ Cat greeted with a smooth smile. ‘Do you mind if I take my assistant back?’
‘She’s all yours,’ Lena assured though it broke her heart in two.
Cat grasped Kara’s wrist and dragged her back into the crowd and away from Lena. Not a moment went by before several older men sought to grab her attention and Lena retracted back into her mind, back to Kara.
Always back to Kara.