Work Text:
So what if Kara has put mistletoe right above the spot on the couch where she and Lena tend to cuddle? If she needs a little Christmas courage to finally kiss her best friend is nobody's business but their own.
Ever since she came back from the Phantom Zone they've spent most of their time together.
At first, Kara needed a friend. She needed Lena’s heartbeat close to help her fall asleep and her embrace to keep the nightmares away. Then it was mostly about making up for lost time. For the time they spent apart as well as the time Lena didn’t really know Kara's real identity.
And then… after coming out to the world as Supergirl, Kara felt truly free for the first time since she arrived on Earth. So she finally realized something someone should've let her know sooner (she's still a little angry with Alex because of it, okay?): There's already one person in her life she connects with as her whole self, there's one person she feels at home with.
Lena.
She’s always admired the way Lena gradually opened up to her. The way she got to the point to be completely vulnerable with her, telling Kara her deepest fears and darkest secrets. She’s always wanted to be able to do the same, and ever since she came back and they finally let the past in the past, she’s been doing just that. And Lena listens, comforts her, pushes her to keep going, reminds her who she is when Kara gets so low that she loses herself…
Lena stays.
Lena is, quite simply, amazing with her.
And Lena is her perfect partner at game nights.
She’s also a genius, and she’s gorgeous. And her looks don’t even hold a candle to how beautiful her soul is. She’s a good person who’s constantly trying to be better. Which, having been raised by people who were the very definition of the word villain, well… It's undeniably exceptional.
So, yeah, it took her a while to realize it. But she can’t stop seeing it now, okay? Kara is utterly and completely in love with Lena.
She’s pretty sure she’s always been in love with Lena.
And she’s always been a coward. No matter what the world thinks. Sure, she can fight an army of bad guys, she can lose her entire home planet and survive the Phantom Zone twice and still face a new day (with a smile even) and a new threat.
But she can absolutely not, under any circumstances, risk losing Lena Luthor again.
She can’t risk their friendship.
So a Christmas party and a little mistletoe give her the perfect excuse to test the waters. It can be a first step or she can just play it off as a silly tradition.
But.
She doesn’t take into account the Lena Luthor foundation ruining her plans.
“I am so sorry, darling,” Lena says from the other side of the phone. “I tried my best to push it until after the holidays but the investors are not playing around. I guess they want to see how committed I am or something. Or maybe they don’t have families or hearts. I don’t know.”
“Ugh. I understand. I’m sorry, I know you were looking forward to this year’s holidays too.”
“Yeah…” And the sigh that follows is so sad that Kara almost flies out the window to just go hug her. “The worst part is that I have to leave now.”
“What?!”
Her phone crashes onto the floor, forgotten as she flies away and follows Lena’s heartbeat all the way to her private airport.
Lena is standing a few feet away from the plane, still with her cellphone in her ear, looking at the sky, as if she knew this would happen.
Kara lands right next to her. “Right now?”
“Right now. I’m sorry.”
“What if I go pick you up tomorrow for the party?”
“Kara, it’s Tokyo. You can’t fly at high speed with a human, it’d be hours. ”
“I know the portal-watches are out of the question since you found out the extra damage they do to the environment but maybe you could try a spell–”
“I would if I could, haven’t found a spell for this yet, though. I promise I hate this even more than you do. I’ll be alone, Kara.”
Good point, maybe she should stop being selfish. Lena was thrilled at the idea of having a family to share Christmas and New Year’s Eve with again. To be able to celebrate with people she truly belongs with for the first time. And now she’s going to be alone because a bunch of workaholics can’t do a few Zoom meetings or take a break during the holidays.
Kara is still a superhero, though.
“Can I come visit you at least?”
“I’d love to. Not during the parties, though. Don’t miss out on family time because of me. Please.”
“You’re family, Lena.”
“I know, and I’d feel terrible if you leave my goddaughter’s side for one second during her first Christmas with you guys.”
She pouts. “Using Esme like that is low, Lena.”
Lena smirks. “Still a Luthor, darling.”
That smirk makes her completely weak, but she’s used to it by now so she manages a laugh – probably sounding more nervous than she intends to, but whatever.
Lena hugs her then. “I’ll see you soon. Please, tell everyone I'm sorry and tell Esme I love her.”
“Will do. Don't buy her too many presents or Alex will kill you." Lena raises an eyebrow and it's obvious she's taking it as a challenge. There's no way she won't buy that little girl everything she sees. Kara loves it. Loves her. "Let me know when you land.”
It’s hard to let her go. Then again, it’s always hard breaking away from Lena’s embrace.
She waits for the plane to start moving and then she flies for a bit next to the plane during take-off, making silly faces and poses just to make Lena laugh and relax. She's happy when all the signs she can see and hear through the window tell her it works.
Lena sends her a text when she lands, thanking her with an array of cute emojis. There are too many hearts for Kara not to have hope.
Between Lena's schedule, the parties, and Supergirl duties she only gets to go see Lena a couple of times.
It's January 10th when Lena's finally back in National City and Kara is not disappointed about the fact that Lena didn't go straight to her place. She's not.
She's definitely not jealous of her own niece as she sees her hugging Lena tightly – neither of them wanting to let the other go, it's adorable, she definitely does take a picture of the moment.
Lena asks Kara to fly her back to her penthouse that night. And they don't even need to speak to know that Kara is gonna be staying.
Almost 20 days without sleeping in each other's arms were more than enough.
Those days she focused on Esme's heartbeat to fall asleep and, while effective, it wasn't quite the same (it didn't give her the reassurance that Lena was okay).
She sighs contentedly when her back touches Lena's very comfortable –and very expensive– mattress. And, seconds later, she smiles with her whole face and her entire heart when Lena curls up into her.
Work keeps them both busy the next couple of days and they don't see each other.
Until Lena surprises her with her presence and potstickers at her apartment.
"Hey you!"
"Hi, I saw the fight. You okay?"
"Yeah, nothing that 5 minutes under the sun lamps couldn't fix."
"Oh, I thought you needed these to recharge," she says waving the bag with the food around, "but I can't take them–"
"Don't you dare!"
She doesn't try hard enough to get the bag out of Lena's hand because that wouldn't be playing fair. Lena does make an effort to keep it out of her reach but of course she knows it's pointless. They laugh and their bodies end up way too close and their eyes lock for a few more seconds than it'd be considered normal. Until Lena visibly relaxes and offers the bag to Kara, pushing it to her chest, effectively putting some distance between them.
They sit on the couch and eat while catching up. Naturally, the distance between them shortens with every move they make as they talk.
It's as easy, fun and light as always.
And then Kara says something that she doesn't think is all that funny but Lena laughs with her entire body and throws her head back and–
Suddenly looks extremely confused.
"Is that mistletoe?"
Oh.
Right.
Well…
So what if it's the middle of January and she let the mistletoe up specifically waiting for this moment? (So what if she forgot because she wasn't expecting to see Lena today and she doesn't know what to do now?)
"Pfft, that's–" she tries. She chuckles, she knows she's a nervous wreck right now but she's trying, "I– huh. Probably forgot to take it off. Always happens with some Christmas decorations. Silly me."
She brings both of her legs up to end up cross-legged and starts to float towards the ceiling very, ridiculously slowly.
She may not know what to do or say, and she will take it down if she reaches it and she doesn't come up with anything. But she can stall.
A hand on her knee stops her.
Lena clears her throat. "I mean, it's still bad luck if you take it down without us having kissed, right?"
She's obviously trying to keep it together, Kara can tell. And she's actually doing a pretty good job. If Kara wasn't Kryptonian she probably would be missing all the signs showing her how nervous Lena really is.
She doesn't let her eyes leave Lena's as she gets back to the couch. Sitting even closer than she was before. She puts her hand on the one Lena still has on her knee.
"We can't risk it."
Lena leans closer. "Our luck, right?"
She thought she was talking about their luck but… But maybe she's still a coward.
"Lena…"
"Did you kiss anyone under it?"
She's grateful Lena's having the courage she lacks.
And it’s good that Kara promised to always be honest with her after everything. "I've been avoiding the couch while other people were around."
Lena squeezes her hand and notes, "You didn't avoid it tonight." Lena is gazing straight into her very soul and it burns in the best way. Her other hand goes to stroke Kara's cheek. "Did you really forget to take it down?"
A breathless, "no," escapes her lips before she leans in completely, finally kissing her.
Slowly.
She takes her time.
And she takes advantage of her enhanced senses to savor her new favorite taste.
She's careful not to press too hard, and not to bite too hard when she captures Lena's bottom lip and has the urge to just take it. It's not easy but Lena moans in pleasure instead of pain so she knows she's successful.
Lena's on her lap now, her tongue brushes Kara's lip and she almost loses all control. But she opens her mouth and pulls Lena closer to her. The world could be burning and being invaded by hostile aliens and Kara wouldn't be able to care at all.
It's all about Lena. How soft and hot she feels under her touch, how exquisite she smells, tastes and sounds. And how stunning she looks – but that's only whenever Kara opens her eyes to steal a glance.
But it's also the way she knows she's safe in Lena's hands. The way she feels completely loved – for the very first time in her life if she's being honest.
She has no idea when she ended up fully laying on top of Lena on the couch, but she also takes advantage of the position and moves her mouth to Lena's delicious neck.
"Kara…" Lena breathes out as Kara's leg presses in between both of Lena's. "Maybe we should… move it to the bedroom."
Kara stops, lifts her head so they can see each other properly, and smirks . "The mistletoe?"
Lena laughs, pushing her playfully and Kara floats up a little.
"We would have gotten here without it, right?" Insecurity drips more and more off Lena with every word and Kara can't believe this woman.
"I mean, I'd like to think so, eventually… I just couldn't wait any longer but I was scared…" She trails off because Lena knows, Lena gets it.
And Lena smiles sweetly at her. "I love you, you dork."
Kara breathes again, she doesn't know how long she has spent without breathing. Maybe she never properly did until now. "I love you too."
She only takes the mistletoe down when Alex gets there the next morning and wakes them up with a delighted scream as she sees their clothes on the living room floor.