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Lena was not necessarily raised in an "I love you" family, the Luthor's were more a "you've greatly disappointed me" family. It had many incarnations between her parents and Lex taking their pick of grievances with Lena's looks or intellect and how she just wasn't meeting their mark which seemed to allude her.
Kara Danvers, it appeared, was to her very core, from an "I love you" family. Through association, Lena witnessed as much, from the phrase "Love you, bye!" as she hung up the phone, "I love when Alex…" insert sickeningly sweet sisterly sentiment here, to the moments it seemed her mother or sister crossed her mind and she hastily took up her phone to text them as much. Her declarations to the women in her life…to that "Hank" fellow Alex worked with, they made something in Lena uncomfortable. It was so intimate and unfamiliar, and it would only ever be in a moment of utter weakness that she would dare express as much to her own family and something in her brain said surely she was the normal one so Kara must be behaving in the realm of strange.
And it seemed…Kara Danvers, paragon of love, understood. Perhaps not in detail, but she was nothing if not observant–it felt painfully, awkwardly obvious, Lena's uncomfortable glancing away, outright shying like she'd walked in on the blonde naked and not just overheard her casually informing Maggie she loved her for some humorous insight she'd offered over the phone, or as the last thing she said to her sister before they parted physically or virtually.
So when Lena found herself up to her eyeballs in paperwork and everyone else was clocked out for the night while she hunched over her desk with the sole light of her lamp to light her work…Kara Danvers showed up with a bag of Chinese takeout in each hand, and the words, "Of course…I've got you," on her lips when Lena voiced her gratitude.
If she tripped, only to find her…surprisingly speedy, smiley friend was there to catch her. Again, a casual shrug and "I've got you".
When she broke down about her stress at hitting yet another roadblock with her work during drinks with Kara, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder, her touch feather light before it grew in gentle strength to offer a reassuring squeeze, "hey…I've got you" cresting softly over her lips before she leaned in…and for a dizzying moment Lena thought perhaps this I've got you might accompany something as telling as a kiss, but no, she'd merely pulled Lena into a hug. Well, not merely , it was enough, it was more than enough. Lena never felt quite so safe, than when something pressed or pushed her too far and she found herself in the blonde woman's arms and her carefully crafted I love you , tailored to fit Lena just right, to console her.
And so it hit her like a freight train, winded her more greatly than the drop into Supergirl's arms, when she found herself screaming at the top of her lungs, plummeting towards the earth far faster than would be advised, but to be expected when one was falling from an airplane without a parachute.
Perhaps she was as stupid as her parents thought. It wasn't the fact that every image, every News still, every likeness of Super Girl looked remarkably like her Kara sans those…apparently unnecessary glasses. But the sharp jolt of landing in secure arms, realizing she was no longer falling but flying, familiar warmth holding on to her securely, and then
"Hey, I've got you"--that?
That was irrefutable.
"Kara?!"
Brilliant blue eyes stared down at her, wide-cast and panicking for all she was the superhero here.
And then without even a moment's hesitation beyond the point it registered in her face, in her expression that she knew. She knew that beyond all else, Lena could not stand to be lied to.
"Yes. I am. And I'm sorry, Lena. I'm so sorry. Let me…handle this, and I'll explain everything, okay?"
By handle this, she meant depositing Lena on a nearby balcony, occupied by a tiny child who was apparently home sick from school, staring awestruck into the sky while…well, she didn't suddenly take up death dropping from planes--something extra terrestrial with four arms and clearly no brain, was in the midst of a brawl with a man who was…entirely red from head to toe and that was just normal for this city she supposed. Kara set her gently to her feet, smiled wide at the little girl that seemed to be living her greatest dream getting to meet Supergirl in person, as the blonde woman intoned,
"This is Lena–she's the best. I need you to keep her safe for me inside now, okay?"
Ahh. Yes it likely wasn't the safest thing, being out on her balcony when…well Lena's private jet was now in pieces in the street below, and two–soon to be three–aliens duked it out in the sky overhead. Just where were this girl's parents?
"Don't worry Supergirl, she's safe with me! Hi! You're tall! And pretty! Can you reach the top shelf?" she wondered in rapid-fire as Kara ushered them toward the door before shooting off from behind them and the girl spared a look over her shoulder and a 'wow' before she pulled Lena into the apartment and toward the kitchen where yes. The top shelf was in her reach and she could and did in fact retrieve the chocolate covered shortbread cookies that had apparently been stashed out of range for their child's hungry hands. Lena nervously nibbled on the edge of one in the time it took the child to inhale half the bag while they kept an eye on the fight, her thoughts going a mile a minute even as she focused, first on three battle just outside the windows, and then on her phone streaming the news as Kara led the beast away, to a more open area where there was less risk of hurting innocents.
She didn't come to any real conclusion until it happened– she realized almost hadn't realized she…she didn't absolutely hate Kara for not disclosing the truth to her sooner, when relief flooded her when she heard the quiet thud of the woman landing on the balcony once more. Ugh. Why was it endearing, the sheepish smile and little wave she offered before the little girl–Molly, she'd rambled her name out eventually around a mouthful of cookie–rushed to let her in. Lena supposed Super hearing truly was real,
"Hey, thank you, Molly, for keeping Lena safe for me," Kara commended, kneeling before the girl, "that was super brave of you."
"All in a days work, Supergirl!" The girl chirpped cheerily.
Kara smiled, warm and genuine as she rested a hand atop the girl's head momentarily before she looked up at Lena.
The breath seemed to catch in Kara's throat, and she was on her feet and pulling Lena into her arms, carrying her in the blink of an eye before Lena could process what was happening, as Kara called over her shoulder, "thanks again, stay safe–lock up!" As she launched them into the sky.
"Kara!" Lena snapped, near screamed as she tightened the hold she'd automatically taken around Kara's neck, thoughts going a mile a minute trying to figure out what the hell-
"Shh, I've got you. You're hurt, my apartment is- there!" She breathed something of a sigh of relief like she'd taken off without getting her bearings and realizing just where she was in the sky's over the city, just looking for the first sign of someplace safe to…what? You're hurt , she said, but that made no sense.
At least it didn't until they were landed, safe and sound in Kara's apartment, and she caught her reflection. She'd…a red mark high on her cheek creeping up towards her temple which was sure to bruise, and it was hard to discern with her hair but there was dried blood on the side of her head like maybe she'd been struck with something upside the head. Oh. She had smacked it on the edge of the doorway when it flew open and she found herself being sucked out it.
"Where else? Crap–I should have checked before I left you-"
"Oh quite right, there was only an entire city to save," Lena drawled, and then she rolled her eyes, "Kara-" she stopped, something in her squirming and she suddenly felt ill and there…was a true chance it wasn't from a concussion, when she saw Kara staring her over intensely like she was examining her for broken bones, her hands, hands that could rend concrete and bend steel, were ghosting over her sides, trembling with her trepidation that she'd missed some grievous malady on Lena's person, and she faced that with more horror than a four armed airborne monster the size of a house. "I'm fine, " she insisted instead of whatever pithy remark her brain had autopilot toward and forgotten just as quickly.
Everything was well forgotten very quickly because Lena's brain short circuited in entirety when Kara's hands took hold of the top button of Lena's blouse and she met her gaze with quiet intensity, a mission-ready air about her as she quietly informed the human woman, "I'm going to take care of you, okay?"
Lena silently nodded, she began carefully, delicately and deftly unbuttoned every last button before she slowly pulled the blouse off of her shoulders for the brunette, her brow crinkled as she let out a whine-wrapped "Honey, Lena your shoulder."
Oh. Oh that hadn't hurt until her attention was drawn to it either but good God she'd been whipped around an airplane before being chucked into the sky and that did, apparently, leave a mark or two. Her shoulder was already turning purple, she realized she had felt a dull ache there but now it was something that smarted and thunked with the beat of her heart.
Her heart thunked harder as she found herself steadily stepping backwards, guided by Kara, the back of her knees meeting the couch–and before the human woman was finished sitting, Kara was gone and back from…some circuit around the room that had her appearing at Lena's side with an ice pack, glass of water, and two pain killers settled neatly between index middle, and middle and ring fingers of the hand holding the glass out to her.
"...thank you," Lena supposed she meant for…everything. For being honest, for…saving her, for this fuss, for loving her just…" for everything, Kara." She took the glass and the pills were dropped into her free hand, she took them swiftly and once she swallowed she offered "...if that is your real name." A jest but also she was admittedly curious.
Kara seated herself at Lena's side, offering the ice pack while her hand raised to brush Lena's hair from her face, peering a bit more at the stilled bleeding there before tenderly meeting Lena's eye. "My name is Kara Zor-El. Kara Danvers too," she promised. "They took me in. Kept me safe when I landed here. Alex, mom…dad. We were all family for real. Just-"
"You're adopted," she supposed. Kara nodded.
"Yeah. You know. Some people adopt from Russia or the Philippines and some…adopt from a recently destroyed planet from previously unknown parts of the galaxy," she offered lightly since Lena wasn't outright furious and humor might be welcome. But still, "I- Lena I've", her chin quivered, "I've wanted you to know, I swear. It- it wasn't to lie or hurt you but I- I mean there's been times I haven't even wanted Alex to know I'm Supergirl. My closest friends, my family, everyone I love I…I'm as careful as possible, bringing them in the know because it's just- it's so dangerous and you-"
"I'm a Luthor," Lena offered drily.
"Yes. No! Not the way you-" Kara let out a sound that said she was frustrated with herself "Lena if Lex knew you knew me. Me. Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin-" tears welled in Kara's eyes, "it would kill me if he did anything to hurt you because you- Lena I know you. I love you, and I would never- I knew that if I told you, you would protect me. Even if it means lying to Lex, even if that means he finds out and stops at nothing to get information on me or Kal."
"Well that resolve disappeared rather quickly," Lena sniped, something akin to shame fairing jn her when she realized she didn't mean it, that she was snapping against the open offer of I love you and not Kara…perfectly understanding the lengths Lena would go to to protect someone she…felt likewise for, even against her own brother.
"Because I trust you and when you said my name I- I know you know, and there's no coming back, I'm not about to gaslight you into thinking you've confused me for your best friend. So I'd rather have a hard talk, and make certain what trust you have in me can be saved and maybe you'll listen when I ask- when I beg that you please. Please keep this to yourself, unless you're in danger. Lena I don't care. I don't care if it's some random bankrobber holding you at gunpoint and demanding to know if you know Supergirl, or if your psycho brother is trying to plot my cousin's demise. You tell them whatever the hell it is they want to know and you get out of that situation safely and alive and I will handle it," she swore, confessing, "As long as you're okay, I can handle it."
Well then, maybe she was right. Lena did trust her, and her explanation…left nothing to be desired save…well, she certainly wasn't about to do anything short of safeguarding Kara's secret.
Lex could be damned and she never much went to the bank anyway–she hated the queue and that's what personal assistants were for.
She…she trusted Kara, and that hadn't changed. Loved her, more than she could say. But for now?
"Hey," lena breathed, raising a hand to Kara's cheek, and she promised, "I've got you."
A smile tugged at Kara's lips. "Really?"
Any diety that gave a damn, help her. Maybe it was the concussion, or the whiplash from the adrenaline rush, or the fog of battle she'd not even thrown a punch in…or maybe it was the utter relief of the trust they were extending to one another, the truth, in full, of just who Kara was and what she meant to Lena Luthor.
Lena leaned in, and felt the sharp intake of breath pass through Kara's lips as they were met with her own, gently kissing the "girl of steel", and melting when she was once again met in kind. Truth for truth, trust for trust. Kara's hand slipped gingerly into the hair at the back of Lena's head, returning her tentative test with warm enthusiasm.