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“Move the board meeting on Monday to Tuesday please, I also need to get in touch with Miss Heatherman to discuss the potential donation for the fundraiser and-” Lena's orders were interrupted by a heavy cough and she barely had time to swipe a tissue and cover her mouth. From the corner of her peripheral vision, she could see Jess looking at her pitifully and worriedly. Her secretary had tried to urge the CEO to take rest when Lena Luthor arrived at the company with tired looking eyes and a handkerchief covering her mouth.
“Miss Luthor-” Jess had started to protest, witnessing the state Lena was in, but Lena quickly cut her off.
“I am fine, Jess. I need these files delivered to Mr Sinclair and-” another cough wrecked her body before she could continue- “and a Caesar salad for lunch. From the usual place.”
Lena knew she wasn't fine. She didn't remember the last time she felt this sick. Her whole body felt like she got hit by a truck. And one time, she almost did get hit by a truck when someone was trying to get rid of her.
“That will be all, Jess,” she dismissed.
Jess looked like she wanted to say something but just took the files and trotted out of the office.
She sighed at the list of documents that needed checking out. First, she needed water. Her throat was starting to feel unbearably dry. She shuffled to a shelf and grabbed the jug of water.
Lena Luthor was not clumsy. She was always poised, elegant and sophisticated.
But that Lena Luthor was nowhere to be seen right now because somehow the entire jug of water slipped from her hand and crashed onto the floor.
Lena yelped and within ten seconds there was a soft gust of wind from the balcony and the familiar hero with the blue and red suit was already walking towards her.
“Are you okay?” Supergirl asked.
“I…”Her brain didn't feel alert enough to figure out why Kara was here.
“I heard a crash and your yelp and your escalated heartbeat. So I thought…” Supergirl trailed off to see the water and broken pieces of glass on the floor.
“Oh.” Supergirl realized her best friend simply dropped a jug of water. “Here, let me get it.” She swiftly gathered all the broken, jagged pieces with her bare hands.
“Thanks,” Lena muttered.
“No worries.” Supergirl then regarded her with a worried look. “Are you okay though?”
“I am fine.”
The response was automatic by now. But she clearly wasn't fine and they promised not to lie anymore. So, Lena shook her head. “I am not, actually. I think I am catching a bad cold.”
As if on cue, she sneezed into her hands.
“Hang on, I will be right back.”
Supergirl was out of her sight in a blink of an eye but she was back as quickly as she left. “Was throwing the glass away safely,”
she explained.
Supergirl then gently stepped forward and placed a hand on Lena's forehead.
Despite the paradox of Lena's whole body aching and feeling numb, she still felt the softness of Kara's hand. Despite her mind feeling so sluggish, Lena wondered how Kara's hands were always so gentle.
The same hands that had punched multiple villainous aliens, the same hands that had held burning objects, the same hands that had bent steely metals...they were so soft.
“You are hot,” Supergirl mumbled.
Lena managed an amused smirk. “Thank you for the flattery, darling. I most certainly do not look hot right now but that's very nice of you to say.”
“I-err-I mean you are burning, Lena! Your skin. You have a fever!” Kara stammered.
This time, a bemused chuckle escaped past Lena's lips. Sometimes, Kara was still the same flustered, stuttering woman she met in her office a few years ago.
“You should be resting,” Kara added.
“I know,” Lena said with a sniffle. But I have so much to do.” She coughed into her cupped palms.
“There's just so much to do, Supergirl.”
“Lena, you need rest. It's a Saturday too. Please take the day off?"
Lena sighed. “Supergirl…”
“I will fly to all your favorite restaurants to pick up your comfort food and we will watch movies and just rest. Let's make it a quiet Saturday? Just us. Not the superhero. Not the reporter. Not the CEO. Not the scientist.”
Lena really was going to protest. But she loved quiet days with Kara. With Kara being Supergirl and Lena being the CEO of a multi billion company, quiet days were rare.
And Lena missed being just Lena around just Kara.
“Okay,” she whispered.
“Yeah?” Kara asked, already brightened up a little. “Fantastic. Anything you need to do before we fly?"
"Fly?"
“Yeah, is that not okay?” Supergirl asked, tilting her head.
“I am afraid I might puke halfway. I don't think I will be able to handle the speed of your flying too in this condition.”
“Okay, you can call Terrence then. Your driver.”
“I know who my driver is, Supergirl,” Lena chuckled.
“Right, right…” Kara grinned sheepishly. “So, I will see you at your home.”
With that, Supergirl flew away.
__
Lena arrived home to the sight of Kara wearing her ebony apron and cooking something. Soft singing filled the kitchen alongside simmering noises. The whole view was so domestic that it tugged at Lena’s heartstrings.
“What are you making?” Lena asked, taking a seat at one of the stools, making her presence known. With propped elbows on the counter, she regarded the blonde with curiosity. Seeing Kara cooking or baking was a rare sight. The last time Lena remembered the blonde attempting to bake something as a surprise for Lena's birthday, she ended up setting off the smoke detectors. She had arrived at Lena's place later on with pastries boxes from France, a pout and the story of her failed surprise gift idea.
Kara spun around. “Lena, hey!” She had already changed into casual clothes. Her glasses were discarded somewhere though, allowing Lena to fully look at those blue eyes that she had started to love more than she thought she would.
“Since you are sick, I wanted to make a homemade dish for you. Chicken noodle soup! It's almost done! Just waiting for the noodles to get tender. Oh and all your comfort food from your restaurants are ready too.” Kara happily gestured at the ton of takeout bags laid on the counter.
“Aww, how sweet of you. And promise me you won't set off any smoke detectors?I am not sure I can handle that right now, darling.”
Kara's expression turned sheepish for a second. “I won't! I am not that bad at cooking!”
“Sweetie, you once burned canned tomato soup. All you had to do was pour the soup from the can and heat it in the pot.”
“There was a cat stuck in a tree! I had to go help! Let's not bring up the past and focus on the present? Yes.” She clapped her palms once. “Now the soup is almost ready. Go change into your comfy clothes and I will prepare the living room for our ultimate cozy day.”
__
Lena came out of the bedroom wearing a big T-shirt displaying a cartoon penguin waving and blue pants matching the shade of the penguin. Kara was setting up the dishes on the coffee table with Netflix already open on the huge flatscreen TV. When the blonde looked up, a beam took over her face. “Hey, you are wearing my T-shirt.”
Lena nodded. “Yeah, you keep leaving it here. I think it's mine now.”
Kara just gave a cheeky shrug. “It looks better on you. That's why.”
If Lena’s body did not feel like shutting down, she would have swooned. The flirting had become their new thing, Lena noticed. Sure, they have always exchanged flirty quips and teases but the number of exchanges seemed to have increased the past year. Lena would have pondered more about it but the comfort of her couch and the fluffy blanket Kara had brought were too tempting so Lena took a dive to the welcoming comfort.
There was a box of tissues on the table and a wastebasket next to the couch too.
Lena smiled and felt a rush for gratitude to have someone like Kara in her life.
Kara settled down next to her. Lena shared half of her blanket even though Kara did not need it. But they always shared one anyway. “Alright, Miss Luthor, what's your choice for the Great Viewing Party of Kara and Lena?” Kara grabbed the remote and offered it to her like it was a piece of ancient treasure. Lena laughed and then ended up coughing. She had to hastily snatch a piece of tissue and proceeded to cough and wipe away some of the leaked snot. Lena was sure she looked horrible. But Kara was still looking at her…in a way Kara had always looked at her. Lena couldn't pinpoint what it was but Lena was sure it was something only from Kara.
“Good thing I won't infect you with all of this,” Lena said, gesturing at herself, at the state she was in.
“Hmm, I still would have come to take care of you even without the yellow sun.”
Lena did not know what to say to that, to the amount of love Kara was giving. So, she grabbed the remote back and started browsing through the list of shows and movies. “Is there anything you want to watch, darling?”
Kara shook her head. “You choose, I will be okay with anything.”
Lena raised her eyebrow. “Anything?” She purposely landed on a Chucky film to tease the blonde. Something close to fear flickered across Kara's face but she quickly hid it. “Yup, anything! If you want to watch a murderous bloody film on our supposedly cozy day then of course!”
Lena laughed. “I am just messing with you, Kara.”
“No, it's fine, really. We can watch that Chucky film.”
“Kara, you are not fooling anyone. How about this?” Lena clicked on the “A Dog’s Journey” movie. They have watched the first film together and they both ended up having tears streamed out of their eyes.
“Oh boy, should I go get more tissues?”
She was gone in the blink of an eye and back in another blink of an eye with more boxes of tissues. “Let the movie begin!”
__
Of course, they both ended up crying again. Lena had to be careful not to let the tears drop into the chicken noodle soup. The soup Kara made plus the spring rolls from one of her favorite restaurants made Lena enjoy eating again. This morning, she could barely finish her plain bagel and coffee.
Kara used her super speed to clear and clean half of the empty boxes and plates on the table while Lena searched for what to watch next. And that's how Lena’s day continued. Food, movies and Kara.
The blonde used super speed to get anything Lena needed; medicine, a glass of water, more tissues. Lena had, at first, insisted that she was capable of standing up and fetching the items herself.
“I know you are but I want to take care of you.”
It was new to her. Letting herself be fully taken care of by someone else. Lena’s memories of her loving mother had become hazy and Lillian certainly hired a nanny or a nurse whenever Lena got sick. She did not remember the last time she was this cared for.
They watched and watched until the sun had fully set and the time for dinner started coming around. Once again, Kara insisted on handling everything while Lena rested on the couch. Lena considered protesting and at least helping a little but she ended in a coughing fit before she could voice her protests. And she decided maybe it was for the best that she stayed on the couch. She would have ended up coughing all over the food that Kara was setting up on the table. The TV was given a rest f after they both decided they needed a break from the screen.
The pill for her fever she had taken earlier had worked its effects. She needed a change of clothes though as her current T-shirt got soaked with sweat. Lena had thoughtlessly grabbed a T-shirt from the top of the folded pile and she did not realize it was another one of Kara’s clothes until she put it on and the T-shirt was a little too big for her. But she liked the comfort it gave so she decided to keep it on because Kara didn't mind at all. Some of Lena's clothes had unofficially moved to Kara's closet too.
Kara smiled to Lena wearing something of hers once again. Lena took a seat at the dining table which was already covered in food. Kara plopped onto the seat across hers and handed Lena the utensils.
“I bought that kale salad you loved so much.” Kara placed the bowl in front of Lena with a scrunched up face. “I don't know why that's one of your favorite foods, Lena.”
Lena waved a forkful of the leafy greens around. “It's amazing. Try it.”
“Nope. I am good with my mozza-pizza.”
“The what?”
Kara grabbed a few mozzarella sticks, spread them out on the slice of pizza and rolled it and bit it like a burrito. Lena shook her head. “You are adding more cheese to the already cheesy pizza?”
Kara nodded, chewing just a little bit swifter than the average human. She swallowed and grinned. “My motto in life is the cheesier, the merrier. Oh and chocolate pecan pie is the best after a cry.”
Lena laughed and Kara beamed in response.
Dinner passed by with Lena eating and listening to Kara talk animatedly about all the stuff that had happened at work. Both the reporting work and the saving the city work.
“And then just when I thought the robbers would be smart enough to stop shooting at me already, one of them threw their crowbar at me. A crowbar, Lena! The bullets didn't work! Why will a crowbar?!”
“The new intern at work kept stealing my donuts. The first time, I turned a blind eye. I figured hey, maybe it was an honest mistake? But noooo. It kept happening and when I confronted him he said that it was him falling asleep at work and that the whole taking food thing was done by him sleepwalking. Can you believe it, Lena?!”
“The alien that was smashing around cars downtown? So it turned out he just wanted to get my attention and ask me out. I was like dude? Seriously?”
At that part, Lena had to quickly wipe away the frown that came. She felt an uncomfortable squeezing in her chest but she ignored and tried to focus on the carrot cake. They had finished their meals already and now the two of them were enjoying dessert.
“Were you, are you…” The awkward stuttering question was out before Lena could fully realize what she just said.
Kara blinked. “Was I…?”
Lena wondered if she could make up an excuse like needing to vomit in the bathroom to avoid finishing that sentence. She sighed internally. Kara probably would have been listening to her from outside out of worry. Or even be in the bathroom herself too and hold back Lena's hair. She had no choice but to finish it. A part of her was really curious about it anyways.
“Are you interested in dating?”
Kara looked astounded at that question. “In him? No way! He was like destroying properties just to talk to me? That's so crazy.”
“No, I meant…” Lena looked down at the cake. “Are you interested in dating again in general?” She looked back up, hoping her face was casual about it. Kara was allowed to date of course. Someone kind, amazing, brilliant like her Kara deserved someone equally kind, amazing and brilliant. She ignored a pang of sadness at the thought of someone else having something that she had with Kara and more.
“Oh.” For the first time since they both started their cozy day, Kara looked serious and contemplative. “It's umm complicated.”
Lena furrowed her eyebrows. “How so?”
Kara started unconsciously cutting the carrot cake into pieces with her fork. “I am just, well, I am just not focusing on anyone new, you know? I just want to focus on the people I love and already have in my life.”
Lena nodded in understanding. The phone rang, saving them from the new atmosphere that had enveloped the space.
“Hang on,” Kara said as she headed back to the couch to go fetch her ringing cell phone.
“Hey, Alex.” A few seconds pause. “ Yeah, I am at Lena's.”
Kara came back to the table and sat down at her seat again. “Are you sure? I can drop by-”
Whatever Alex interrupted her with made Kara winced. Lena continued to eat the remaining carrot cake.
“Alright, alright!” Kara exclaimed. The call ended a few seconds later after both of them said their byes.
“What is it? Are you needed? You can go, Kara. I will be okay alone.”
But Kara shook her head. “The opposite actually. Long story short, Alex said that I better keep staying here.”
Lena wasn't exactly expecting that firm order. Before she could ask why, even though she loved Kara staying here, Kara beat her to talking.
“Hey, wanna play Scrabbles afterwards?”
Kara shot her a mischievous grin. “Winner has to pay for dinner next week.”
“Oh, game on.”
__
It was a tie.
They would have kept going but the meds Lena took was starting to make her feel drowsy and after the tenth yawn, Lena finally decided to stop resisting the sleepiness. The clock read five minutes past nine when Lena had finished changing into her pajamas and doing her nightly routine in the bathroom.
Kara was cleaning the dishes in the sink when she heard Lena behind her. “You will be staying over, right?”
Kara finished the last of the cleaning and turned around. “Of course, unless you want some space.”
At that Lena chuckled and rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “No. We are a married couple at this point.”
Kara felt her insides go warm. “I will be in the guestroom then!”
Lena looked a little conflicted at that. In the end, she nodded. “Okay, Kara, goodnight.”
Although Kara wondered if she had wanted to say something else.
“Goodnight, Kara.”
“Night night, Lena.”
After that, it was just Kara outside. She wandered towards Lena’s bookshelves and flipped through the cookbook recipes to see if there was anything else she could learn to make for Lena. She mentally marked page fifty seven, which was a recipe for red velvet cake, and put the book back into its slot. Her gaze landed on the fictional novel she was reading the last time she was here. The bookmark she used was still placed right where she left off and Kara settled into the couch to continue. Occasionally listening for Lena's heartbeat, she turned the pages until sleep started calling for her too.
She put the book back and settled into the bed in the guestroom. She listened to Lena's heartbeat again before she closed her eyes.
Kara has always been a light sleeper. She didn't know if it was because of her enhanced hearing or just her, but she often woke up easily. Therefore at four in the morning when she should have been sleeping through anything, her senses came alert when her ears picked her on mutterings and an escalated heartbeat.
It was Lena.
It only took a few seconds for Kara to be fully awake and swiftly strode to the other room.
The room was dark so Kara hastily adjusted the dimmer to see if Lena was okay. Lena was still sleeping but sweat coated her face and intangible mutterings escaped past her pale lips.
Kara quickly sped outside and came back with a bucket in case Lena would need to hurl.
“Lena?” she softly called out, putting the bucket aside.
More intangible mutters came out.
“Hey? Lena?”
Lena sluggishly opened her eyes. “Ka-kara?” she croaked.
“Hey, you okay?” Kara kneeled down next to the bed.
Lena nodded slightly with a groan. “Stupid nightmares…come whenever I am sick,” she mumbled, eyes already closed again.
“Oh, okay. Do you need anything?”
Lena shook her head but the movement was sloppy and Kara could tell she was already drifting back to sleep.
Still, Kara waited for a few more seconds before she started heading back to her room. She had just made the lights go out again when she heard a mumble.
“Just sleep here.”
Kara, uncertain if she heard it correctly, went back. “Hmm?”
Lena turned to the other side and patted the empty space next to her. Kara’s lips tugged up slightly as she gently got under the covers, careful not to ruin Lena’s sleepiness with fast movements.
Kare closed her eyes but she let herself listen to Lena's heartbeat as a comforting lullaby. Perhaps five minutes passed by. Or ten minutes passed by when Kara found herself sitting, hands placed on the blanket covered lap. One thumb tracing meaningless patterns on the other thumb, she took a soft inhale and started to speak in a tone that wouldn't have been audible unless the person was awake. “I should have told you this right after my phone call with Alex but I guess I am still not as courageous as I thought.” She smiled sadly for herself. “When Alex found out I was at your place, she told me that the team can handle the alien that escaped and I should be handling the thing that has been occupying my mind for the past few months. Alex knew something was up with me. I have been working a lot. More than usual. Maybe by big sister instinct, she figured it out. And she said I should tell you without delaying it furthermore.”
Another soft inhale before she continued.
“I promise I will say this again to you when you are awake, Lena. We promised no more secrets, didn't we?” She glanced down at Lena. “I think,no, I know I fell in love with you, Lena. At some point in our lives.” She waited to see if there was any shift on Lena's face. There wasn't.
Kara exhaled and stared ahead. “And it scared me at first. Not because I don't want to be in love with you. It's just, you are different, Lena. Unlike all the previous guys I had liked or loved, they were just friends. But you? You are my best friend. The person I would and had tried to change the timeline for. And I love having you back more than anything. So, I was afraid of losing you again if my feelings caused a rift between us.”
She lied back down and shifted so she was facing Lena too. “Tomorrow morning I will tell you,” she whispered before closing her eyes and letting sleep take her away again.
___
Kara’s eyebrows were scrunched in full concentration as she focused on making sure the pancake would not burn. After a flip, she let out a celebratory cheer as the side of the pancake showed the perfect condition. She added it to the big stack of pancakes.
She heard the light footsteps before she heard the voice but she still beamed when Lena spoke.
“Morning.”
“Lena!” Kara turned around with her last mini tower of pancakes. “ I made breakfast! And how are you feeling?”
“I am better and wow that's a lot of pancakes.”
Kara nodded. “Well, these are the banana pancakes with a lot of berries on top. And this pile here is the classic butter and maple syrup. And this one is just plain for you to add anything you want or to just eat it plain.”
Lena’s lips shifted upwards and she took a seat, still wearing Kara’s clothes. But Kara could tell she had already freshened up because Lena always tied her hair into a bun whenever she washed her face and brushed her teeth in the mornings.
Kara slid into the chair across Lena and waved her fork around as if it was a magic wand. “Dig in!”
But Lena didn't yet, the fork in her hand mindlessly prodding the stack of syrup drizzled pancakes set in front of her. “I remember asking you to sleep with me last night.” A light shade of red spreaded across Lena’s cheeks when she realized how that sounded. “And the next, I don't remember if it was a dream or not.” Lena bit her lower lip thoughtfully before she looked up at Kara.
Kara felt her heart do a nervous and excited jolt. “Yeah?” The earlier cheerful tone was gone, replaced by a slightly breathless one.
Lena nodded. “You said…you have feelings for me?”
And there it was. It was out now.
Kara felt her own heart rate picked up. She didn't dare to listen to Lena’s. This was it. She would not make the mistake of hiding something big from Lena ever again. So she spoke, truthfully.
“I do, Lena. I don't know when I did but I fell in love with you.”
Blue eyes met green eyes. Kara let go of the fork in her hand before she broke it out of nerves tinged with anticipation. “I was going to tell you today. You beat me to it by a little.” She let out a nervous chuckle.
Kara watched Lena process this and she wondered if this was the part where Lena would say she didn't feel about Kara that way. That she just wanted to stay as best friends.
“I have feelings for you too.”
It was spoken so softly, barely a whisper. But Kara heard it like it was the crashing of ocean waves. She stood up from her seat so abruptly that the chair almost toppled over. Striding over to Lena's side, she plopped onto the chair next to Lena’s. “You do?” Blue eyes seek for green eyes once again.
Lena nodded and shyly took Kara’s hand in hers. “I do.”
Kara, again, heard the words like crashing waves but it wasn't violent. It was a triumphant roar. “You do.” Not a question this time. A repeat from joy and disbelief.
“Yes, I do, Kara,” Lena answered, looking down shyly. “For months now. But I just wasn't sure if you would want this to be something more-”
“I want it to be. I want everything that has got to do with you.”
Lena smiled and Kara knew it was because she could hear the truth from her words.
The moment was cut off by a customized emergency ringtone from Kara’s phone. Kara glanced at the screen that lit up with the notification.
“Need to put on the cape?” Lena asked.
Kara nodded. “I will be back.”
“Go, Supergirl.”
And she loved the way Lena said it. She remembered the time Lena had said that name with distrust and wariness. Now, it was with love and admiration. She loved how far they have come and how much further they will go.
With one last quick “I will be back!”, Kara activated her Supersuit and leapt out of the window. Flying to the location Alex summoned her, she couldn't help but think about how she would be coming back to Lena's place later. With a big bouquet of flowers. Maybe she would take Lena to Paris as a date. Or maybe to Greece. Or maybe to the new Japan restaurant at the end of the street. They could also just have a quiet day at home like yesterday. Kara couldn't helped but smiled, knowing that there would be more quiet days with Lena.