Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

HONEY

  You can call me Honey if you want.

Chapter 1: it’s nice to have a Friend 

Lena was no stranger to putting on a smile and pretending to laugh at people’s jokes in the hopes they’d catch on and leave her be. That was not the case at today’s Tech CEO panel. Not at all. 

Sitting on stage, fielding tough questions from audience members? Piece of cake. Lena had been media-trained since she was seven years old.

Handling her male counterparts’ egos in front of hundreds of people? She’d been doing it her whole life. It was as easy as walking. 

Talking about L-Corp, her plans, and its current projects? Lena could do it in her sleep. 

Explaining why she was single and that she wasn’t interested in whoever wanted a shot with a Luthor? Not so easy.

In fact, it was especially difficult today. 

Maybe she was tired from the late-night missions, long hours in the lab, or early morning wake-up calls from Supergirl. She needed to ask Kara to stop showing up at her balcony at the crack of dawn with coffee in hand. Surely she could make a few more saves before she showed up.

“Ms. Luthor?”

She blinked and returned to the present. 

“I’m sorry. It’s been a long week. Will you excuse me?” she asked the tall blond in front of her.

“Only if you take my business card,” he said.

She didn’t want to take it, but he was basically shoving it into her hand. So she did.

“I’d love to keep talking, or go somewhere else and grab drinks,” the blond said, hope written all over his face.

She read the name on the business card.

“Luke,” she began. 

“Lena,” he replied with a boyish grin. 

“Listen,” she said quickly, trying to get a sentence out before he interrupted. “It was nice meeting you. We’ll see if our paths cross again.”

He deflated at the brush-off, and she quickly made her escape.

“Lena Luthor,” a familiar voice called out.

“Max,” she said, turning to brace for impact. 

“I saw you shrugging off Meta-Tech’s new it boy,” Lord said, an almost predatory glint in his eye.

“For my next trick, you’ll see me shrug off Lord Technologies’ has-been.” 

She made for the exit and flinched at the strong fingers wrapping around her arm.

“That’s no way to talk to me, now is it?” Lord whispered. “Princess?”

“Drunk already? It’s not even noon,” she said, putting on a happy face for the people who were certainly watching them.

“What can I say? You make me need something to take the edge off,” he said, loosening his grip.

“What do you want?” she asked.

“Oh, honey, you owe me,” he said, trailing his fingers up her exposed arm.

She froze, her heart racing as her eyes searched for a way out without drawing attention.

“I suppose I do,” she admitted.

Lord had given her a heads-up that Morgan Edge was going to steal L-Corp’s latest insulin pump plans and sell them to the government. That would’ve been devastating—not only for L-Corp’s image, but for hers too. She’d designed it to be an affordable device that would make life-saving medical care accessible to everyone. If the government came out with a Luthor-made device like that, it would’ve caused outrage across the country.

“Then how about a kiss?” he said.

“I’d rather not vomit in my nice dress,” she said, shoving him away.

“Dinner to loosen you up then,” he said with a smirk. 

“Fuck off,” she said over her shoulder. 

“Don’t be like that, honey,” he called after her, laughing. 

She made it as far as the hallway without being stopped again and was able to catch her breath.

“Bad day?”

“I’m not in the mood, Andrea,” she sighed, leaning against the wall.

“I’m not as bad as the animals in there,” Andrea said, swirling the wine in her glass. 

“Please, don’t start.”

“Don’t say that, hon—” 

“And don’t call me that,” she interrupted.

“Why not?”

“Because we’re not dating. We’re not sleeping together. We’re not even friends right now,” she said.

“We used to be friends,” Andrea said, stalking towards her. “We used to date too.” 

“That was a lifetime ago,” she said.

“Which lifetime was last month, when we slept together?” Andrea asked, her brow arched in challenge.

“Andy,” she pleaded.

“Lena,” Andrea said, softer this time.

She took Andrea’s wine glass and took a generous sip. 

“You’re seriously not in the mood?” Andrea asked, leaning in. 

She pressed a hand against Andrea’s shoulder, keeping some space between them. 

“Why would I be?” 

“Oh, I don’t know, cause we’re still–”

“Every time you’re nice to me, we end up in bed, and then I wake up to find out you leaked information or stole ideas or sold pictures of me to TMZ,” she snapped, slipping past her former ex-everything.

“Lena, wait, I’m sorry!” Andrea called out, her heels echoing in the hall.

Right as Lena reached for the door outside, Andrea stepped in front of her, blocking the doorway. Her heel wobbled, and she fell backward.

Strong hands caught her by the waist, preventing her fall. The softness behind her told her she’d fallen into another woman. Then came the scent. Ocean air, sugar, and lavender. Strangely familiar. 

“Oh, I see now,” Andrea said.

She was about to ask what she meant when she noticed two things at once.

One, she was still pressed against this stranger.

Two, this wasn’t a stranger at all.

“Kara,” she said, her cheeks warm.

“Hey. Thought I’d catch you here,” Kara said with a grin. 

She stepped away from her best friend.

“God, you two are gross,” Andrea said, rolling her eyes.

“Shut up, Andy,” she hissed.

Kara stepped back, her hands falling away from Lena’s waist. “Sorry, Andrea, I didn’t see you there.” 

“If you stopped eye-fucking Luthor, maybe you would’ve.”

Kara didn’t laugh, nor did Andrea. They both stood there in shock.

“I knew you had a new friend with benefits,” Andrea said, rolling her eyes and walking away.

Andrea disappeared into the crowd, but Lena’s heart kept hammering against her ribs. 

                                         ~~*~~

“So what did you say?” Nia asked.

“Nothing, we stood there like morons,” Lena said, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Laughter broke out. Lena’s story completely tickled all their friends, and they were not horrified at every turn like Lena had been earlier that day. Kara was the only sympathetic one.

“It’s not like we had to say anything. I mean, she couldn’t be further from the truth,” Kara said weakly. 

The laughter died down, and Lena wanted to smack her head against the table.

“Kara,” she groaned. 

“What?”

“They’re gonna-”

“You mean you and Lena aren’t lovers?” Nia blurted out.

“They’re fuck buddies, Nia,” Alex said with a smirk.

“You do look at Lena a lot,” Brainy said matter-of-factly. 

“Honestly, you’d be really cut-”

“Guys, enough,” Lena said sternly. “It’s been a long day, and I feel gross after being hit on by Lord.”

“I know the feeling,” Alex said.

“Go take a shower,” Nia said, wiggling her brows. “You know, if you feel so dirty.”

The two of them were on a roll, which meant she never should’ve told this story in the first place.

“We should go, so you and Kara can benefit from your friendship,” Alex teased.

“I’m literally your sister,” Kara said, her cheeks red. “That’s gross.”

“Yeah, you pervert,” she added.

Alex’s smile faded.

The door to Kara’s apartment opened, and Lena wondered if she’d ever catch a break.

“What’d I miss?” Maggie asked, leaning down to kiss Alex.

“Kara and Lena are sleeping together,” Nia said.

“Fucking finally,” Maggie said, plopping down beside Alex. “Pay up!” 

“Pay— we’re not— I hate all of you,” she said, getting off the couch and escaping to the kitchen.

The jokes continued for a minute before Maggie asked who won bar trivia. She felt her before she heard her.

“Sorry about them,” Kara said from behind her.

“Hey, I chose to tell the story,” she said, closing the fridge and turning to the counter.

Kara took the wine bottle from her and refilled both their glasses. Then she grabbed a much smaller bottle from above the fridge, uncapped it, and added two drops to her own drink. 

“Super long day, huh?” Kara asked.

She shook her head, not realizing she had been staring.

“I should get a wedding ring,” she murmured.

“Did I miss the part where you got married?” 

“Maybe it would help keep people from hitting on me,” she said, accepting her now full glass. 

“You think a ring would stop Lord?” 

“God, no. I’m talking about normal people with morals.” 

Kara shook her head and leaned against the counter. 

“So, what do you think?” she asked. “Ring or no ring?” 

Kara tilted her head to the side like some golden retriever.

“Do you want me to be supportive or honest?” 

She groaned and took a long sip of wine. 

“Aren’t there special dating apps for billionaires?” Kara asked.

“No,” she said automatically. “Well, yeah, but I’m not looking to date.” 

“You don’t say,” Kara smirked and swirled her glass around before she took a sip. 

“Don’t be mean,” she complained.

“Can’t you have your bio say you’re looking for someone to take to work events only? You know, like that movie Holidate?” Kara said.

Maybe she was tired, but the more she thought about it, the less insane that sounded. 

“Wait, that’s brilliant, Kara.”

“It is?” Kara asked, her eyes already glassy from her alien-powered wine.

“Except I don’t need an app. I already have the perfect date,” she said.

“Who?” Kara asked, a little crease appearing between her brows. 

“This tall blonde I’m friends with who’s already used to saving me from bad situations,” she said, hoping Kara would go for it.

“Me?” Kara yelled before wincing.

Luckily, the group was in an animated argument about whether or not Alex cheated during trivia at the bar.

“Andrea already made an assumption, so we could kinda just…” She waved a hand vaguely between them. 

Kara raised her brows at her.

“Unless you don’t want to, or if it would be weird or something,” she said.

“It’s a little weird, but it’s not,” Kara trailed off in thought.

She slowly sipped her wine and hoped she didn’t look as mortified as she felt.

“You know what, I’m in,” Kara said. 

“Wait, seriously?” 

“I’m already going to the gala to report on it, and we usually hang out at these events anyway.”

“You’re amazing, you know that?” she said. 

“You tell me all the time,” Kara teased.

“Guys! Nia doesn’t know the difference between the UK, Europe, and Britain,” Alex said, getting their attention.

“Oh my god, you didn’t know Manhattan was an island? Sorry, I don’t know everything!” Nia responded.

She and Kara looked at each other before making their way back, happy the attention was off them. 

Later, when everyone was drunk and ready to call it a night, they headed home. They piled into her town car. Frank already had their addresses saved. They made their way through the city, dropping Nia and Brainy off first.

As the car slowed to a stop, Alex turned to Lena.

“You didn’t deny it,” Alex said.

She and Maggie shared a confused look.

“Deny what?”

“Kara,” Alex said, as though that explained everything.

It took her a moment for the dots to connect.

“There’s nothing to deny, Alex,” she said immediately.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes! We’re friends. Best friends!”

“Sure about that?” Maggie asked.

“Of course I am. Any other kind of relationship between us would be…” She hesitated. “Absurd.”

“If you say so,” Alex said, unconvinced.

“You’re hot, she’s hot,” Maggie said as she opened the door.

Alex slid out first, and Maggie followed.

“You know Kara would keep the creeps away,” Maggie said before closing the door.

The silence lingered until the partition rolled down a few inches.

“It’s been a long day,” Frank said.

“Longest ever,” she replied.

“Home?”

“Please and thank you,” she said with a tired smile.

Frank nodded, rolled the partition back up, and pulled back onto the street.

The fifteen-minute ride almost lulled her to sleep, but she managed to keep her eyes open long enough to take the elevator to the penthouse, strip, and fall into bed.

                                         ~~*~~

A persistent tapping woke her up. It sounded like a bird pecking at the glass. After a moment, the tapping stopped, and she drifted back to sleep. 

The door to her bedroom creaked open, and she shot up, reaching for the watch on the nightstand, her finger hovering over the panic button. 

“It’s me!” Kara said, hands up in defense, eyes on the ceiling.

“Kara, what the hell?” she groaned in relief.

“Sorry, you’re usually awake by now,” Kara said, her eyes still glued to the ceiling.

“I pushed my morning meetings back. What are you staring at?” she asked.

“It’s more what I’m not staring at,” Kara said, her face flushing as she pointed toward Lena. 

She was going to ask what the hell that meant when she realized, far too late, that she was naked. She yanked the sheet up to her neck. 

“I thought you were an intruder,” she muttered.

“That’s fair.”

“You can look now,” she said.

Blue eyes met hers, a strange sort of awkwardness setting in.

“I, uh, I brought coffee, but I’ll go,” Kara said.

She was mortified. For some reason, she threw on her silk robe and chased after Kara. 

“Wait, stay,” she said.

“No, I totally crossed a line by barging in,” Kara said, her cheeks pink.

“You have the code for a reason. I think a wake-up call would be nice,” she said, starting to reach for Kara before thinking better of it. 

“I’m sorry,” Kara said, her eyes on Lena’s forehead.

“It’s okay,” she said. “Give me five, and I’ll meet you on the balcony.” 

Kara nodded and was gone in a flash. 

She locked both her bedroom and bathroom doors behind her. 

Her cheeks were still red, and her hair was frizzy and tangled. She washed her face, brushed her teeth, and put her hair up into a clip. 

It was silly, but she peered around the door before stepping fully into the bedroom. She threw on a simple black dress before going to find Kara. 

The blonde’s foot was tapping nervously, her gaze focused on the city. Lena cleared her throat and sat across from Kara. 

“Hey,” Kara said, sliding the coffee cup across the table.

“Hey.” She accepted the cup and took a sip. 

“Sorry about barging in earlier,” Kara said.

“It’s fine. Honestly, it’s a wonder you haven’t seen me naked yet,” she said before her brain caught up with her mouth. 

Kara choked on her drink and waved Lena’s concern off.

“I mean…” She rubbed a hand over her face. 

What the fuck did she mean?

“You caught me by surprise,” she said.

“We can pretend it never happened,” Kara said.

“What happened?” she asked, feeling relieved.

Kara laughed quietly.

“Do you actually want me to go to the gala with you?”

“Yeah, unless you’re having second thoughts,” she said.

“No, no, just making sure,” Kara said.

“We should coordinate what we’re wearing.”

“I was going to raid my closet,” Kara said with a shrug. 

She must have made a face, because Kara arched her brows.

“You don’t like that idea?” 

“No, I do; it’s—never mind,” she said, wondering what on earth was with her today.

She lasted another minute before blurting it out. 

“I’ll send something for you to wear.”

“Is there any point in me arguing?” Kara asked.

“Nope.”

“Alright, fine,” Kara said with a shake of her head. 

                                         ~~*~~

“Jess, can you get Violet on the phone before my meeting?” she asked through the intercom.

“Right away,” Jess said.

After she and Kara had shared the most awkward morning in the world, she was happy to escape to work. Then she’d sat through meetings with the board and the heads of R&D. All of them were convinced they knew better than the CEO of L-Corp. 

She sighed and closed her laptop, already drained after her first two meetings of the day. Her phone rang, and she picked it up.

“Violet, how are you?” she asked.

“You’re calling me five hours before an event I’ve already fitted you for,” the old seamstress said.

“I have a favor to ask of you,” she began.

“Little Lena,” the woman sighed, though Lena could hear the smile in her voice.

“I know you love a challenge, but this should be fairly easy for you to pull off.”

Ten minutes later, Lena thanked Violet and hung up. She checked the time before grabbing the folder Jess had left on her desk. Meta-Tech. She’d barely skimmed the first page when a knock sounded at her office door.

Jess poked her head in.

“They’re here.”

Lena straightened her blazer and headed for the conference room.

“You’re even more beautiful today, Ms. Luthor,” the tall blond man from yesterday greeted her.

“I didn’t expect us to meet again so soon,” she said.

“Luke,” he said with a smile. “This is Tyler, my associate.”

“Luke,” she repeated with a tight smile. She shook his hand and Tyler’s before deliberately sitting on the other side of the conference table.

“We have the VP of L-Corp, Samantha Arias, joining us on Zoom.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Sam greeted, her image filling the screen. “We’ve all been watching Meta-Tech’s impressive rise.”

“Thank you. We have the minds and the tech, but not the labs or the resources you do,” Luke said, smiling at Lena.

“We’d like to partner with L-Corp,” Tyler said.

“What’s in it for us?” Sam asked.

Luke launched into a presentation about their latest prototypes and expansion plans. Tyler took over when the conversation turned to funding projections and manufacturing timelines, while Sam questioned nearly every number on the screen.

Lena mostly let them talk, chiming in whenever she wanted clarification. The proposal had potential, but every answer seemed to raise two more questions.

“I think we could do great things together,” Luke said, turning his attention back to Lena. He punctuated the sentence with another wink.

She ignored it, keeping her eyes on the presentation.

Forty-five minutes later, she closed the conference room door and frosted the glass for some privacy.

“What the hell?” she asked, sitting back down at the table and looking at the TV.

“Did he come here just to flirt with you?” Sam asked.

“I honestly hope so, because that was a waste of my time,” she said.

“You said you met before?”

“Yesterday, after the panel. He was bolder then.”

“Yikes, that’s annoying.”

“Tell me about it.”

“You could go out with him. He’s totally your type,” Sam said with a smirk.

“He is not!” she said, rolling her eyes.

“He’s tall, lean, cute, blond.” Sam’s smile got wider. “Is that not your type?”

“My type is tall, dark, and handsome. You know that,” Lena said, narrowing her eyes.

“Oh, right. You only like blonde women.”

“I-what?” she said. “I’ve never dated a blonde.” 

“Huh, maybe you should try it out,” Sam teased.

It took a moment, but it clicked.

“Alex told you?” she asked.

Sam didn’t even try to hide her grin. “Of course she did.”

“Oh, fuck off.” She busied herself gathering her things.

“Relax, I’m teasing you,” Sam said.

“There’s nothing to tease me about.”

“I know,” Sam said.

Lena narrowed her eyes.

“You and Kara have chemistry. I’m sure that’s what Andy picked up on.”

She fussed with one corner of the folder in her hands.

“Sam,” she warned.

“What? I’m not saying she’s right, but I can see why people might get the wrong idea,” Sam said.

The thought lingered longer than she’d have liked. She shoved it into a tiny box before it had the chance to grow into something else. 

She stared at the screen, willing Sam to take the hint. 

“Fine,” Sam said after a moment. “I’m done.” 

“Thank you.” 

“I hope you have a plan for tonight, because you know how Andy gets when she wants something,” Sam said. 

“Of course I have a plan,” she said.

“Lena, Lab C needs your attention,” Jess said, popping her head in. 

“Good luck,” Sam said.

“Bye,” she said, waving to the screen before slipping out, leaving Jess to clear the conference room. 

                                         ~~*~~

She pulled up in front of Kara’s building with a knot in her shoulders and the beginnings of a headache. Her driver got out and waited for Kara to appear. When Kara reached the car, he opened the door for her.

She watched her friend approach through the tinted windows and had to admit she and Violet had done wonderfully.

“Thanks, Frank,” Kara said, sliding in beside her.

“You look gorgeous,” Lena said, eyeing her up and down.

“You too,” Kara said with a blush.

She listened as Kara rambled about her day while they crossed the city. Her hair was tied up in a loose bun, blond curls framing her face, and her glasses perched on her nose. The navy chiffon dress suited her perfectly.

Lena wasn’t entirely sure what Kara was talking about anymore. Something about Nia. Or maybe an interview.

“Lena?” Kara asked, waving a hand in front of her face.

“Sorry, what?”

“We’re here,” Kara said, looking amused.

“Oh, right.” She slid out of the car and took Frank’s hand to steady herself on her heels.

They fell into step together. It was like any other gala, except this one featured large portraits of Lena and the four other CEOs around the room. She hated these things and had only agreed to the panel because she was the only female CEO.

“Drinks?” Kara asked.

“Please, but cut me off at three,” she said with a smile.

They made their way to the bar, where Kara ordered a club soda with lime and a martini. Lena thanked her as Kara handed over the drink and took a sip, hoping it would help her get through the night.

“Get this,” Kara said.

“What?” she asked, the vodka ice-cold on her tongue.

Kara claimed one of the standing cocktail tables near the edge of the room.

“Alex asked Maggie to move in, right?”

“Right.”

“But Maggie goes, ‘I thought we were already living together.’”

“Oh my God, what!?” she laughed.

Maybe bringing Kara had been the right call after all.

They chatted for what felt like an hour before the fun ended. Lena finished her second martini just as their peace was interrupted.

“Keira, how odd to find you with Lena Luthor.”

Cat Grant stalked toward them like this was the jungle and she was the queen.

“It’s Kara,” she muttered.

“I know,” Cat said, setting her empty glass on their table.

“Ms. Grant, I didn’t realize you were coming,” Kara said.

“I thought it’d be fun to remind everyone who runs this town,” Cat said, looking amused.

“I thought Supergirl ran this town,” Lena said.

Kara pursed her lips to hide her smirk.

“So you two are... well, something,” Cat said, studying them. “According to Ms. Rojas.”

“Friends,” Lena corrected.

“Mm-hmm. She said that too,” Cat said.

“We’re friends,” Kara said quickly, shooting Lena an apologetic look.

“It’s nice to hear that,” Andrea said, appearing out of thin air.

Kara blinked. “No, that’s not what I meant.”

Cat looked between the three of them and smiled like a Cheshire cat.

“Let me buy you a drink. You know, as a friend,” Andrea said, holding out her hand.

Kara blinked between the three women. Lena, meanwhile, stood there like a statue.

“What will it be, Ms. Luthor?” Cat asked, enjoying this far too much.

“I, uhm... well,” was all she managed to choke out.

“I’ll give her back in one piece,” Andrea said, resting a hand on Lena’s lower back as she guided her across the hall.

Kara shot her another apologetic look.

“Vodka martini with two olives, right?” Andrea asked as they approached the bar.

At least Andrea remembered her drink. Reluctantly, she clinked their glasses together and took a sip. She was well on her way to getting drunk, which honestly seemed like a good idea right now. 

“So you aren’t sleeping with her?” Andrea asked.

“She’s my date tonight.”

“She was invited as media,” Andrea said evenly. 

“That doesn’t mean she can’t be my date.”

Andrea gave her a look that said she wasn’t buying it.

“You’re awfully defensive about someone who’s supposedly just a friend,” Andrea observed. 

“Andy,” she said with a sigh.

“What? I’m curious.”

“You’re nosy.”

“You like that about me,” Andrea said. 

“Not particularly.”

Andrea smiled into her drink. The silence stretched between them.

“Why did you bring me over here, Andy?”

Andrea’s gaze drifted back toward Kara.

“I wanted to talk to you. Alone.”

Lena frowned.

“About what?”

“Giving this another shot.”

“Giving what another shot?”

“Us.”

She let out a short, humorless laugh. 

“There is no us,” she said softly.

Andrea’s expression barely changed. If anything, she looked even more determined.

She reached out, tucking a lock of dark hair behind Lena’s ear. Her nails grazed Lena’s cheek before her hand dropped away. 

“You hate these events, and so do I. They’re stressful and exhausting.” 

“Yes, and the sky is blue,” she snapped.

“I’ve always been able to help you unwind,” Andrea said.

“I told you that was the last time,” she whispered.

“It doesn’t have to be.”

“I don’t trust you,” she said.

“Come home with me, Lena.”

She shook her head and tried to inch away from her ex, but her back hit the bar.

“You know we’re good together,” Andrea said.

“No, we’re not.”

“We are in bed,” Andrea countered.

Lena looked away. She hated that Andrea wasn’t wrong. It was the only thing they’d ever been good at.

“You know where I live. You have my number,” Andrea said.

Before Lena could answer—

“It’s time for dinner,” Kara said, making her jump.

“Think about it,” Andrea said before walking away.

She and Kara took their seats, and she was relieved to find only acquaintances at their table.

“You okay?” Kara asked.

“Yeah, fine. Why?” she asked, setting her empty glass down.

“That conversation seemed a bit tense,” Kara said.

She only hummed in reply. The vodka made it hard to focus. The lights dimmed as servers began setting plates in front of them, cutting off the conversation. She could feel Kara’s eyes on her, but after a moment, her attention shifted to the stage.

Having Kara by her side did nothing to ward off the unwanted attention. Not the kind looking to get her into bed, but the kind that made her skin crawl. The kind where older men commented on her body while their wives stood beside them, watching her with quiet judgment.

Dinner came and went in a blur of speeches and applause. Kara spent part of the evening talking with reporters about her latest story, leaving Lena to fend for herself.

She tried to make polite conversation but soon found herself trapped between three men, each trying to outdo the others while pretending to care what she had to say.

It took three attempts to excuse herself. Every polite refusal seemed to invite another question, another compliment, another attempt to keep her there.

By the time she finally escaped, she’d turned down invitations for drinks, dates, and one particularly bold offer to continue the evening at a hotel.

She spotted Kara across the hall and crossed the room before anyone else could stop her. Taking Kara’s hand, she pulled her through the nearest door.

“Please don’t leave me alone like that again,” she said, still holding onto Kara’s hand.

“Wh—are you okay?” Kara asked.

“No,” she admitted, letting out a shaky breath. “I feel like I have a red A on my chest.” 

Concern flickered across Kara’s face. 

“I’m sorry, Lena.” 

“It’s not your fault.” 

“I won’t leave you on your own again,” Kara said, opening her arms. “Promise.”

She stepped into the hug, resting her forehead against Kara’s shoulder. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

“No one sees me,” she mumbled.

Kara’s arms tightened around her.

“I see you,” Kara said softly.

She tightened her grip around Kara’s waist. 

“Let’s go,” Kara said, releasing her.

“We should stay for the closing speech,” she said, stepping out of her orbit.

“Who cares?” Kara said, offering her hand.

Lena slipped her hand into Kara’s.

She caught Andrea’s eye as they left and hoped the image of them walking out hand in hand would be enough to dissuade her.

                                         ~~*~~

Boots landed with a soft thud. Lena would never tire of seeing Supergirl on her balcony with a big Belly Burger bag in her hand.

“Hungry?” Kara asked, stepping into the office.

“Starving,” she admitted, pressing the button on her desk that frosted the glass wall of her office.

People didn’t need to know Supergirl was inside eating lunch with her.

Kara unpacked the food before unclipping her cape.

They sank onto the white couch with matching sighs. 

“Long day?” Lena asked.

“Cat is trying to set me up with this guy from the office, and also her son,” Kara complained. “Oh, and some boomer screamed at me for saving him from getting hit by a car.”

“Sounds rough,” she said, reaching out and patting Kara’s arm.

“I’ll survive,” Kara said, sitting up and flashing a smile.

“I’m sure you will, Supergirl,” she teased lightly.

They ate and talked about nothing of substance.

“Sorry about the other night,” she said.

“What? Why?” Kara asked.

It was something Lena was still getting used to seeing. The cape lay forgotten on the floor. Despite the suit, she was just her friend, Kara. 

“Well, our plan didn’t work, and I yelled at you for it,” she said.

“I totally left you to fend for yourself. I deserved to be yelled at,” Kara said.

“Still, it wasn’t your fault,” she said.

“I’m still sad you had a bad night. The whole reason we went together was so you wouldn’t feel...” Kara trailed off.

“Like an object?” she offered weakly.

Kara’s face was far too sincere and far too understanding.

“I’ll survive,” she said.

“Next time, I’ll do better,” Kara said.

“Next time?”

“I was hoping you’d come with me to CatCo’s summer block party,” Kara said with a sheepish grin.

“I’m not sure a room full of journalists is my scene, let alone a whole block,” she said.

“Oh,” Kara said, biting her lower lip. “Never mind then.”

“Hey, I’m kidding. Of course I’ll go with you,” Lena said.

“You don’t have to. It’s not like it worked,” Kara said with a tight smile as she got to her feet.

“Maybe we just need to try harder?” 

“What do you mean?”

Lena glanced down at her hand before looking back up.

“I mean, clearly we can’t simply show up in the same car and expect people to believe we’re together.”

Kara laughed and bumped their shoulders together. 

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Kara said.

“It wasn’t a complete disaster, you know,” she said, eyes on her crumpled wrapper. 

“It wasn’t?” Kara asked.

She thought about the gala. About Andrea. About the endless conversations she couldn’t escape. Then she thought about Kara taking her hand and leading her out.

“No,” she admitted. “Not completely.”

“So you’ll come?” Kara asked, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. 

“Of course I will.”

“You’re sure?”

“Someone has to keep Cat Grant from setting you up with every man in National City,” she said.

Together, they cleaned up lunch before Kara clipped her cape back on. A minute later, Supergirl disappeared into the summer sky. 

                                         ~~*~~

Lena tapped her fingers against her leg as she waited for Kara to get back from the bathroom. She still wasn’t entirely sure why Kara had to leave the room to change. Before she’d added the nanotech, hadn’t Kara said she actually changed clothes the normal way? Wasn’t she fast enough to change in the blink of an eye? She filed the question away for another time, when she wasn’t so preoccupied.

“Sorry that took so long,” Kara said, closing the door behind her.

“No worries, you look good,” she said without thinking.

“Oh. Thanks. You too,” Kara said, putting her work clothes away. 

She hummed in response. Kara did look very good: a navy skirt, a tucked-in light blue T-shirt, and her golden-blonde hair tied back in a ponytail, wisps framing her face. It suited her perfectly.

“Do you still want a minute alone before we go?” Kara asked.

“Oh, right,” she said, getting to her feet. “This is about us.”

“Us?” Kara repeated quietly.

She winced. That didn’t sound quite right, even though it wasn’t entirely wrong.

“I’m your buffer today, right?” she asked, brushing invisible lint from her blouse.

“Right,” Kara said.

“I think if we want this to go better than last time...”

“Do a better job?” Kara offered.

“Yeah, exactly,” she said.

They shared a small smile.

“We have to be more convincing.”

Kara tilted her head, her brows scrunching together. “How?”

“For starters, maybe we should act like we’re not just friends at an event together,” she said.

“Like, uh, holding hands and stuff?” Kara asked, her cheeks turning pink.

Warmth crept into Lena’s chest.

“Yeah,” she said, unable to hide her smirk. “That’s a good place to start.”

“You take the lead,” she said. “I trust you.”

“Okay,” Kara said.

Kara cleared her throat.

“Shall we go?” Lena asked.

“Definitely,” Kara said with a small laugh, shaking her head.

The elevator ride down was slightly awkward, but Lena nudged Kara’s shoulder and flashed her a smile. 

“Remember,” she said as they made their way through the lobby, “don’t leave me alone for too long.”

Kara grinned. “I got your back, Lena.”

“I know,” she said.

Nia was on them the second they stepped outside. Lena lowered her sunglasses before she went blind. Kara stepped a bit closer, but didn’t touch her. It was only Nia.

“I just met Ms. Grant’s son,” Nia said.

“Oh?” she asked.

“He’s cute, but there’s something about him.”

“Something good?”

Kara and Nia gave her identical looks. 

“He’s nice enough, but he basically ghosted me last time,” Kara said, a slight frown on her face.

“Oh, so you two tried dating before?” Lena asked, suddenly interested.

“No, we went out a few times, then he and Ms. Grant kind of put me in the middle of their family stuff, and then he disappeared. Ghosted me and made Ms. Grant sad.”

“Looks like he’s back,” Nia said. 

“Cat’s still playing matchmaker?”

“Unfortunately,” Kara sighed.

“Don’t worry, she doesn’t have a very high success rate,” Lena said with a smirk.

“What do you mean?” Nia asked.

“I only know of one couple who dated because of Cat.”

Kara and Nia looked at her expectantly. She pursed her lips, wondering if she should continue.

“Clark Kent and Lois Lane, of course.”

Kara’s smile dropped.

Nia bounced on the balls of her feet.

Lena let the silence linger, enjoying the looks on their faces.

“There’s no way,” Kara said.

“Cat went after Clark, Clark was into Lois, and Lois became interested in Clark when Cat entered the bullpen,” she said, turning to Kara.

“I’m surprised you don’t know the story.”

“Gross,” Kara said, walking away from them.

She and Nia shared a smile before following after her.

“Oh darn,” Kara said, spinning around so quickly that Lena walked right into her.

“Sorry,” Kara murmured, slipping an arm around her shoulders.

Lena opened her mouth but was interrupted.

“Keira, there you are.”

Lena didn’t hate Cat Grant, but she didn’t enjoy their meetings. Once was enough, but twice in a week was enough to test her Luthor indifference. 

Cat’s eyes darted between them before she let out a strange laugh.

“Hi Ms. Grant,” Kara said.

“Oh, Keira, you have a funny idea of a plus one,” Cat said, glaring at Lena.

“You did say I could bring someone,” Kara said.

“Yes, and you brought a Luthor. Bold.”

“Lena’s more than a Luthor,” Nia said before going pale as a ghost.

“Oh, sure. The good apple from the rotten tree,” Cat said, rolling her eyes.

Nia slowly inched away before making her escape.

Wimp.

Cat hardly seemed to notice the people around them, let alone Nia leaving. Her gaze stayed fixed on Lena and Kara, on their closeness, on Kara’s arm draped over Lena’s shoulders. 

Cat didn’t have to say a word. Lena knew exactly what she was silently asking.

“I’m Kara’s date,” Lena said.

“Date?” Cat asked, sounding thoroughly unimpressed.

“Are you unfamiliar with the word?” she asked, pushing her sunglasses onto the top of her head. “Been that long, Kitty?”

Cat scoffed and gave Kara one last look before abruptly leaving. They watched her blend into the crowd.

“Jesus, she’s in rare form,” Lena muttered, finally letting out the breath she’d been holding.

Kara let out a quiet laugh.

“I’ve worked with her for years, and somehow she still scares me.”

“Supergirl is afraid of some tiny blonde?”

“No, but Kara Danvers is.”

Lena looked up at her. Kara still hadn’t moved her arm.

Around them, people drifted from booth to booth, music carrying faintly down the street.

“Your eyes are really pretty.” She winced. “I mean, blue.” 

Kara blushed.

“What’s with you?” Nia asked.

Lena reluctantly tore her gaze away from Kara.

“Cat happened. Coward,” Lena said, shaking her head with a smirk.

“Yeah, way to stick together,” Kara said, squeezing Lena’s shoulders.

“I’ll buy you an ice cream later,” Nia said.

The three of them made their way down the block. It was packed. There had to be close to seven thousand people here. All four blocks surrounding CatCo had been closed to traffic. Food trucks, vendors, and entertainers lined the streets.

It was the event of the summer, at least for the media and press. CatCo led in ratings, physical sales, and online presence. Not all of it was exactly hard-hitting news. Still, they had a reputable business and finance section, and with Kara taking over science, CatCo was quickly becoming a company of substance.

Kara had a gift for making people feel comfortable. Scientists who stumbled over every interview somehow relaxed around her. She could take a conversation full of technical jargon and turn it into something anyone could understand without talking down to them.

“You okay?” Kara whispered in her ear.

She startled slightly, having forgotten how close Kara was.

“It’s a bit hot.”

Kara nodded and led them through the crowd, her arm still around Lena as she chatted mindlessly. Lena only half-listened, more aware of the looks they were getting than whatever Kara was saying. Between rebranding Luthor Corp, her family’s notoriety, and the court appearances, she’d long since gotten used to people staring.

Strangely, it didn’t feel as intense today. Maybe Kara was acting as a physical shield. Or maybe the sight of her arm around a Luthor took the edge off. Maybe people were just confused. Whatever the reason, walking through the crowd felt slightly more tolerable.

“Kara!”

A guy with a square jaw and light brown hair jogged toward them. Kara tensed before dropping her arm from Lena’s shoulders.

“That’s Adam,” Kara whispered before straightening up and putting on a smile.

“Hey, I’ve been looking for you,” Adam said.

He had a boy-next-door look that didn’t quite fit him.

“I’ve been here,” Kara said. “With Lena.”

Adam’s gaze drifted slowly over her. 

“Lena Luthor,” he said, almost as a question, but more like an accusation. 

“Cat Grant’s son,” she replied calmly.

“Adam, this is Lena, my…” Kara looked at her in a panic.

“Girlfriend,” she said, holding out her hand.

“Girlfriend?” Adam repeated.

He awkwardly shook her hand, his touch light, as if he were afraid to touch her.

“My mom didn’t say anything.”

“Cat knows a lot, but she doesn’t know everything,” she said lightly, a fake smile on her face.

“I didn’t realize you two were together.”

Lena slipped an arm around Kara’s waist. There was a flicker of surprise on Kara’s face before she pulled her closer.

“You didn’t say anything the other day,” Adam said. 

“Yeah, well,” Kara said, rubbing the back of her neck. “It’s still kind of new.”

“Is this because of last time?” Adam asked, turning toward Kara, his voice too sweet to be genuine.

“It has nothing to do with that.”

Adam still looked unconvinced.

“Kar, I’m hungry,” Lena said, loud enough for Adam to hear.

“Guess we have bad timing,” Adam said with a frown.

She didn’t like this guy. She liked the way he was looking at Kara even less.

“Enjoy the party,” Kara said as Lena pulled her away.

“You okay?” Lena asked as they slipped into the first line they saw.

Kara let out a nervous laugh. “Yeah, I’m good.”

How she managed to keep her secret identity, Lena would never know.

“Sorry about the girlfriend thing,” Lena said.

“Don’t be,” Kara said. “We agreed to it.” 

Relief settled in her chest.

“Can you see if he’s still watching?” she asked quietly.

Kara slowed just enough to slip an arm around Lena and pull her into a quick hug.

“Yeah,” she murmured against her hair. “He is.”

Lena let out a quiet sigh.

“Put your hands on my face.”

Kara pulled back just enough to look at her.

“What?”

The request suddenly felt much bigger than it had a second ago, but Lena ignored the nervous flutter in her stomach.

“Just trust me.”

Kara hesitated before lifting her hands to Lena’s cheeks, her palms warm against Lena’s skin.

“Now act like you’re going to kiss me,” she said, quiet enough that only Kara would hear.

Her eyes widened, and Lena had to fight the sudden urge to take the whole thing back.

“Use your hands to cover our mouths. From a distance, it’ll look real.”

“He’s still watching.”

“Then don’t overthink it,” Lena whispered.

Kara drew in a steadying breath and leaned in. Warm breath tickled Lena’s nose. Then the warmth was gone.

“Told you that’d work,” she said, watching Adam walk away.

Kara’s cheeks were still pink, a smile she was clearly trying to hide tugging at her lips. 

“Come on. I think I’m getting a sunburn,” Lena said, taking Kara’s wrists in her hands. Kara’s pulse fluttered beneath her fingertips, matching her own.

“How do you know how to do that?” Kara asked, gently pulling one wrist free.

“I have experience,” Lena said vaguely, her fingers twitching at her side. “I’ll tell you about it when we’re not here.”

Neither of them seemed in much of a hurry to move despite standing in the middle of the walkway, forcing people to go around them.

“They have Korean corn dogs!” Nia called, appearing out of thin air.

Kara cleared her throat and stepped back. Lena did the same, trying very hard not to think about how close they’d just been.

“Coming!” Kara called.

They caught up to Nia, and before long the three of them had fallen back into easy conversation. Lena found herself wishing she’d had a few more minutes alone with Kara. Even if things had been weird between them, she’d enjoyed it. 

Nia worked her way through a corn dog covered in batter and tiny potatoes with sugar sprinkled over the top.

“You have to try one,” she said.

“Absolutely,” Kara said without hesitation.

She was somehow even worse, trying every strange combination she could find. Sweet. Spicy. One covered in noodles. Another stuffed with cheese.

Lena laughed and shook her head. “You’re impossible.”

Kara only grinned and took another bite. 

She was less adventurous, settling on a bottle of water and a basket of fries. No one stopped them after that, and she wasn’t about to complain. By the time they found somewhere to sit, the afternoon sun was beating down on them. Everyone around them was fanning themselves or gulping down ice water. 

“Can you not look so happy while I’m melting?” Nia asked, dabbing her face. 

“Sorry, I like the sun,” Kara said.

“You don’t say,” Lena said with a smirk.

Nia and Kara turned to look at her.

“Whoa,” Nia said.

“What?”

“You’re, uh, red.” Kara winced. 

“Didn’t you put on sunscreen?” Nia asked.

“Yeah. Why? Is it that bad?” she asked, pulling out her phone.

“Shit,” she muttered at seeing herself on screen. Her nose was red, and there was a line across her face.

“I’m sure we have sunscreen around here somewhere,” Kara said, already looking around.

“It’s fine.” Lena ducked her head.

“I think I saw some by the games,” Nia said.

“There’s a tent by the Ferris wheel.” Kara pointed in the opposite direction.

“Split up?” Nia suggested.

“Sure.” 

“Did you want to come with Kara or me?” Nia asked.

“Oh, I kinda have to go with Kara.”

Nia raised an eyebrow.

“I have to ask her something.”

Kara came back to the table, looking between them. Nia seemed to really look at them for the first time that day, but she didn’t push.

“I’ll call you if I find anything,” Nia said before heading off.

They wandered through the festival and almost ran into a few people they knew, but for the most part everyone left them alone. The longer Lena stayed outside, the more the heat wore on her. Sweat gathered at her temples, and each step felt slightly harder than the last. 

Every so often, Kara glanced her way, but never said anything. Lena pretended not to notice, scanning the rows of tents instead. Sunscreen. Water. An umbrella. Anything to get out of the sun.

Her eyes landed on a table that looked promising.

Kara’s grip tightened around her hand.

“Come on.”

“Wait, I think I saw something.”

Kara didn’t answer. She kept weaving through the people. She was either worried about Lena or trying to avoid someone. Eventually they broke free of the crowd, and relief washed over her.

Her foot caught on a wire and she stumbled forward. Kara spun around and caught her by the waist. Before Lena could apologize, Kara guided her into the shade until Lena’s back met a cool cement wall. 

“Sorry, I think the heat is g—”

“Andrea is here,” Kara whispered.

Lena blinked.

“She’s with William.”

Kara finally looked at her. One hand stayed at Lena’s waist while the other came up to cup her cheek.

“She’s watching us.”

“...Oh.”

“She thinks you’re pretending to be with me to avoid her.”

Lena huffed out a laugh. “Well, she’s not wrong.”

There was a flicker of something in Kara’s eyes before she shook her head.

“Andrea and I used to play games like this in boarding school.”

“What kind of games?”

“The whole frenemies-with-benefits thing,” she admitted.

The shade helped, but not by much. Heat still clung to her skin, and Kara standing this close wasn’t helping. The woman practically radiated warmth.

“You’re sleeping with her,” Kara said with understanding.

She nodded.

“But you don’t want to anymore?”

“We’ve always been good at the benefits part.” She let out a quiet breath. “It’s everything else that’s the problem.”

“Everything else?” Kara asked, her brow creasing. 

“She’s always been jealous of me.” Lena swallowed against the dryness in her throat. “Ever since she came back, she’s been leaking information to the press and my competitors. Information she’d only know if we were,” she trailed off. 

Another wave of heat rolled over her. She closed her eyes for a second. Kara’s hand tightened slightly at her waist.

“Is she still here?” she asked.

“Unfortunately.”

Lena resisted the urge to look. A second later, Kara leaned in. 

“Is this okay?”

“Yeah,” Lena whispered.

The kiss landed awkwardly on her cheek, pulling a tiny laugh from her. 

“Cute,” Andrea said.

Lena sighed and leaned back against the wall. Beside her, Kara whispered an apology before turning around. 

“Can we help you?”

“No, but Lena can certainly help me,” Andrea said, her hands on her hips.

“Lena’s busy right now,” Kara said, stepping fully in front of her.

“Busy doing what? Being a terrible actress?”

“What are you doing here anyway? This event is for the media and their families.”

“William invited me,” Andrea replied.

The conversation kept going, but she couldn’t quite follow it anymore. The heat pressed against her from every direction. Her jeans suddenly felt two sizes too small. Water. She needed water. Or shade. Or to rip the denim off her legs.

“Are you okay?”

She blinked. Kara was standing in front of her again, both hands wrapped gently around her arms.

“I’m a little hot,” she whispered.

“Darn it,” Kara muttered as she guided her toward a bench. 

She sank onto it, brushing the damp strands of hair out of her eyes as Kara crouched in front of her. 

“I can cool you down. I just need to get rid of your annoying ex,” Kara whispered. 

“She needs water,” Andrea said.

Kara didn’t move.

“Why don’t you go get some?” Andrea said.

“I’ll be fine,” she murmured.

“Two minutes, okay?”

“She’ll be fine,” Andrea said.

Kara gave her one last look before disappearing into the crowd.

“You actually don’t look too good.”

“I felt fine before you showed up,” Lena said. There wasn’t enough energy behind the words for them to sting.

“So what’s with you and her?”

“What’s it look like?”

“It looks like you’re playing pretend,” Andrea said. 

Lena scanned the crowd, hoping Kara would be back soon.

“One second you think Kara and I are dating, then you don’t,” she sighed. “I don’t know what to tell you.”

“How about the truth?”

“I don’t want to be with you.”

“I’m not asking to braid your hair,” Andrea said with a grin. “Just sleep together.”

Sweat trickled down the back of her neck. The red creeping across her arms was impossible to ignore now. She wasn’t in the mood for this conversation.

“Come on, Lena. I know you want to.”

“I’m not sleeping with you. You’re the enemy.”

“That’s what makes it fun.”

“We have different ideas of what fun is,” she said, moving her hair off her neck. 

Lena closed her eyes for a second. Everything felt too hot.

“You know I’m right,” Andrea said, shifting closer. Her hand hovered over Lena’s thigh before settling there. 

Lena stared at it for a second. She should’ve pushed it away. Should’ve said something. But all she could think about was cooling down. Maybe that’s why she didn’t move when Andrea leaned in. Maybe that’s why she kissed her back for one brief second. 

“What the heck?”

The voice made her jump.

She lurched to her feet, stumbling before a hand caught her arm.

“Kara, I—she—” she stammered.

Andrea stood slowly, looking entirely too pleased with herself.

Kara stared at her. Andrea smirked and turned to Lena. 

“I have a pool,” she said. “Call me.”

Lena watched her walk away. 

“We should go.” 

Lena nodded and moved to follow, but the ground shifted beneath her. 

“Shoot,” Kara muttered. She glanced around before bending down and lifting Lena into her arms. 

Cool air rushed over Lena’s skin, stealing away some of the heat clinging to her. She squeezed her eyes shut and held on tighter. She hated flying, but right now she was grateful to be leaving.

“Lena.”

She opened her eyes.

“Where are we?” she asked as her feet found solid ground.

“Some empty floor Winn and I used to use,” Kara said, looking off.

She handed Lena the water, then set the hat on her head and pressed the sunscreen into her hand.

Lena took a few careful sips and sighed at the relief.

“Thanks,” she muttered. 

“No problem.”

“You okay?” Lena asked, leaning against a desk.

Kara glanced down at her phone and typed out a quick message. Lena sighed and rubbed sunscreen over her face and arms, trying to ignore the lingering heat. 

“What happened back there?”

“I don’t know,” she said.

“Really?”

“She kissed me,” Lena admitted. “And I let her.”

Kara studied her for a long moment. Lena couldn’t tell what she was looking for.

“So... I guess we don’t need to do this anymore.”

“Do what?” she asked, feeling the sweat on her skin begin to dry.

“You know,” Kara said quietly. “Pretend.”

She brushed her hair from her eyes, trying to figure out what Kara was talking about.

“If you’re with Andrea, you don’t have to pretend.”

“I don’t want to be with her.”

“You don’t?” Kara asked, her brows scrunched together.

“No.”

She shook her head and sat beside Lena. “Right, makes perfect sense.”

Lena nudged her shoulder. “William is cute.”

Kara side-eyed her. 

“You don’t think he’s attractive?”

“It doesn’t matter if I think he’s attractive or not. I don’t like him like that,” Kara snapped.

“Alright, my bad,” she said, holding up her hands in surrender.

“Sorry.” Kara sighed. “I hate that everyone acts like I should want to be with him because he showed a little interest.”

“Sounds familiar,” she said dryly.

Kara huffed a laugh. 

“I thought you wanted to be with Andrea because you kissed her.”

“Fair assumption.”

“But you don’t want to be with her?” Kara asked. “Or you know you shouldn’t?”

Lena smirked. “Now you’re getting it.”

“You should work on that, you know.”

“What?”

“You’re playing with fire,” Kara said. “You can’t act surprised when you get burned.” 

“Alright, smart ass. I get it,” Lena said. “She has some sweet moments, and there’s familiarity, you know? I’m human. I get stressed, and I get tired of being alone all the time.”

“Some sweet moments don’t seem worth how she usually treats you.”

She looked away first.

“I know, and I am trying to keep my distance. But I get lonely sometimes.”

Kara reached for her hand. “I get lonely too.”

“The difference between us is that you don’t sleep with your enemies.” Her joke fell flat.

Kara opened her mouth, then closed it again.

“Toxic relationships are the only ones I’ve known, but I’m trying to change,” Lena said.

For a moment, she wondered if she’d said too much.

“You shouldn’t have to settle for that,” Kara said quietly.

“I know you think that.”

“I do.” 

Sunlight stretched across the empty office floor. Kara looked down at their joined hands before letting out a quiet breath. Lena picked at the hem of her shirt, unable to meet her gaze. 

“The truth is, I do like William.” Kara let go of her hand, twisting her fingers together. “If this were a few years ago, I might’ve even gone out with him.”

“But you don’t want to?” 

“No, if we go on a date, I might want to go on more,” Kara said.

“That’s bad because?”

“Because then I’ll have to lie to him, and the more I lie, the more guilty I’ll feel. I can’t do that again.” Kara glanced back at her.

“Then tell him the truth when the time feels right,” Lena said.

“And put him in danger?” Kara asked. “I can’t do that, and I-I won’t lose another person I love.”

“Oh,” she said quietly. “I see.”

Kara looked back out over the city.

“Yeah.”

They sat in silence. Somewhere below, a siren echoed through the streets.

“I like how things are now,” Kara said with a shrug. “I have enough friends, and I might get lonely, but I’m not alone. I wish people believed me when I said I like being single.”

“I get that.”

“How is it for you? I mean, I know why you don’t want to go out with Lord or Andrea, but what about everyone else?” Kara asked.

She leaned back against the desk and gripped the edge to steady herself. 

“I’m used to being used for my connections, but it’s different when they want me.”

“What do you mean?” Kara asked, coming to stand in front of her.

“People don’t want me because they think I’m attractive. Not really.” 

“That I don’t believe,” Kara said.

“When they ask me to dinner and try to sleep with me, it’s not because they think I’m attractive. It’s because of my last name. People want to experience me, then they get to say they did, like I’m some prize,” she said bitterly.

Kara frowned at that but didn’t interrupt.

“I’m more than my name, but people don’t seem to care,” she sighed. “They don’t see me as a person, and that’s what I hate the most.” 

Kara gently pulled her to her feet and opened her arms. 

“I’m sorry people suck,” Kara said. “It’s their loss for not getting to know you. Because the Lena I know is funny, smart, and so kind.” 

“I don’t know about that,” she muttered, resting her head on Kara’s shoulder.

“I think you’re beautiful, Lena, inside and out,” Kara said with enough conviction that Lena didn’t have the heart to argue. 

Her throat burned with words she wanted to say out loud but couldn’t. Kara seemed to understand anyway and simply hugged her tighter.

“I wish people saw me the way you do,” she whispered. 

They stayed there wrapped up in one another for a long time. She probably would’ve stayed longer if it wasn’t for the buzz of Kara’s phone. 

“Fly you home or walk?” Kara asked.

“We don’t have to leave,” she said, lifting her head. 

“I don’t want you passing out.”

She stepped out of Kara’s arms and put a smile on her face. 

“It’s a work event,” she said. “You should be there.” 

“We can go to your place or mine. Those are the options, Lena.” 

Kara’s phone buzzed again. 

“Frank is already outside,” Kara said, gathering their things.

“What do you mean?” 

“I texted him.” Kara took her hand and led her toward the stairwell.

Lena sighed but followed. Thankfully, Kara kept the pace to a human one, and it was only a few floors to the ground. 

“I think we should date.” 

Her voice echoed in the space. She had no clue where the words came from, only that she hadn’t been able to stop herself from blurting them out. 

Kara blinked helplessly at her, and her chest tightened. 

“You think what?” Kara asked, stopping with her hand on the door. 

Heat rushed to her face.

“Pretend!” she corrected quickly. “Pretend we’re dating, but for real.” 

Kara tilted her head.

“Pretend for real?”

Lena pushed through the door, heat washing over her the second she stepped outside.

“You know, so people leave us alone.” 

Lena focused on Frank waiting by the car as they made their way over. Once they were inside, the cool AC helped calm her nerves, but only slightly. 

“I don’t need an answer right away, just think about it.”

Kara bit her lower lip as she thought it over.

“I don’t need to think about it,” she said as they drove away from the curb. “It’s a good idea. It helps us both, and we already spend most of our free time together anyway.”

“Wait, you actually want to do it?” Lena asked, wondering why that had been so easy.

“Well, we’ll have to do a better job than we did today, but yeah, why not?” The corner of Kara’s mouth twitched.

“So, do we have a deal?”

Lena held out her hand, and Kara instantly shook it. 

“We have a deal.” 

“It’s a pleasure doing business with you, Ms. Luthor.” 

“You too, dork,” she said, grinning back at Kara. 

If someone had told her that morning she’d end the day with a fake girlfriend, she would’ve been surprised. If they’d told her it would be Kara Danvers, she would’ve laughed in their face.