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Horrible...absolutely horrible. This was so much easier when they were younger. It was absolutely much easier when they were younger! Alex had interests that were so obvious and out there that she could easily go to a store, make something, or buy something online based off of her interests. It was that much easier. Granted, now, Alex wouldn't complain regardless. Just happy she would have gotten a gift- unless she had the right gift for her sister...she wouldn't be able to rest easily.
Her sister deserved so much, everything she wanted, for putting up with her like she did. For taking care of her like she did. For putting herself second like she did, because yeah. Alex did all of that and so much more. More than Clark did or ever could. She wanted something that told Alex, yeah Clark was Kal-El, but Alex was Alex. That was so much more important to her.
Not that Clark wasn’t, but unless he was in his fancy super costume- they could never really connect properly. Alex...was Alex. She overcame her bitterness for Kara taking over her life, becoming the spotlight, and loved her strongly. She could never compare the two but for whatever reason, Alex did often. She could see it when he was around.
So yes. Alex was the last person on her shopping list, and she had no clue what to get her this year. Last year she took her aside and showed her the constellation that she named after her sister. One that seemed non-existent, but to her, it was there. She’d also gotten her a signed book from one of her favorite authors, but this year she felt the need to...make is special. Something truly unique to her sister. She knew her sister liked guns, but she wasn’t going to buy one.
She tried for hours. Stores upon stores. She was almost certain she’d shown her face at every store National City had to offer. It caused her to let out a soft growl of frustration when she was on her own, walking back. Today was a bust so far. She’d have to- have to find something. Christmas was a few days away. Her fault for not buying something sooner. She’d had trouble with it all year.
Darn sisters! Why must they be so difficult to shop for!
With a groan, followed by a sigh, she stepped inside Noonan's stopping with a smile to hold open the door for an older woman with a cane. The woman stopped and thanked her with a smile. She could only let her smile grew wider before she stepped inside completely and let out a soft sigh, loosening the scarf around her neck.
She managed to loosen it to a point she was satisfied with before she let her eyes roam around. She needed an open table, she only wanted to be here long enough to grab a bite then go back outside and hope today wasn’t a complete failure! That would make it the worst day ever. Disastrous even! MAYBE she was overreacting, but darn it! She had the right. She felt like she couldn’t even do this one thing right.
Her eyes flickered across the crowd. There were plenty of tables, but most were taken. The curse of the holiday season. She spotted a woman at a table, with another that seemed to be so intimate, the rings on their fingers- she was certain they were a married couple. She smiled as she watched them fuss over a child in a car seat. Her head tilted. She wondered if that would end up being Maggie and Alex in the future...that would be cute. Her eyes flickered again and-
She paused, froze more like for a second at the scene in front of her. It looked a little...well an air of loneliness was present, as it always was, but the sun shone and despite eyes squinting at the laptop screen, a hand coming up to block it with a sigh. No use.
Dark hair was tied in a neat ponytail, hair swinging behind her as her head moved, red lips present against pale skin, and if you asked Kara its was just beautiful. Maybe Alex thought Lena could be a vampire, but the sight she saw was...well gorgeous. It was Lena. Lena Luthor. How could she not be beautiful and intimidating? Well, no matter what of course.
Before Kara knew it, she took a step towards Lena. She hadn’t planned on bothering her, but that one step caused Kara to think “why not?” so she decided maybe her friend could use a little company. She certainly didn’t deserve to be alone on a day like today. Or maybe Kara wanted her presence...
Regardless, she slowly walked towards Lena and tried to get her nerves under control because, Rao, her crush could be really ridiculous, meaning she made a fool of herself at ridiculous times. Even when it was meant to be something normal between them. Kara felt she had the ability to make a fool of herself regardless. It was ridiculous.
She came to a stop a few steps from the table and stepped directly into the sun’s light. Lena let out a sigh of relief and relaxed instantly, her eyes flickering to her screen for a moment before she finally looked up to see who it was and what they could possibly want with her. She was already forming an ‘I can give you nothing’ expression, but as soon as her eyes were on Kara her expression softened and she looked almost- grateful. She smiled. There was something so soft and warm in her eyes...it made Kara almost completely forget her troubled day.
She remembered they hadn’t spoken yet. Seconds passed.
“Uhm- hi,” Kara pulled a hand out of a pocket and waved awkwardly at Lena, who chuckled as if it was endearing.
“Hello, Kara, I’m surprised to see you here but it’s not at all unwanted,” Kara’s smile formed bashful but widely, it caused Lena’s own smile to brighten. She waited. Kara didn’t take a seat, “you can take a seat. Friends don’t need permission to sit with me, I’m not at L-Corp.”
Kara bounced on her heels for a moment before she took a seat. She seemed thoughtful, but the look was gone and replaced with her genuine smile. She pulled the scarf from around her neck and folded it on the table. Lena’s eyes flickered it, and her head tilted with a small smile. Of course...Kara couldn’t be anything but cute, and nerdy. The scarf was filled full of animated Disney characters.
Kara didn’t notice her eyes flicker to it, she was far too busy watching Lena’s smile to notice.
“Oh- I know! I just...” Kara chuckled nervously at her own words, “I didn’t want to impose on you. You looked um-” she motioned to the laptop, “-very...busy?”
Lena shook her head and instantly shut her laptop.
“Believe me, I’m not,” Lena paused for a moment before sighing and setting her arms on her laptop, leaning forward a little, “Christmas. It comes with needed breaks and such for employees. Unfortunately, there’s not much for me to do around the holidays.”
“Unfortunately?” Kara almost instantly regretted asking. Lena’s smile fell a little, she almost forced a smile. Kara frowned. Lena didn’t like the holidays? Christmas? “Lena I-” Lena shook her head.
“You’re curious,” a smile formed on the CEO’s lips at the reminder of that fact, “so it’s fine,” Kara nodded a little unsurely, Lena chuckled, “it’s just a difficult time of the year. The Luthors- my parents- they never really celebrated it. Just used it as a time to show off their perfect children. How successful I was as an addition to the family, how well they converted me into a Luthor.” Lena frowned.
It was actually...rather sad if she thought about it. She hadn’t given it much thought before. Lillian specifically, would order the biggest and most aesthetically pleasing tree. No one but those hired to dress it were allowed to touch it. She’d tried once, she had been caught and punished. There are still faint scars on her hands from it.
She and Lex would be dressed up. Smothered in clothes, presents, smiles, and honestly, it was nothing short of suffocating for her. She hated that fact. The idea of it now. She associated it with a suffocating emotion that at times, back then, nearly gave her a panic attack. That made the punishments so much worse. She’d nearly freak out. If Lex didn’t reach her before her parents did...
The presents were worse. She never wanted any of the, well, junk she received. She was forced to keep it, eventually, she managed to pick up the ability, to fake happiness that seemed real enough to her parents. She managed to fake a lot because of them. She didn’t know if she wanted to cry or laugh that she felt a little thankful for that.
Lena was pulled out of her thoughts by something warm and very soothing touching her cheek. Below her eyes. She blinked and looked at Kara. Her eyes were questioning but full of understanding. She wouldn’t question.
Kara’s palm was just barely touching her cheek, thumb catching stray tears and whisking them away before slipping to Lena’s cheek and rubbing her cheek in comfort. Lena let out a breath of relief and refused to question the action. Instead, she simply smiled and grasped Kara’s hand in her own, pulling it down to settle in front of them. She didn’t let go of the reporter's hand.
“You don’t have to apologize,” Kara interrupted Lena as she opened her mouth to speak, Lena gave her a small smile.
Silence grew.
Lena’s eyes fell onto the hand in hers, Kara allowed her to play with her fingers. Never questioning what the actions meant. She just let them exist. Lena wondered how much comfort could be given in such a small gesture, how Kara had become the one person to show her benefit of the doubt regardless of what she’d done, and the comfort she needed. Wanted. Without her having to ask.
Kara’s eyes stayed trained on Lena’s face. She watched the woman’s face flicker through different emotions. She watched her lips press into a thin line, flicker into a small smile, pressing back into a thin line. She watched her brows furrow several times. Yet, each time she felt Lena play with her hand, despite trying not to smile, she still smiled.
How alone was Lena? Had no one ever shown her compassion during the holidays? So far, she gathered, Lena wanted nothing more than to work until her hands were raw just to keep herself preoccupied. That, she thought, was sad. Especially on a holiday that was about family. Then again, that was the problem, wasn’t it? Family...Lena didn’t have any. Not that she claimed.
She wanted nothing more than to lean forward, kiss her forehead, and tell her she’d be fine. That she could reclaim the holiday. Kara, herself, didn’t care for the holiday either. Yet the festivities and meaning behind it had drawn her in. She loved it. Loved her family coming over and seeing her place decked out.
So why not introduce Lena to a new version of the holiday?
She wanted nothing more than to make her happy.
“Come home with me,” she instantly spoke, Lena’s head snapped up to her and gave her a questioning look. Normally she’d be nervous, try to correct herself, so she smiled, Lena didn’t stop playing with her hand, “Christmas is soon. I’d love to have you there with me.”
Lena slowly took in a breath before answering.
“I wouldn’t want to impose on you and your family. Relatives.” She knew the look on Lena’s face.
“Winn, James, even Maggie my sister's girlfriend will be there. J’onn, too. Mike,” Lena almost snorted, she remembered him, but listened to Kara, “Alex and Eliza will be there. I don’t-” her lips pressed into a thin line as she thought. Lena’s fingers paused on her palm before they slid around her hand, and squeezed in comfort, she smiled, “-I don’t have any blood relatives here that visit on the holidays. So it’s all adoptive, or people I’ve chosen as family.”
“And you want me there?” Lena questioned, Kara nodded enthusiastically, “It should just be all family. I-”
“And it will be,” Kara replied with certainty.
The reply shocked Lena. She felt emotional over it, almost instantly. She’d never even though- she hadn’t imagined...Kara must have known because she gave a bright smile that was impossible not to reflect on her face, and squeezed her hand, twisting her palm in Lena’s hands to entangle fingers. Lena didn’t let herself think about the motion.
“Alright...if you really want me to,” she smiled. Kara nodded and grinned, practically squealing, “why do you want me there?”
Kara smiled.
“Because I think out of everyone, you’re the one who belongs the most.” Lena blinked. “Just don’t tell Alex I said that.”
Lena couldn’t stop smiling the entire day.