Chapter Text
Lucy Lane is carefully and artfully fluffing up her Scandinavian-styled pillows (that she’s pretty sure she paid too much for) when she hears a knock at her door. For a second, she freezes, wondering that if she pretends she’s not home, the visitor will go away. The knocks refuse to cease, though, and she grumbles as she drops her pillows, wondering who would dare interrupt her private interior decorating time.
She opens up her door and gets a face full of succulent (not a euphemism). She steps back to see the potted plant being held in the arms of a stunning, cheery-faced blonde woman, whose eyes are so blue that Lucy wonders for a moment if they’re fake.
“Hey, neighbor!” the woman greets. “I just moved in across the hall from you, and I thought I’d give you a housewarming gift. For my housewarming. Wait – is that how this works?”
Lucy looks at her, a bit concerned but amused all the same.
“Anyway, I’m Kara, it’s nice to meet you!” the woman – Kara – says. “And this is a cactus. And it’s for you!”
Lucy is usually bothered by people who are perpetually excited, but Kara comes off as so sweet and earnest that Lucy takes it all in stride. And she takes the potted cactus into her arms.
“Thanks, this is very nice of you,” Lucy says. “I’m Lucy, by the way.”
“Lucy,” Kara repeats. “Grade-A name, if you ask me. Well, Lucy, if you need me for anything, I’ll literally be right across the hall. Seriously, anything. If you need advice on how to raise that cactus, I’m your girl. Or anything else!”
Kara nods, like she’s accomplished something big and important, and turns on her heel and walks right back into her apartment. Lucy just stands there with the cactus cradled in her arms, feeling a bit like she just got hit by a strong gust of wind.
Through observation, Lucy has come to the conclusion that there are two types of workaholics. The first type powers through work while at the office, and then they come home and collapse. These are the people who get good grades and constant promotions even though they let their living spaces fall into disarray and sometimes wear their underwear inside out instead of doing the laundry.
The second type is what Lucy is. These people have perfectionism so engrained into their very souls that they can’t help but be meticulous with everything they do. For Lucy, that ranges from perfecting her contouring to earning her black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in record time, to, of course, interior design.
This meticulousness has, of course, driven Lucy to purchase a new flatpack bookshelf from Ikea (since her old one just wasn’t mid-century enough), which she’s currently struggling to carry down the hallway. Why she didn’t opt to borrow a handcart, she’ll never know. Pride, maybe. The sucker is heavy, though, and every few steps she loses her balance, overcorrects, and goes bumping into a wall to avoid tumbling over completely. But each time, she takes a deep breath and keeps on going.
Lucy Lane is woman enough to admit that she has something of a diminutive figure, and so can’t see beyond the box she’s carrying. Which explains why she runs the box right into Kara.
Kara feels about as solid as a brick wall, and Lucy doesn’t even know what she’s done until Kara speaks up.
“Whoa, you all right there?” Kara asks, as if Lucy’s the one who just got assaulted by an Ikea flatpack.
“Sorry, Kara! I’m just trying to get this monstrosity into my apartment,” Lucy says.
“Here, let me help,” Kara says.
Before Lucy can protest, she feels the box being lifted from her arms. Lucy is shocked to see Kara casually strolling with it in her arms, like it weighs nothing. And it’s not like Lucy doesn’t work out, because she does (with a near-obsessive fervor, the way she approaches most things in life).
“Could you get the door?” Kara asks.
Lucy just nods dumbly and scrambles to pull her keys out of her purse. Kara sets the box down in the living room and brushes off her hands to signal a job well done.
“There you go, neighbor,” Kara says, clearly having not even broken a sweat. “Don’t be afraid to give me a call if you need some heavy lifting done.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Lucy says, amazed that the Ann-Taylor-model-looking Kara is so physically gifted.
“Oh! That reminds me, I just finished baking some cookies,” Kara says. “They’re sort of burnt, but raw in the center? Raw-ish? Anyway, I can bring some over, if you want any.”
Lucy has no idea what reminded Kara of cookies, but she surmises (correctly) that nearly everything reminds Kara of cookies.
And before Lucy can even give her an answer, Kara has scurried off to her apartment and comes back with a plate piled high with cookies. She wasn’t lying – they’re definitely burnt, but they smell amazing.
Kara stares at her with anticipation in her eyes as Lucy lifts a cookie off of the plate and takes a bite. Lucy’s eyes widen, because they really are good – crisp on the outside, and cookie-dough-you’d-steal-bites-of-when-mom-isn’t-looking on the inside.
“Good?” Kara asks, looking a touch anxious.
“Really good!” Lucy says. “Thanks for bringing these over.”
“My pleasure!” Kara says. “Hopefully they’ve give you some energy as you wrangle with that Ikea furniture.”
And with that, Kara is gone, leaving Lucy to wonder if Kara is even capable of staying in one place for any length of time.
Lucy is rearranging her books (in her new Ikea bookcase) once again, because she just read online that it’s more aesthetically pleasing for the pages to be facing out, rather than the spine. It’s inefficient, which bugs Lucy, but the clean and pleasant uniformity of the final effect overweighs any potential drawbacks.
Lucy wonders if shuffling things about her house counts as an actual hobby, and abandons that thread of thought before it gets too depressing.
Just as she’s finishing up the last row of books, there comes a knock at her door. Lucy groans and goes to answer it.
Kara’s standing there, a bright smile on her face, and an arrangement of beautiful iris flowers in a ceramic pot in her hands.
“Kara!” Lucy says. “What’re you doing here?”
“I just happened to see these at the store,” Kara says, holding up the potted flowers. “And I thought of you.”
“Oh, wow, thank you,” Lucy says, accepting the flowers from her bubbly neighbor.
Lucy has no idea what store would have flower arrangements that you could just stumble upon, but she had no way of asking just that without sounding silly. And, truthfully, nothing would surprise Lucy less than if Kara only frequents stores with prominent flower sections.
“Do you want to come in?” Lucy asks.
“Sure thing!” Kara says.
Kara is dressed in all bright colors, and the plain, white walls and simple furniture in Lucy’s apartment seem to glow in her very presence. It’s a beautiful afternoon, and bright sunlight flows in through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room.
“Wow, the layout of your apartment is way nicer than mine,” Kara says. “So much sunlight.”
She goes to stand by the window, and Lucy idly wonders if she photosynthesizes like the plants she brings over do. Lucy wonders if she’s going insane.
“Perks of a lawyer’s salary, I guess,” Lucy says. “Can I offer you anything? Water, tea, coffee?”
“I’ll take a coffee if you don’t judge me about how much sugar I’ll put in,” Lucy says.
“I’ll judge you silently but I won’t stop you,” Lucy says. “How does that sound?”
Kara laughs and gently rests her hand on Lucy’s forearm.
“Works for me.”
Lucy’s skin tingles pleasantly where Kara’s hand rests, and it’s with great reluctance that Lucy pulls away so that she can start heating the water for the French press. She moves about her kitchen, pulling out mugs and a container of sugar for Kara.
“So, you said that you’re a lawyer?” Kara asks.
“I am,” Lucy says. “I work as a military attorney.”
“A military attorney! That’s different,” Kara says. “What does that mean, exactly?”
Lucy chuckles.
“My clients are mostly veterans,” Lucy says. “You’d be amazed by how many people try to screw over veterans.”
“Oh, that’s awful,” Kara says, crinkling her nose. “Good that they have top lawyer Lucy Lane on the job!”
Lucy raises her eyebrow at that.
“I mean, I assume you’re a top lawyer,” Kara says. “You seem like a person who’s, y’know, good at…things.”
Kara’s saved by the whine of the kettle and Lucy goes to finish preparing the coffee. She hands a steaming cup to Kara, who begins shoveling in sugar by the spoonful. Lucy chuckles as she watches the creation of the sugary monstrosity unfold.
“Okay, I lied,” Lucy says. “I’m going to judge. How are you such a sweet-tooth and yet maintain a figure like that?”
“Oh, it’s very hard,” Kara says before taking a long sip of her mostly-sugar coffee. “Ooh, that’s good. I work out.”
“Hmm, alright,” Lucy says, not quite believing her. “If you say so.”
Kara just shrugs and takes a gulp of her coffee.
“What do you do for a living?” Lucy asks.
“I’m a reporter at CatCo,” Kara says, like it isn’t anything. “Just hired.”
“Wow, I’m impressed,” Lucy says. “And a little surprised.”
“Surprised?” Kara asks, trying to sound offended but failing.
“Sorry, that came out wrong,” Lucy says. “I kind of thought you were, like, a college student.”
“I feel like this is getting more offensive,” Kara says.
“Let’s just say you have a youthful glow about you,” Lucy says. “I think that’s a positive.”
“You really lawyered your way out of that one,” Kara says.
“That’s what I get paid the big bucks for,” Lucy says.
“I suppose so!” Kara says. “Hey, I didn’t interrupt you doing anything, did I? I’d hate to think that I’m just barging in on you.”
Technically, that’s exactly what Kara’s doing, but Lucy doesn’t mind. It’s almost weird how much Lucy doesn’t mind.
“No, you’re fine,” Lucy says. “I was just rearranging my books.”
“Huh, alright,” Kara says as she steps into the living room, coffee mug in hand. “Maybe I can help? It looks like you have your books in backwards.”
Lucy is about to protest, but the playful glint in Kara’s eyes suggests that she’s being made fun of.
“Hey, I’ll have you know that this is a very in style,” Lucy says.
“You can’t tell what any of these books are!” Kara says. “What if you want to really read – I don’t know – Harry Potter one day? I can’t tell which of these books are Harry Potter. Any of these could be Harry Potter.”
“They’re the big ones, right in the middle,” Lucy says. “And not the point. It’s for the aesthetics.”
“Man, that’s way beyond me,” Kara says. “Hey, what’s your favorite Harry Potter book?”
And that launches a multi-hour conversation. Lucy approaches it like she would a court case, bringing out evidence and construction careful, logical arguments about her favorite. Kara plows through the discussion head-first, speaking of what scenes elicited the greatest emotional response and created the best atmosphere or feel.
It’s only the cold coffee mugs and the almost-setting sun that clues Lucy in to the passage of time.
“Oh wow, it’s later than I thought,” Lucy says. “Almost five. I should let you get going, I’m sure you have plans considering it’s Saturday and all.”
“I actually don’t,” Kara says, wringing her hands together. “Usually I’d try and spend the night with my sister, but she’s out of town for business. But I can get out of your hair, no problem. I was actually planning on having a hot date with some potstickers and Netflix.”
Kara makes a move to leave, but Lucy grabs her arm.
“I don’t really have any plans either,” Lucy says. “I’m kind of new to the city, too. It’d actually be really nice if you wanted to stay over.”
“Sure! Sounds good to me,” Kara says.
“Also – potstickers and Netflix? C’mon, Kara, I’m sure you could do better than that,” Lucy says.
“Hey, that’s a great night,” Kara says. “Why, what were you planning on doing?”
“Order pizza and read a book,” Lucy says. “Like a real classy lady would.”
“Yeah, okay,” Kara scoffs, though it comes out more like a snort and Lucy finds it adorable. “Ooh, we should get potstickers and put them on the pizza. That’d be so good…”
“If you want to pay for it, I won’t stop you,” Lucy says.
“But you’ll judge me? Silently but not silently?” Kara asks.
“Exactly.”
The food doesn’t take long to get there – it turns out that Kara is something of an expert at picking places that deliver quickly for low cost. Kara ended up deciding to get a large pepperoni pizza and two takeout containers of gyoza, which seems excessive to Lucy (but, again, she’s apparently not supposed to judge).
“That looks like such a bad idea,” Lucy says.
Kara is right in the middle of affixing the dumplings to her slice of pizza, and she emphatically places the last one as if to spite Lucy. Kara reaches for the gyoza sauce, and Lucy’s lips curl in disgust.
“Kara, no,” Lucy says.
“Kara, yes!” Kara says as she pours the sauce all over her slice of pizza.
Lucy can hardly watch as Kara takes a big bite of pizza. Kara’s face goes through a whole range of expressions, but ends on a smile that’s more of a grimace.
“How is it?” Lucy asks.
“Real good,” Kara says unconvincingly. “So good that I think you should try some.”
“No,” Lucy says. “I don’t think so.”
“C’mon, it’s super tasty,” Kara says, wiggling the slice of pizza in front of Lucy’s face. “Doesn’t that look good?”
“No, Kara,” Lucy says. “I won’t have you feeding me like a toddler in my own home.”
“Just one bite,” Kara says.
“Kara, stop,” Lucy says.
Lucy reaches out to grab Kara’s wrist, which jars the slice of pizza just enough that a potsticker slides right off. Lucy watches it as if it were in slow motion as it falls and lands right on her blouse, staining it brown with gyoza sauce. Kara’s eyes widen.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” Kara says. “This pizza-potsticker thing really isn’t that good, and it was such a dumb joke to try and get you to eat some, and…”
“Kara!” Lucy cuts in. “Look, it’s fine. This is just some cheap blouse. I got it from Target. Don’t worry about it, I’m just going to change and we’re going to eat dumplings and pizza separately, like our parents would’ve wanted.”
Kara chuckles weakly, like she doesn’t believe that Lucy Lane, lawyer extraordinaire would wear blouses from Target. Lucy goes off to her bedroom and changes out of her top, leaving it to be bleached later on. She pulls on an old college sweatshirt and heads back out into the living room, where Kara has somehow already eaten an entire slice of pizza and is halfway through her second.
Kara just sort of stares at Lucy as she walks in, making her wonder if she has something on her sweatshirt.
“What?” Lucy asks.
Kara shakes her head, like she’s refocusing. Lucy notices a tinge of pink on Kara’s cheeks, which wouldn’t make too much sense unless Kara is attracted to women in lounge clothing. Which, again, wouldn’t surprise her at all.
“Sorry,” Kara says. “You just look very…cozy.”
“That seemed like the name of the game,” Lucy says, settling down on the couch next to Kara. “So, what were you planning to watch on Netflix? Since I think it’d be weird if we both sat down to read.”
Kara launches into a long-winded explanation of some new sci-fi show she’s been following on Netflix, and how it’s amazing and nostalgic and has just the right amount of lesbians. (Lucy has no idea what the right amount would be – though in her opinion, it should be: a lot). They turn on the show, and settle in for the long haul.
(Also, as they sit there and watch the show, Kara finishes the pizza. Lucy ended up getting only two slices, not that she needed any more).
It’s late by the time that Lucy realizes she’s almost dozed off about a half-dozen times, and Kara isn’t faring too much better herself. Lucy yawns and stretches luxuriously, almost accidentally doing the sly arm-around-the-shoulder trick to Kara.
Lucy doesn’t even want to think about how much TV they’ve just consumed. She can practically hear her father’s voice echoing in her head (why waste time when you could be working towards securing your future? What a dick).
“Wow, it’s late,” Kara says. “Sorry for monopolizing your whole evening.”
“No, don’t apologize,” Lucy says. “That was fun. And very relaxing. I don’t get a whole lot of that.”
“I’m glad I could help,” Kara says, with a smile so earnest it makes Lucy’s heart ache. “I guess I’ll see you around, neighbor?”
“Definitely,” Lucy nods.
They stand there for a moment in Lucy’s darkened living room, neither really wanting to make a move. Kara takes a tentative step forward and wraps Lucy up in a warm hug. Just as Lucy is getting used to the sensation, Kara is gone, having sped off back to her apartment.
Lucy is attempting to make cilantro pesto (because cilantro pesto chicken sandwiches are the best), but she forgot to buy, of all things, cilantro. Lucy groans and paces around her kitchen for a bit, wondering how her life has gone so far off the rails and wishing she could turn back the hands of time to when she was in the grocery store, so she could buy cilantro and not be distracted by discounted bottles of wine (which sit, mockingly, just within her line of sight on the kitchen counter).
After much angst, Lucy decides to knock on Kara’s door and check if she has any fresh cilantro laying around.
Kara answers the door quickly, and in much less clothing than Lucy had anticipated. Specifically, Kara is in a sports bra and lycra workout pants that are so tight they look painted on, showing off her incredible and surprising musculature. Lucy’s eyes widen and every single thought leaves her brain because Kara is sweaty and flushed from exertion and this is far too much for anyone to handle.
“Hey, Lucy,” Kara says, seemingly not noticing how panicked Lucy is. “What’s up?”
It takes a moment for Lucy to remember how to speak words.
“Kara. Hey. I, uh,” Lucy says. “I came over here to borrow some biceps.”
Kara looks extremely confused. Lucy just stares at Kara’s arms.
“Sorry. What? I’m trying to say that I came over to ask if I could borrow some biceps,” Lucy says.
Kara looks increasingly lost and Lucy prays that the universe will have mercy and let her spontaneously combust.
“I don’t think that’s how anything works,” Kara quips.
Something about Kara speaking jolts Lucy’s brain.
“Cilantro! That sounds just like biceps,” Lucy says. “Do you have any fresh cilantro I could borrow?”
Kara just laughs.
“I think I do, let me go check,” Kara says before walking into her apartment (and Lucy definitely doesn’t stare at her butt as she turns around).
It takes a few moments, but Kara walks back out with a whole bag of cilantro – a bag that she’s able to hold because of, in part, her amazing biceps. Lucy stares.
“Here you go, Lucy,” Kara says. “You can use the whole thing, if you want.”
“Okay, thanks, bye!” Lucy says, still feeling breathless. She grabs the bag and scurries back to her apartment.
Lucy makes her pesto and crafts her sandwiches, trying her hardest to not think about Kara’s abs, or her shockingly broad shoulders, or her biceps, or her ass…it’s really not working. The more she tries to not think about Kara’s body, the more that she does. It’s a horrible conundrum.
Lucy, though, being Lucy, is a firm believer that the best way to approach awkward situations is to attack them head-on. So, she grabs the plate of sandwiches, takes a deep breath, and marches right over to Kara’s apartment and knocks on her door.
Kara answers the door freshly showered and in much more clothing this time (Lucy has no idea how Kara is able to stuff her shoulders and biceps into the slim sleeves of the cardigan she’s wearing).
“Hey, Kara. Sorry about earlier,” Lucy says. “Brain weirdness. You want a sandwich?”
Kara chuckles.
“No problem,” Kara says. “No one ever pegs me as a body builder, so I can understand the surprise. And I’d love a sandwich. Should go well with my post-workout meal. Come on in.”
Lucy steps into Kara’s apartment, which is decorated pretty much exactly how Lucy would’ve guessed. The color palette is warm and inviting, and there are various knick-knacks, photos, and pieces of art covering every surface and any available space on the walls. Things look messy to Lucy’s sensibilities, but she also suspects there’s a method to the madness.
Lucy sees Kara's post-workout meal too, which is a plate piled high with eggs and bananas. Kara has one of those powdered chocolate protein shakes as well, which Lucy finds disgusting.
“Wow, you really weren’t kidding about the whole bodybuilder thing,” Lucy says, picking up the protein sludge.
“I’m pretty serious about it,” Kara says. “Too serious, I’m sure a lot would say.”
“No, it’s cool,” Lucy says. “That takes a lot of dedication and hard work.”
“And food,” Kara says. “God, so much food.”
Lucy chuckles as Kara picks up a hard-boiled egg off her plate and swallows it whole.
“Yeah, looks like you have a really hard time with that,” Lucy says.
“It’s tough,” Kara says. “It’s a real struggle.”
Kara picks up one of Lucy’s sandwiches next, and takes a big, emphatic bite. Her face lights up as she chews.
“This is really good!” Kara says with food still in her mouth, as evidenced by the shower of crumbs that’s formed as she speaks.
Lucy just laughs and marvels at perpetually happy, dorky Kara.
“I’m glad you like it so much,” Lucy says. “I figured I should repay you for those cookies you gave me the other day.”
“Well, thank you,” Kara says. “Also, I’m super glad you didn’t get food poisoning from those cookies. They were so raw on this inside.”
Kara gets a distant look in her eyes. “So raw…”
“Yeah, how did you manage to cook them like that?” Lucy asks.
Kara just shrugs as she takes another bite of sandwich.
“Hey, can I ask you something kind of weird?” Lucy asks.
“I’m all about ‘kind of weird,’” Kara says. “Ask away.”
“No judgement or anything, but why do you cover up so much?” Lucy asks. “I’m just saying – if I had a body like yours, I’d be at least showing off my guns all the time.”
“Habit, I guess? People used to make fun of me being a girl with muscles, so my sleeves were always like armor for me,” Kara says, tugging at the sleeves of her cardigan.
“Oh, shoot, I’m really sorry,” Lucy says. “That was a pretty uncool thing for me to ask.”
“Nah, it’s fine, you didn’t know,” Kara says. “I’ve always had pretty broad shoulders and big arms, so kids in school used to make fun of me.”
“Kara…” Lucy says, reaching out to rest her hand on top of Kara’s. Kara smiles at her.
“So, the long sleeves have stuck,” Kara says. “They’re like armor. Really comfy armor.”
“Hey, I support any kind of armor that anyone needs,” Lucy says. “But I’m also just going to say that I support you showing off your arms. If you want to. I think plenty of people would be more than okay with that.”
Kara chuckles and bumps shoulders with Lucy.
“Thanks, Lucy,” Kara says. “You’re a good friend.”
“Aww, you’re just saying that because I brought you food,” Lucy says.
“Well,” Kara says, taking a big bite of her sandwich. “That definitely helps.”
Lucy smiles.
Her job is stupid, Lucy decides. The legal system is stupid. The police are stupid. Judges are stupid. Juries are stupid. But most of all, she’s stupid. Who else would lose a case like that on a dumb technicality? Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Also, her key seems to be refusing to fit into the lock, and that’s just one thing too many that goes wrong today. Lucy growls and kicks the door in frustration, as if that’s going to help anything.
Lucy’s thoughts storm and rage so loudly in her head that she doesn’t even hear her neighbor’s door click open behind her.
“Lucy?” Kara tentatively says.
Lucy quickly composes herself – it’s a skill she’s be sunk without in the legal world – and greets Kara with a forced smile.
“Kara, hey,” Lucy says. “Didn’t see you there. How are you?”
“I’m fine,” Kara says. “Are you doing alright?”
“Fine, fine,” Lucy says. “Completely fine.”
Kara folds her arms across her chest and fixes Lucy with a look that’s far too knowing, especially for someone so new in her life.
“C’mon, Lucy,” Kara says. “I think we both know that’s not true.”
Lucy sighs and slumps against her door. Internally, she curses Kara’s disarming, bright blue eyes. They’re so unfair.
“I had a tough day at work,” Lucy says. “Lost a case that should’ve been a slam dunk for my team.”
“I’m sorry,” Kara says. “You want to talk about it?”
Lucy shakes her head.
“Well, want to eat ice cream and play violent video games?” Kara asks. “I find that usually helps me. Well, that or lifting weights and going to town on a punching bag.”
A short burst of laughter escapes Lucy’s lips as she tries to imagine a furious Kara demolishing a punching bag.
“What’s so funny?” Kara asks.
“I’m sorry, I just can’t imagine you working out your frustrations on a punching bag,” Lucy says.
“It’s really effective,” Kara says. “Want to try? I have one set up in my living room.”
Lucy’s almost declines, but she is pissed off at the entire day and spending time with Kara is always nice.
“Alright, let’s do this,” Lucy says. “Why not?”
Lucy shows back up at Kara’s front door in a few moments, dressed in workout clothes and ready to go. Kara’s in the sports bra and yoga pants that caused Lucy mild sexual panic just the other day, and she isn’t ignorant to the effect that Kara has on her.
“I imagine you know how to throw a punch, right?” Kara asks.
“I did two tours in Iraq,” Lucy says. “I know how to fight.”
Kara raises an eyebrow at that, but doesn’t push it any further.
Kara braces the punching bag as Lucy goes to work. Her first few strikes are tentative and slow, but they quickly pick up in pace. After a few minutes Lucy is breathing hard, and surprises even herself with her intensity.
The punches land with a steady rhythm, the heavy thump of her fists against the punching bag reverberating through the otherwise silent space of Kara’s apartment. Lucy focuses in entirely on the
Kara, though, just stands there stoically and lets Lucy work out whatever it is she needs to work out. Lucy throws one last haymaker, sending the punching bag shuddering, and she bends over with her hands resting on her knees.
“How’re you doing?” Kara asks.
“Good,” Lucy says, through heavy breaths.
“You want to talk about it now?” Kara asks.
Lucy shakes her head.
“Nothing to talk about,” Lucy says. “I’ve messed up cases worse than this before. I just have to move forward and keep fighting.”
“Okay,” Kara says, putting her hand on Lucy’s shoulder. “As long as you’re alright.”
“I am,” Lucy says. “Thanks, Kara. Also, if the offer for video games and ice cream is still open…”
A bright smile spreads across Kara’s face.
“Always is!” Kara says. “C’mon, I have strawberry ice cream, and chocolate, and mint chocolate chip, and – ooh, I just got this great green tea flavor, and…”
Lucy just shakes her head and smiles, wondering what she did to deserve the beautiful ray of sunlight Kara Danvers falling into her life.
The first time that Lucy runs into Kara outside of the apartment is, at all places, the Target just down the street. Lucy’s original intentions were to simply buy a new box of Ziploc bags, but her shopping basket is overflowing with totally necessary items like a new throw blanket, a replacement desk lamp, a couple of books, and so on.
Lucy is waiting in line to check out when she hears someone calling her name. She turns to see Kara walking up to her with a bright smile on her face, her basket filled with an assortment of random items – and a mason jar filled with charming little succulents.
“More housewarming gifts?” Lucy asks.
“Sure, something like that,” Kara says.
Because of that, Lucy isn’t surprised that Kara comes and knocks on her door when they’re both back at the apartment building with the mason jar in her hands.
“Is this for me?” Lucy asks, feigning surprise.
“I thought your other cactus could use a friend,” Kara says, stepping inside Lucy’s apartment. “Oh, there it is! See, don’t they look better together?”
Lucy chuckles at Kara’s obvious enthusiasm for indoor plants.
“I suppose so,” Lucy says.
“I like ‘em,” Kara says. “Adds a little life to your apartment.”
“Yeah – wait, what?” Lucy asks.
“What do you mean, ‘wait, what?’ This place could definitely use some color,” Kara scoffs.
“Use some color? This place has plenty of color,” Lucy says. “I mean, c’mon. The walls are white. My couch is gray – and the this new throw blanket is also gray, but a slightly different shade. I have some black accent pieces!”
“Neutrals don’t count, Lucy,” Kara says.
Lucy slowly spins in place, looking at the apartment interior she’s been precisely decorating and tinkering with for weeks on end now. So much of her time and money has gone into her living space for this result. Her face falls.
“Oh my god,” Lucy says. “It’s so boring.”
“Yeah, a little bit,” Kara says apologetically.
“I hope this isn’t a reflection of my personality,” Lucy says.
“No way, you’re awesome,” Kara says, which Lucy wouldn’t have taken seriously coming out of any other person’s mouth.
“Thanks, Kara,” Lucy says.
“And, besides,” Kara says. “You have me to brighten the place up!”
Truth be told, Lucy likes the sound of that. Plus, it’s not inaccurate – Kara’s sunny disposition seems to have the effect of livening the whole place up.
“I guess I do,” Lucy says.
“Also, if you don’t mind, I kind of have too much decoration in my place,” Kara says. “I could bring some stuff over?”
“No, that’s alright,” Lucy says. “I don’t want to just take your stuff.”
“It’s not like that at all!” Kara says. “It’ll be fun. Think of it like a makeover of your apartment. I’ll be right back.”
Kara rushes off to her apartment, and Lucy wonders if she’ll ever stop feeling like she’s caught in a whirlwind whenever she’s around Kara. It’s only a few moments until Kara is walking back into Lucy’s apartment, a box cradled in her arms that’s packed full of pillows, throw blankets, paintings, and various knick-knacks and doo-dads.
“Kara, this is way too much,” Lucy says. “I can’t possibly accept this from you.”
“Well, too bad, because I’m gifting this to you,” Kara says. “Your apartment definitely needs it. Also, I’m pretty sure I’m stronger than you, so I can decorate by force if need be.”
“That’s definitely the weirdest way I’ve ever been threatened,” Lucy says.
Kara gives her a smile that’s simultaneously cheerful and don’t-mess-with-me in intent.
Lucy stands back and lets Kara go about her business at first, still feeling weird and tentative about this entire situation. Kara is giving, so giving, in fact, that it makes Lucy suspicious. But it’s always so genuine and Kara never, ever seems to expect anything in return (other than Lucy’s friendship, perhaps).
Kara’s clearly having so much fun, and Lucy isn’t one to stand on the sidelines, so she joins in as well. Quickly, they revitalize Lucy’s “minimalist” apartment, throwing bright colors and loud patterns and just plain weird pieces of art or sculptures that Lucy never would’ve considered without Kara becoming a part of her life.
And really, how did Kara manage to get so tangled up in her life so quickly? They haven’t even been neighbors for that long, and already Lucy counts Kara as one of her best friends (certainly the best friend she has in this city).
The two stand, shoulder-to-shoulder, to survey their work.
“This looks a lot better,” Lucy says. “I have to admit.”
“I think so,” Kara says. “Sure, it’s a little bit of me, but it’s still a lot of you.”
“I like that,” Lucy says.
“I like it too,” Kara says.
Lucy’s the one to reach out and grab Kara’s hand. Kara, surprised at first, quickly lets a smile break out across her face as she squeezes Lucy’s hand in return.
Kara and Lucy ordering takeout and spending Saturday night in becomes a regular thing. They alternate between apartments, from Kara’s bohemian overload to Lucy’s mostly minimalist space with splashes of Kara. (If anyone’s asking, Lucy has organized some of the clutter in Kara’s apartment, if only to say that she’s left a mark on Kara’s living space as well).
They’re watching some movie about lesbians that Lucy, incredibly enough, considering the subject matter, isn’t paying much attention to. No, Lucy’s paying far more attention to Kara’s legs, that rest on her lap. To Kara’s expressive face, as she grins infectiously during cute scenes and widens her eyes and covers her mouth during dramatic ones. Oh, and she’s paying plenty of attention to Kara’s lips as well, full and plump.
“You’re not paying attention to the movie, are you?” Kara asks suddenly.
Lucy is a bit surprised – she thought that Kara was completely invested in the movie.
“I’m not, admittedly,” Lucy says.
“That’s fine,” Kara says. “We can do something else, if you want.”
“No, it’s not that,” Lucy says, then reconsiders. “Well, it’s sort of that.”
Kara pauses the movie and turns to face Lucy. The light in the apartment is low, and everything seems very soft and warm. Lucy snuggles up against the couch cushion.
“What’s up?” Kara asks.
“I’ve been thinking about kissing you a lot, lately,” Lucy says. “And I think I might like to do that right now. If you’re into that, of course. I’m a big fan of consent.”
“Me too,” Kara says. “If you scoot a little closer, I think we can make some kissing happen.”
“Okay,” Lucy says.
Lucy scooches closer to Kara on the couch and leans forward. They kiss. And it’s good.