Chapter Text
Is this love?
A single, solitary question has plagued her mind. Love is an emotion, a chemical reaction, an intangible abstract idea of affection.
Lena has never been one for theatrics or grand gestures, and this, in front of her, is notably the best thing that someone has done for her. Dressed in black slacks and a flora themed shirt, is Kara carrying a paper bag with her hair cascading and resting on her right shoulder.
“Hey, I got you that rabbit food that you love.” Kara says with mirth evident in her voice.
“Kara! How long have you been sitting there?” Admittedly, she didn’t even hear the door open, which surprise her because Kara is Kara.
Kara took out the container and the plastic utensils and arranged it at Lena’s table, carefully shoving papers away to make space.
“Not that long, I didn’t want to interrupt you. I will never understand your need to eat this- err food.” Gesturing to the ‘food’ with disgust in her face.
Looking at Kara Lena felt her heart flatter, admittedly not for the first time since they were friends.
“This food is called salad, Kara, and it’s not that bad.” Opening the container, she noticed that it was from her favorite restaurant.
Gratitude filling her heart, Lena looked at Kara, and tried to platonically express her platonic affection to her straight female friend.
“I trust you Lena Luthor but when it comes to food, I will never trust your tastes.” Kara stated while directing her blinding and genuine smile to Lena.
Desperately trying and failing to rein in her obvious pinning to her STRAIGHT and admittedly oblivious friend, Lena summoned all her confidence and composure to let out a flirty counter.
“Salad is the epitome of healthy, Kara. I can’t just eat junk like you and be good looking.”
Slightly blushing, Kara mockingly showed offense discarding Lena’s last statement. Because friends flirt right?
Right?
“HEY! I eat vegetables, I eat a lot of tomatoes, potatoes, and mushrooms.”
“Pizza toppings doesn’t count.”
Kara looking indignant and pouty made Lena smile as she ate slowly and savored the explosion of flavor in her mouth. Kara bringing Lena lunch wasn’t a daily occurrence, but it was frequent enough that Jess would just let Kara in.
Clearing her throat, Kara started to talk, complete with her hands swing everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
“I was just thinking, we have a long weekend because of the holiday, wanna hang out at my place? Well, it’s more of a sleepover and you need to pack an overnight bag and toiletries so we could just meet at my place like 7 pm and have dinner? We could order at Noonan’s if you want, or the pizza place that you like? We could also watch a movie or any of those documentaries that you like. If you want of course, I will never force you to do this without conse-”
She was cut off by Lena holding her hands still and placing it on the table because as much as Lena adores Kara’s endless ramble, she also thinks that Kara should breathe.
“Kara, take a deep breathe.” In. Out. Kara slowly breathes while looking with Lena with hope visible in her eyes.
And if you ask Lena whether Kara resembles a puppy with her head bowed down and looking at her beneath her lashes, she pleads the fifth.
“Yes, I want to hang out with you. Yes, 7pm is doable. Noonan’s is alright. I chose the movie last time, its your turn. And lastly of course, I will always consent to whatever you want.”
Hearing the last sentence, Kara blushed badly enough that it reached her arms but luckily for her Lena seems to be busy with cleaning up her desk. The sight of Lena bending down to pick up a fallen spoon whilst wearing a conservative, yet tight black pencil skirt is now forever burned to her eyes.
Friends check out each other, right?
RIGHT?
Hastily looking to her right, Kara pretended to look interested at the balcony of Lena’s office. Unbeknownst to her, Lena saw her whip her head and assumed differently.
“Did Supergirl flew by?” Lena said while settling herself for another 5 hours of doing paperwork.
Once again flustered, Kara stammered for an excuse and come out with a high pitched, “Probably.” And hastily retreated before she could blurt out something incriminating.
“I better get going now. 7pm don’t forget it, Lena Luthor.”
Heart beating irregularly, skipping unstoppably, Lena looked at Kara scurrying hurriedly to the door.
If this is love, I am unfathomably screwed.
“Of course, Kara Danvers.”
[-]
Training, in a way, is therapeutic but training with her sister with the red sun lamps on is a form of torture.
Dodging a side whip kick, she crouched only to be jabbed by Alex’s right arm directly in the face. Groaning, Kara held her nose and promptly fell on her ass.
“Shit! Kara, I’m so so sorry. Hey, hey, lemme see your nose.” Alex hurriedly looked at Kara’s face with worry etched in her face.
“Definitely not broken, so corrections are no need.” Broken or not, Kara can feel it starting to bruise and throbbing in pain.
Alex sat down next to Kara’s laying form. Slowly untying the boxing gloves, she glanced at her sister in concern. She could feel that Kara was distracted the entire fight but couldn’t bring herself to stop it when her sister was the one who challenged her.
“What’s up with you, Kara?” Alex inquired calmly.
Spreading her arms and breathing slowing down, Kara sighed. Knowing that lying to her sister won’t work, she let out a question that has been badgering her since she was at L-Corp. Since she was with Lena.
“How did you figure out that you liked Maggie? Tha- that you like girls?” Kara stammered out while avoiding her sister’s knowing gaze.
Thinking for an answer, Alex looked down at her lap and smiled. Her sweet and oblivious little sister is finally realizing something about her ‘friendship’ with Luthor.
If you asked her 5 years ago that she would tell her gay awakening to her sister, she would have laugh but now she could only grin and list the ways that she realized that she was lesbian.
“First of all, I was attracted to her physically and I’m not saying that in a way that I want to be her, but I want to be WITH her. That’s a key difference.”
Kara replayed her interactions with Lena when she was dragged shopping two weeks ago. Lena was trying out different dresses and asking Kara for advice. She distinctly remembered being flustered and not being a great help because she honestly thinks that Lena can wear a trash bag and still look beautiful.
“Secondly, I remember thinking about her subconsciously. Not in a way that was invasive but in small ways, like thinking if she has eaten while I was eating or finding something that she might like while shopping.”
Another check for her.
Dang, this feels like bingo.
“And lastly, I was also questioning myself whether I liked her or not. If I liked girls or not.” Alex pointed out while gazing at Kara curiously.
Kara blushed and looked at her feet, thinking of everything and nothing in between. Back home in Krypton, she never had to think of feelings of attraction, sexuality, and identity. She was brought up to thinking that all of those things didn’t matter.
Does she like Lena Luthor? Does this make her gay? Or bi? Or pan? Or lesbian?
Groaning a bit, she sat up. “I need to go. I’ll see you later, Alex.”
Alex, to her credit, didn’t protest or badger Kara. She only looked adoringly at her sister’s back and thought to herself.
Damn, she’s got it bad.
[-]
Bag at hand, Lena was waiting for Kara to open the door.
She got out of work at precisely 5 pm, and did not took an hour looking for a perfect outfit. No she did not. She was just being picky today.
She definitely did not spend 30 minutes hyping up herself to get out of her car. But here she is with her heart abnormally calm. Too calm, she might be coding.
Door opening wide, Lena was greeted with a sight that made her heart race and face flush.
If I die today, I will embrace death with a smile.
In her entire glory, here is Kara Danvers in a towel. Her hair dripping droplets to her neck, and down to her…. “Hey Lena, sorry I was just taking a shower. Come in.”
Too shocked to respond verbally, Lena followed Kara to the living room. From behind she can see Kara’s back muscles, the curve of her back and her toned legs. She could see herself travelling and exploring every skin she could touch and see and try to leave as much marks as she could.
Lena summoned all her self-control and forced her eyes to avert from Kara’s retreating behind.
“Could you order the usual for us, Lee?” Kara called out from her closet.
Lena immediately complied and put all her mind to it. Fully determined to avoid her mind from straying too far.
-
Kara felt something was up the moment she opened the door. The sudden spike of Lena’s heartrate being the first indicator, but there was also something different with her.
She has seen Lena in the most stunning of dresses and, in multiple of occasions, seen her wearing casual clothes. But never has she seen Lena looking so comfortable. Lena is wearing an old gray MIT hoodie with the hood up and a black cotton short. Nevertheless, it made her heart race.
But she couldn’t still pinpoint what was bothering her about Lena, clothing aside. There was this new aura around her, or was she looking at her differently that before?
Pushing her thoughts aside, she immediately put on a shirt and sweatpants and walked out of the divider between her bed and the living room. Lena was sitting in the couch and was opening her Netflix account on Kara’s TV.
Kara didn’t know when it happened but sometimes, she envisions herself coming home to a sight like this. Lena with her hair down being comfortable, a stark opposite to her usual. Being with Lena makes her feel like coming home.
“Hey, so what are we watching this time?” Lena asked disrupting Kara’s line of thought.
Thinking fast, Kara remembered Alex recommending a movie to her last week.
“Have you seen ‘The handmaiden’? Alex told me it’s a great movie. It’s a mystery thriller, I think you’ll like it.”
Lena hummed in agreement and searched for the movie. Kara walked over to the couch and, for the first time since they’ve been friends, she sat at the other end of the couch. The distance did not escape Lena’s attention and she wondered why.
Playing the movie, Lena thought back to their messages and nothing comes to mind what caused this distance. Lena Luthor, not for the first time in her life, was spiraling to insanity. Overthinking every text message, their last lunch, her choice of clothing and Kara.
Kara, unknowingly, was doing the same. She was breathing ever so shallowly as to avoid looking like an idiot. She was a physical person, never in her life has she felt so much yearning that it hurts. She wants to reach over and apologize for putting this distance with Lena.
But she can’t help it, she needs to get a hold of herself. Without thinking, Kara ran to the door the second she heard a ring. The smell of potstickers overwhelmed her already sensitive sense of smell causing her to smile.
Thanking the delivery man, Kara slowly turned around to see Lena staring at her, slack-jawed and wide-eyed. Slowly walking to Lena, Kara assessed the situation and came to a realization.
She used superspeed.
Kara stopped to her tracks and warily looked at Lena, subconsciously begging with her eyes.
"I can totally explain this."