"Damn it Kara, how hard can it be?" A women with dark auburn hair was sprawled out on a sofa surrounded by several empty cans of beer.
"Extremely," she retorted, tossing a salmon colored dress at Alex. The entire living room had countless articles of clothing thrown about, there was hardly a service clear.
"This is what, the tenth time you have attempted to propose?" She batted aside the garment effortlessly, taking another chug of the alcohol.
"Third…" Kara sighed, a look of distraught capturing her gentle features as she gazed around the destroyed apartment,"I just have to get it perfect this time."
"I've been stuck with you being restless for the past four days while she was away on L-Corp business, you're her problem now," teased Alex, stuffing a handful of pretzels into her mouth.
"You love me and you know it," she batted her thick lashes at her sister. In response, Alex rolled her eyes in disagreement.
"What I would love is for you to ask the women you love to marry you already."
"I will," Kara reassured her sister despite the growing feeling of self doubt infesting her chest.
"If I hear that you backed out again, I'll do it my fucking self," Alex drew a flower printed blanket closer up her chest. Part of her wondered if this was the alcohol talking, but she honestly did not doubt that Alex would crash a date and do it herself.
The first time she attempted to propose was a simple night out at Lena's favorite sushi restaurant, it was almost perfect until food poisoning incapacitated her girlfriend for several days. The second time she just could not muster up the courage, Lena just looked too gorgeous in a that heart stopping lavish deep green gown. She was just a stuttering gay mess that just could not put together a cohesive sentence.
"You certainly will not!" She stuck her tongue out at her intoxicated sister, tossing her arms in defeat,"I don't have anything to wear though."
"Yes, yes, you do," Alex paused to take another sip,"You're just scared to wear it."
"It reminds me too much of Supergirl," she begun to pick through a pile nearest to her, hoping that something would snag her attention.
"Did she not buy you that for some anniversary or some special occasion?" Alex grumbled, closing her eyes to battle the wave of nausea that coursed through her body.
"It was for my birthday last year," Kara replied, glancing back in the nearly empty closet behind her,"It reminds me too much of the suit."
"Lena loves you for you, and you also just happen to look stunning in red and blue," her sister groaned softly, probably the combination of alcohol and greasy pizza upsetting her stomach,"Besides it's just a lovely piece of clothing, Kara. What matters is that the two of you are perfect for each other and are ready to take this next step."
"I know but…" What kept their relationship so steady was the separation of Supergirl from their personal life, although Lena did not mind the odd story or two and to wear a dress seemingly designed to hint at her alternate identity in public did not sit well with Kara.
"No one is going to even think about Supergirl, just that a girl proposing to Lena Luthor," Alex grumbled before chugging half a bottle of water in one breath.
"But-"
"Nope. No but's about it. Quit procrastinating and just wear the damn dress," Alex chucked a pillow at Kara, hitting her square in the face.
"Fine," Kara groaned, reluctantly shuffling into her room to retrieve the dress.
She opened the slender garment bag, revealing a rich scarlet satin dress with that faded around the edges to a shimmering royal blue. The fabric was far more expensive than anything the Kara could ever afford, soft and surprisingly sturdy to the touch. She had a suspicious feeling that it was specially designed to be impenetrable in case they ran into trouble.
Kara slipped it on effortlessly, adjusting the low hanging collar so it hung properly without revealing too much chest. She shivered as the cold air pricked her bare arms and lower back, although she knew the chills would not last long. Kara knew that the heartbeat she saw Lena a feeling; warmth would quickly follow. She could easily handle a brisk wall in the frosty November air if it meant seeing her girlfriend for the first time in four days.
"Hot damn," Alex coughed as Kara came into the living room to reveal the classy gown. Kara must have caught her in the middle of eating as there were now little bits of pretzel scattered around the room.
"Is that a good thing in lesbian?" She asked sheepishly, tugging at the waistband. It was longer than she personally prefer, just a few inches away from the floor at the perfect length so she would not trip. Kara had a feeling that she would find a way to fall regardless of the length of the dress though, even after dating Lena for nearly four years she still got clumsy at the sight of her.
"Yes," Alex laughed, shaking her head at her befuddled mess of a sister,"now hurry up, you're going to to be late."
"I still have time!" Kara protested, quickly becoming panicked when she realized that she had less than thirty minutes to get to the restaurant across the city. This would not be an issue, if she could fly but without her suit she would surely be caught.
"No, no you are not," her sister stayed where she was, watching as Kara hurriedly grabbed a pair of flat white shoes and a small leather purse that contained the ring. She snagged the glasses that were tossed half hazardly by the stovetop and pushed them up the bridge of her nose.
"Wish me luck," Kara called over her shoulder as she dashed out of the apartment.
She managed to fight the impulse to fly to the restaurant despite that Kara was well aware that she would be a couple of minutes late. By a few minutes it was more fifteen, although Lena seemed unbothered when Kara texted her the second she left. Strange and curious looks from the stream of countless people amounted more and more anxiety with each step closer.
Kara arrived at a small fondue restaurant that Lena had been dying to try for months. It was a real hole in the wall but for some reason her girlfriend was extremely interested in attempting the food.
She entered the restaurant to find it busy, every single table filled with couples and families of all sizes.
"How may I assist you?" The hostess questioned, awaiting her response with a menu in hand.
"Reservation for Luthor," Kara looked around, searching for the mortal goddess that was her partner.
"Ah, yes, over here," she followed the waiter to a corner both where Lena was awaiting, as gorgeous as usual. She looked elegant and powerful in an asymmetrical deep lavender dress, captivating emerald eyes brightening as Kara sat down on the opposite side of the booth.
"You're wearing it," Lena gaped, making no effort to hide her adulation for Kara in the dress she had made specifically for her.
"I hate to admit it, but I do like how it looks on me," Kara replied, ever so slightly adjusting her glasses. Her heart pounded so hard that she was positive that the couple a couple tables over could hear it.
Lena's gaze carefully skimmed Kara's body as if seeing her for the first time, subconsciously biting her lip in the process,"You look… just, wow."
"So how was your work trip?" Kara inquired, trying to figure out how to lead up to the question she was so fearful to ask.
"It would have been better if you had been there," Lena sighed, scanning the menu,"I just had a couple of meetings each day and a lot of time to kill.
"Plenty of time for recreational activities," she added with a suggestive eyebrow wiggling.
"Maybe next time?" She replied hopefully, although she hoped that the next vacation they would be going on would be their honeymoon.
"There won't be a maybe, I'll just kidnap you and tell Alex and Snapper to fuck off," Lena shrugged nonchalantly.
Kara smiled slightly,"I like the idea of that." She rubbed her thumb against the side of the leather purse, swallowing a sliver of bile that rose in the back of her throat.
"You okay?" Lena reached across the table, grasping Kara's free hand between both of hers. A flash of hesitation must have revealed itself that made Lena question that something perhaps was not right.
"Lee," Kara took deep, uneven breath as she forced herself to keep talking,"Those couple of days without you made me really put things into perspective…"
"Oh?" Worry echoed in Lena's voice but she made no effort to move away.
"I never want to be away from you that long again," Kara said slowly as she tried to configure the countless words she wanted to say into a cohesive string of sentences,"I mean, you keep me grounded, you know? I don't know what I'd do without you."
"And you're the sun that casts out all the shadows of doubt I have against myself," Lena murmured softly.
"But it's so much more than that. My first couple years as Supergirl were the hardest of my life between Mon El, Reign, Children of Liberty. Very few were consistently by my side, you being one of the most important people in my life then and now. I still don't know how I got through some days if I didn't have you to lean on. I've never been happier," Kara could feel tears stinging in the back of her throat, warning her to wrap this up before it was a full out sap fest.
"Kara Danvers, you are the best thing that happened to me. I don't want to imagine my life without you in it," she leaned slightly closer, the dim light highlighting her face to give a heavenly glow.
"Okay," Kara pulled her hand away, realizing now that both hands were shivering with nerves. She could not remember a single moment in time where she was this terrified and eager as she fumbled for the velvet green box.
Lena's eyes grew wide as she realized what Kara was about to do. She shifted to the edge of the seat facing outwards as the Kryptonian got on one knee. Kara lifted the box up to Lena, revealing a remarkably simple ring with two different colored gems, blue and green.
"This is one custom shared by our species, uniting two names under one for the sake of love," her voice faltered as her gaze skimmed over the flawless face of her lover.
"Lena Luthor, will you allow me to take your name in marriage?" Kara forced herself to keep going, there was no backing out now.
The single thing Lena hated most in this world was her last name and if she could help redeem it by taking it than why not?
The entire restaurant hushed into a debilitating silence that eagerly awaited to hear her response. Lena responded so quickly she almost cut Kara off mid sentence,"Yes."
Lena essentially tackled Kara to the ground in tight embrace; passionately kissing Kara for the longest second of her life before pulling away, blinking as she completely registered her request,"You want to take the Luthor name?"
"Of course, silly," this time it was Kara that lead the kiss, ignoring the cheering that erupted from the other customers.