Kara gazed forlornly at the bottom of the nearly empty ice cream carton in her lap. She floated up over the back of the couch and into the kitchen, drifting over her discarded Supergirl suit. She listlessly tossed the carton at the trash can, missing it by several feet, but ignored it in favor of opening her refrigerator and glowering at the half-empty shelves. Kara sighed and pulled out a jar of pickles, kicking the door shut behind her as she flipped over and skimmed across the counter, snagging a jar of peanut butter along the way. She settled down cross-legged on the couch and popped the pickles open. Two pickles down in as many bites, Kara reached for the peanut butter, only to sigh even louder when she realized her spoon was in the kitchen. She stared speculatively between the pickle in her left hand and the jar of peanut butter in her right. Kara shrugged and was poised to dig into the peanut butter when her door rattled open and Alex walked in. Kara froze.
"Elevator's down. Again," Alex huffed as she locked the door behind her. She walked over to Kara and quirked an eyebrow. "Pickles and pb, huh?" She dropped down on the cushion beside Kara. "Rough day?"
Kara shrugged, turning her head slightly so that her hair fell past her shoulders and shielded her face from Alex.
Alex gently coaxed the peanut butter from Kara's hand. "You wanna talk about it?"
Kara shrugged again, peeking at Alex out of the corner of her eye. Alex had a soft smile on her face.
"Okay," Alex agreed easily. She turned to face the muted tv and leaned back fully into the couch, her thigh pressed against Kara's knee and shoulder close enough for Kara to rest her head on.
They sat like that for several minutes before Kara lifted her head and tucked her hair behind her ear. Alex glanced over, a fond smile on her face. "Hey."
Kara felt the corners of her mouth lift slightly as she laid her hand on Alex's forearm and squeezed it in response.
Alex tilted the jar of peanut butter in Kara's direction. "You got a spoon for this?"
Kara bit her lip and sheepishly held up the jar of pickles in response.
"Heathen," Alex laughed as she set her jar aside and stood up. Her fingers danced over Kara's shoulder. "You need anything?"
Kara shook her head. She bit her lip as she listened to Alex rummage around in the kitchen. The tv was now showing a black and white film, and Kara focused on that as Alex came back into the living room and flopped on the couch beside her, propping her feet up on the coffee table. Kara unfolded one leg so that it rested alongside Alex's, pressed against hers from hip to foot. She carefully set the pickles on an end table.
"Wanna bite?"
A peanut butter-filled spoon was suddenly hovering in front of her face. Kara shook her head, her hands twisting together uselessly in her lap as she bit her lip. "I heard Maggie ask you out," she mumbled.
"Hmm?" Alex turned away from the television, spoon hanging out of her mouth.
Kara shook her head, feeling herself flush, and fluttered her fingers in a never mind gesture as she turned her face towards the tv. She heard Alex swallow and drop the spoon back in the jar. Then warm fingers were on her jaw, urging her head around.
"Kar." It was whispered so tenderly and reverently that Kara felt herself blush as she helplessly raised her gaze to meet Alex's.
Alex let her hand drop to rest on Kara's thigh. Her thumb brushed soothingly across the striped pajama pants. "Hey," she cajoled, "I'm not the one with the super hearing."
Kara sighed. "This morning," she whispered, "at the crime scene, I heard Maggie ask you out for drinks."
"Okay," Alex replied, her brows furrowing. "Then you must've also heard me tell her that I had plans tonight."
The corner of Kara's mouth twisted down as she shrugged one shoulder and lowered her head. She felt Alex shift next to her.
"Hey." A finger tapped Kara's wrist. "Kar, look at me, please."
Kara peered up at Alex through her eyelashes. The finger tapping her wrist moved down her hand and stroked her knuckles in silent request. Kara flipped her hand over and let Alex's fingers slip between her own.
"Kara," Alex blew out a deep breath. "I love you. I'm in love with you. You know that, right?"
Kara's cheeks and chest warmed as she lifted her head in a single nod.
"Okay. So if I do go with Maggie, or anyone, to get drinks, that's all it'll be. Just drinks, okay?"
Kara tilted her head to face Alex fully. "But—"
"Uh-uh, none of that," Alex cut her off. "Aren't you the one who's been telling me I need to make friends?"
"I don't think Maggie just wants to be friends," Kara answered lowly.
"Well, then that's her problem," Alex said lightly.
"But you could be with her," Kara blurted out. "In public, I mean," she clarified as saw confusion on Alex's face. "You could tell people you had a girlfriend. You wouldn't have to hide."
"Kar." Alex squeezed her hand. "This," she gestured with her free hand between them, "us, our relationship, it's still so new. I haven't told anybody yet because this is private y'know? It's just for us. It's not because I'm embarrassed of you, or ashamed of who we are to each other, okay?"
Kara nodded as she worried her bottom lip with her teeth. "But you could be with her fully. Not just in public," she said, looking down, "but in private too," she finished in a whisper.
Alex sighed. "You know I don't care about that."
Kara shook her head as she looked back up at Alex. "Maybe not now, but in the future you might—" A finger on her lips stopped her.
"Kara, what I have with you, what we have together, it's all I've ever wanted," Alex said sincerely. "I don't need anything more than what we have right here. It's already so much more than I ever dreamed was possible."
Kara blinked her eyes rapidly, whisking away the moisture that was starting to gather in the corners. Alex's mouth twisted as she finally looked away.
"Look," Alex said, staring down at their hands. "I know I'm not the best at this sometimes, at telling you how I feel."
Kara brushed her thumb against Alex's pinkie. "You always show me," she said softly.
Alex looked back up then, undeniable love shining in her eyes. "I pushed away hope for so long," she murmured, raising her free hand to brush Kara's hair behind her ear. "From the moment I first saw you, you became the secret that I held closest to my heart."
Kara's eyes welled as she smiled tremulously. "Alex," she breathed.
Alex smiled back at her, her own eyes shining as her thumb brushed the nape of Kara's neck. "I love you, Kara Zor-El. It's the immutable truth of my soul."
Kara leaned forward and pressed her lips to Alex's. She closed her eyes and opened up her other senses, drinking in the scent and feel of the person she loved most. When Kara broke away moments later she rested her forehead against Alex's. "I'm sorry," Kara whispered.
"I'm sorry too," Alex breathed, opening her eyes as she pulled back slightly. She swiped her arm across her eyes and cleared her throat. "Let's agree, though, that next time something's bothering one of us, we'll talk about it, hmm, instead of trying to eat ourselves into a food coma?"
Kara laughed. "What? Food coma? Pssh. I don't know what—"
Alex raised an eyebrow. "I counted five empty ice cream containers on the floor."
Kara fluttered her hand. "Those? I mean, I think they were already there, probably for several days even, and, okay, yeah, those are definitely mine."
Alex grinned as she stood and tugged Kara to her feet. "C'mon. Let's go get some real food."
"Okay," Kara agreed happily. She stopped when Alex began leading her away from the door. "Wait, where are we going?"
Alex lead her over to the windows. "Wherever you want."
"Really? Anywhere?"
"Mm-hmm. Pilot's choice," Alex confirmed as she pushed the window open.
Kara stepped up behind Alex, wrapping her arms around Alex's waist and pulling her back flush against Kara's front. "I love you too, Alex," she murmured into the shorter woman's ear. "I just love you so much, that if there's somebody out there who's a better match for you, I want you to be with them."
Alex turned in her embrace and wrapped her arms around Kara's neck. She gazed at Kara, eyes filled with conviction. "Well then there's nothing for you to worry about. Because Kara, there is no one in this world, or any other world, who is more perfect for me than you are."