Another update!
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Lena hasn't actually shopped for herself in years, not since she earned her PhD. She'd become so busy at Luthor Corp that buying clothes and furniture became another thing that she delegates to other people. She has a stylist, a personal shopper, and an interior decorator to gather a selection of the best of the best. All she has to do is look at a picture and choose.
Still, she finds herself being dragged through the furniture store one Saturday morning but she can't complain because Kara's holding her hand again.
They're currently looking for a closet for Kara's clothes because the blonde's a little tired of just having them hang over an open rack. The outfits she doesn't choose often just get dust on them and she's rallied Lena's aid to help her in choosing because Kara knows Lena has really good taste.
Of course the CEO wasn't going to say no, even if she finds the whole thing to be sickeningly domestic.
They're standing in the hall between two closets and Lena can't help but chuckle at the irony because, while she isn't ashamed of her sexuality, she hasn't really told Kara. In Lena's defense, they hadn't broached the subject of dating, and she doesn't want things to get weird between them. Too many of her females freak out when they discover.
And it doesn't really help that in this instance Kara would be correct to assume that she does indeed have sexual and romantic feelings for the blonde.
Not that she thinks Kara's vain enough to assume that her lesbian friend is into her.
In the end, they select a baby blue wardrobe. She tells Kara it's because it goes with the pastel motif she's got going on at her apartment. The reason she likes it, she purposely neglects to tell the blonde, is that it brings out the blue in Kara's eyes.
Despite Kara's protests Lena pays for the whole thing, including the same day delivery, since her car doesn't have enough space to store the behemoth. Kara won't let her pay for the build because according to the blonde, it'll be a bonding experience for them and Lena bites her lip to keep herself from laughing.
She supposes she's butch enough to build Kara a closet. If she can build a photon laser, she can easily assemble Swedish furniture.
They're passing through the bedroom area of the store when a familiar looking man sets his gaze on them, specifically on Kara who's wondering where she can find the pastel blue sheets on the display bed. Lena sees him approach and gently nudges Kara with her elbow. She had reluctantly let go of Kara's hand in order to settle the bill and hasn't had the opportunity to reclaim the appendage because the blonde's busy perusing.
"Something wrong?" the blonde asks but Lena isn't given a chance to reply.
"Kara." the man greets and Lena watches as Kara's eyes bulge out of their sockets. "Hi." Lena could be blind and still see the tension between the two. "Haven't seen you in a while."
"Yeah, I've been busy." Lena's brow arches at the blatant lie.
"Yeah, no me too." she doesn't stop herself from rolling her eyes because of the obvious tension hanging in the air between them. "With Eve and all." Kara nods, a little too emphatically.
"That's nice." she squeaks. "I'm here with Lena."
"Well I'm actually here with Eve." he gestures to a curly haired blonde who's busy inspecting a bedframe. "I kind of owe her a bed since we broke her old one."
"Kara." Lena decides it's time to interject because obviously the man, who she now remembers as the guy who invited himself to her gala, is baiting Kara in hopes of instigating some sort of reaction from the reporter. "We still have to make room in your apartment for the build." she reminds and the blonde looks so grateful for the save.
She wraps an arm around Kara's waist and is thankful when the woman returns the embrace, draping her own appendage around the CEO's shoulders because as Kara's pointed out, she's taller than the CEO when she isn't wearing her trademark heels.
They turn and walk away. Neither has to glance back to know that they're being watched.
"Thanks." Kara mutters when she's sure they're far enough away from Mon El's super hearing. "I apologize for the awkwardness back there, I'm not really used to dealing with these kinds of situations." her brows furrow as she frowns.
"It's not every day I get to swoop in and rescue a damsel in distress." she throws her a wink that's followed by a slight smirk.
"I wish I could be as cool as you are." Kara compliments. "I bet you'd never get flustered around someone you like or maybe like but couldn't really figure it out." she pauses, trying to get her thoughts in focus. "You're always so composed and I'm just an uncoordinated rambling heap."
"You must be doing something right if you've managed to gather suitors." Lena offers, hating that Kara's selling herself way too short. Again, she purposely neglects to tell Kara that she's one of the many that have fallen for her charms. "But tell me, is he always so boastful about his sexual exploits?" Lena can't help but ask because she'd absolutely ruin him if he even talks about whatever went on between him and Kara behind closed doors.
"Kind of." Kara responds. "It was one of the reasons why I hesitated in dating him."
"So you two never…" she trails off and the blonde is shaking her head vehemently. "Oh." at least she doesn't have to hatch a scheme about cutting the douchebag's penis off. "But you actually wanted to?" she doesn't bother to hide her disappointment.
Honestly she knows Kara's most likely straight but she never figured she'd have such bad taste in prospective boyfriends.
"I don't know." Kara sighs. "Kind off I guess." she confesses. "He told me he liked me and I kind of rejected him before I even really thought about how I really feel for him." Kara recalls. "I think I liked him too but he started dating Eve before I could really figure my feelings out." a part of her used to wonder what might have been. "I'm actually really terrible with these kinds of things." she really can't stress this enough.
"He clearly hasn't moved on if he's trying to make you jealous." it leaves a bitter taste in her mouth, unable to stomach the fact that Kara still might have feelings for the infantile asshat.
"It doesn't matter anymore." because she doesn't think she can be in a relationship with someone as immature as Mon-El. "I'm sorry we were having such a good day and then Mo, I mean Mike came and now you're standing here listening to me dump all this on you." the floodgates have opened and everything's spilling out her mouth before she can close the dam once more. "I usually talk to my sister about these things but she's been so happy lately, enjoying her new relationship, and the guys have been busy with their own thing…." she trails off. "Anyway, I don't really want to ruin our time by complaining."
Lena has wondered how Kara's managed to be so devoted to spending time with her but refrained from asking. She'd suspected but really didn't want to hear that the only reason the blonde's been hanging around her is because she had no one else.
"So I'm a distraction?" Lena questions, voice eerily even.
"No!" Kara stammers as Lena's arm slips off her waist. The raven haired CEO stands, looking as though she's contemplating a differential equation. "I've just had a lot of free time and was looking for someone to help me get my mind off of everything." her brows furrow because she knows she isn't exactly helping herself.
"Because every one else is busy." Lena contemplates her options.
She could storm out of there, demand Kara never speak to her again for reducing her to second fiddle. Instead she stays because she could also use the situation to her advantage.
"I'm sorry." Kara fidgets, having the decency to sound shameful.
"It's alright." she remembers the Luthors, how Lionel put Luthor Corp ahead of his family, ahead of her. How Lillian only paid attention to her when Lex was away, even then it was only to remind her that she isn't a real Luthor and could never compete with her precious son. How Lex used to prioritize her but that all changed when he became obsessed with his rivalry with Superman. "I'm used to it." but knowing Kara's done the same stings more than she cares to admit.
"You shouldn't have to be." Lena has shown her nothing but generosity and comfort and kindness. Surely someone with a heart like Lena's doesn't deserve to be treated like a doormat. Kara's ashamed because that's how this thing between them began. "I am sorry for making you feel like you mean less than the other people in my life." Kara begins a proper apology. The Kryptonian knows she has a chance to turn things around. "But to tell you the truth, I'm kind of glad that they've been busy because I've been getting to know you." she can only pray to Rao that Lena will give her the opportunity to rectify her mistake. "And you know, I haven't really thought about anything else but you and how happy being around makes me. I wouldn't blame you if you did, but please don't tell me to leave and never come back." Kara feels a hand on her own.
"Don't worry, I'm just glad you're giving me the opportunity." she chooses to seize the moment instead of being angry. She's learned from her past experiences with the Luthors that resorting to sulking, pouting, and stomping off never got her anything. Careful planning and meticulous methodology usually got her what she desired. "So how have I been doing?" besides, Kara seems to be genuinely remorseful.
"Doing with what?"
"Have I been distracting you well enough?" she clarifies and Kara looks genuinely lost. "Because if not, I could always up my game." Lena offers.
"You have." Kara replies slowly, gauging Lena's reaction. "You've been perfect." she's the asshole in this instance. Really, she needs to find a way to show Lena that she means more to her than just a means of avoiding loneliness. But the way those green depths gaze upon her with playful mischief piques her curiosity. "But let's say you weren't, how would you properly distract me?"
A barrage of images flashes through Lena's mind most of them involving a very naked Kara writhing underneath her completely at her mercy.
If she were a better truly selfless individual she wouldn't even be thinking like this. But she was raised the Luthor way, which means she isn't above conniving and using whatever methods she can possibly employ to get what she wants. And Lena's quite certain she's never desired anything more than Kara.
She's trained in the art of using people's weaknesses against them and she knows Kara's weaknesses.
Kara is unassuming. She doesn't see her own worth. Kara is too trusting, leaving her open to being taken advantage of by people like Lena. Most of all, Kara is unbelievably naïve. She always assumes the best in people and because she thinks highly of Lena no doubt she feels incredibly guilty about using her friend.
She could use all this to her advantage of course.
Not to mention the fact that Kara's lonely and vulnerable, making her extremely open to suggestion. The more she thinks about the situation, the more Lena grows certain there's a way she can garner Kara's interest romantically, or at the very least sexually if she's going to be completely honest.
She knows it's downright immoral but she's just so tired of losing, of feeling like she's never enough.
Her resolve grows. She's determined to show Kara that no one else deserves to win her affections. Lena doesn't bother masking her intentions by telling herself that this is for Kara's own good because she'll be saving her from abhorrent romantic prospects like Mike. That's just a bonus.
This is Lena being selfish.
"We'd have much more fun," her tone drips with innuendo as she sets her plan in motion. "If I showed you exactly what I mean." judging from Kara's blushing cheeks, she's received the appropriate reaction.
Kara finds herself flustered under the heat of Lena's gaze but it's a different kind of anxiety that fuels her because she isn't filled with a nervous energy that renders her apprehensive. This time there's excitement flowing through her veins as she finds herself actually looking forward to whatever Lena has in store for her.
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For those who thought Lena was going to be a sweetie here, I'm sorry but I feel that devious Lena is sexy. And if you think Kara won't fall for this, then may I remind you we are capable of anything when in the throes of heartache.
And I'm not saying she's brokenhearted about Mon El. She's brokenhearted about her situation because she's back to being alone.