Kara was unexpectedly strong when she pushed her away. "Lena, we can't… I don't."

The sweetness of their moment burnt bitter.

Kara's sudden conviction was hard to understand. Especially when her professor was wearing her deep red lipstick, the colour smeared over a freshly kissed mouth. Kara appeared a dream under the street lights, like a female lead in a classic noir film but the conflict in her eyes was rather painful to behold.

Lena wanted to know why. If she knew then she could fix it but when she was about to ask, Kara has wrapped them up in a tight hug.

"I'm sorry."

Deeper down town an overambitious explosion of fireworks sparked and distracted Lena from Kara's departure. She barely managed to catch Kara's ponytail as the other woman skimmed through the crowd that had filtered out from the square.

Jess was supportive but Lena should have known better than to hope for the sun to pay her mind. She's not the protagonist in a black and white feature and she wasn't getting the girl.

…...

Lena graduated with accolades of Academic Achievement. It was her second time round so she saw no reason to pay for convocation. Her mother has never attended any of her previous graduations and she would only suffer her brother's absence. Her bachelors would arrive in an envelope in a couple of weeks and she'll frame it next to her previous one.

"Here," Jess threw a manila envelope into Lena's lap, "open it for me."

"What?"

"I clicked into Kara's email for you, so return the favour and open my bar exam results for me."

"I was accepted into Dr. Danvers' psyc-grad studies; don't just refer to her as..." It felt wrong to address her professor as anything other than her title after what happened on New Year's. She was foolish to have done such a rash act. She could only hope their professional work relationship hadn't been tainted as well.

"You don't have to go," Jess placed a comforting hand on Lena's shoulder as she took a seat next to her, "you can choose to complete your graduates' studies under someone else or in a field you're actually interested in."

"Psychology is interesting." Lena slumped back into their couch and closed her eyes. "I don't have any other means of getting to see her."

"You're literally the heir of the multi-billion corporation; did L-Corp's stock evaporate?" Jess tapped her foot against the side of Lena's leg. "You're dramatically draping yourself over our furniture, woman-up cause I'm sure you can figure something out."

"You didn't see the way she looked, Jess!" Lena had agonized over the last interaction. "She doesn't want me that way."

"I would've been into you on New Year's, all hyped up on resolutions and the promise of turning a new leaf, have you seen yourself?" Jess waved her hand over the general vicinity of her friend. "You're in psyc, why don't you just have a conversation with her? Isn't talking things out supposed to be the healthy adult thing to do?"

Lena glared. She rather not have to face the music, caught in anxious confusion was in a way better than certain rejection. "How about I open your mail and we focus on the success of your life for the time being."

"That's why I'm here." Jess tried to stay still as Lena took an agonizingly long time slicing the envelope open. "Read it out loud!"

"We are sorry to inform you that you did not…" Lena's hands shook a bit when she looked up from the letter, "maybe we should go out for dinner tonight to soften the blow."

"What?!" Jess snatched the letter and skimmed down to read the congratulations and certification of completion. "Oh my god, you're fucking evil, I almost died."

"Let me take you out for a celebratory dinner as my apology."

"I can't because oh look," Jess moved as if to read the non-existent watch on her wrist, "it's I fucking hate you ol' clock right now, please make note that a formal document will arrive certifying you as a terrible human being."

"I've booked in advance at the place you've been talking about since August."

"The waiting list is a yearlong!"

"Does that mean you're coming?"

"You're designated driver."

…...

They hadn't seen one another since their New Year's kiss. It's been absolute radio silence on Kara's side and Lena had felt too conflicted to further question. She has been in a mood of late and Jess has accommodated… none of it. She kept pressing for Lena to just talk to Kara. As if she could just pursue her genius-level prof like some love-sick puppy. If she was going to have any interactions with Kara she would have to just make do in their shared academic setting.

Lena was tentatively eager and anxious on orientation day. She had met up with the rest of the students that would be in Kara's graduate studies a couple minutes before and everyone was on their best get along behaviour.

"Those here today have made it because they deserve to be here, I expect you all to respect one another and work together." Kara looked rather bemused when her gaze focused on Lena but continued. "I suggest those that are T.A.-ing for my course also attend an adjunct class they're assigned to; I expect full understanding from my teaching aids because you'll also be a source of knowledge and assistance to the students."

There were several clerical and scheduling conflicts they all work together to get sorted but once that was done Kara sent them off on a half day. "It's going to be hard and I expect a lot from you guys but I'm believe in each and every one of you."

Lena stayed behind while the others headed out for a round at the graduate student's lounge for beers and a chance to know one another better.

"Thanks for giving me the opportunity to work under you, Dr. Danvers." Lena held out her hand. "I'm hoping we can put aside the confusion from before and be professional if nothing else."

"Oh," Kara blushed at the familiar wording and touched the corner of her glasses, pushed them up just a tad before she reached out to shake Lena's hand, "I hope we can be friends… if that's alright."

"Of course." Lena pulled away first since Kara had pretty much just cradled her student's hand and forgotten to let go.

They decided to get an early start on Kara's planned curriculum and brainstorm for Lena's thesis project.

If they were sitting a bit too close neither women voiced any objections.