Kara would like to say she saw it coming ; and actually, she did, because it almost happened in slow motion, her brain just didn't process it correctly. One second she's holding Lena up and they're close, too close ; the next she's impossibly closer and leaning in and she can't stop it, wouldn't if she could. Gravity shifts to revolve entirely around Lena, and they collide, softly at first, hesitantly, then eagerly, like unstoppable asteroids meeting and meeting again. Lena's lips are fire on gasoline and she feels everything at once with a clarity she's never experienced before.
Lena moves an inch back, her face flushed and her breathing ragged, and Kara remembers that humans need to breathe more often than she herself does. It's disappointing, and she almost leans back in, following Lena's lips with her own, but the ridiculous distance between their faces is enough to bring her back to awareness.
"Let me take you out," she says hoarsely, "on a date. Let me take you out on a date."
Lena leans towards her again, but Kara stops her with the softest of touch, cradling her face in one hand until Lena huffs reluctantly.
"I want to treat you right," Kara whispers, watching her own thumb trace the bow of Lena's lips. "Will you go on a date with me ?"
A full minute passes during which Lena glassily stares at her and Kara wonders if she's made a mistake, if she's misread the situation.
"Okay," Lena says eventually, the heat of her blush warming everything around her. "Okay."
Against Lena's will, and her own reluctance, Kara goes back to her apartment. Once the door closes behind her, she lets out an undignified squeal, stopping short of jumping up and down for fear of causing the whole building to collapse.
Lena agreed to go on a date with her. She's going on a date with Lena.
She allows herself one tiny jump of excitement.
Realistically, she knows now comes the hard part, finding something to do that Lena will enjoy and that is worth the wonder that she is. For lack of a better description, Lena is rich, and she's probably used to much much better than what Kara can offer. She recalls reading at some point, in a trashy magazine someone abandoned on a table at the DEO, that she bought an island for Veronica Sinclair ; if that's the kind of gift she's used to making, then what is she in the habit of receiving ? Kara chastises herself for this thought. She isn't going out with the glossy cover version of Lena Luthor, no, she's going on a date with just Lena, her incredibly talented and beautiful neighbour, and this Lena, her Lena, likes her enough to kiss her.
Reassured, but restless, Kara starts brainstorming ideas while doing push ups on a shock absorbing mat. She goes to bed as tired as she can get, which isn't as much as she'd like, and falls asleep to a text of Lena, a slightly blurry picture of her new night sky.
/"Dad ? Dad ! What's happening ? You said we would be safe. You promised we would be safe !"
"I'm sorry Karanizu. I'm really sorry. Close your eyes. I'll see you in Rao's light."/
"Don't get me wrong," Alex says from the couch after witnessing a tired Kara trip on nothing but air for the second time in the last ten minutes, "I love you, but I don't understand how you managed to score a date with Lena Luthor."
"I," Kara starts, hands flying to her hips in indignation.
"No, no, no," Alex cuts, hurriedly raising her hands in surrender, "please don't tell me what it's like to kiss her, again, please. I don't need the visual."
"Keep on making fun of me, and I'll keep on telling," Kara grumbles, drop-floating on the couch next to her sister. Something pull in her chest, a flare of anger, protectiveness over Lena maybe.
"I'm proud of you," Alex says, reaching to playfully ruffle her hair. Kara leans into the touch, the warmth of her sister's hand melting away the slight tension that only she perceives. "What are you planning on doing ? I took Kelly to this great place that just opened, it's a bit fancy but the food is great."
Self-consciousness comes back to slap Kara right in the face. She glances down at her sweatpants, adorned with a coffee stain, and then looks around, noticing all the places she forgot to dust. "Do you think I should take her somewhere fancy ?" she asks in a small voice. "I had a plan, but, but it's probably subpar."
"Well what was your plan ?" Alex asks, grabbing Kara's hands between her owns to prevent her from destroying yet another cushion by picking at it. "Walk me through it, I'm sure it's great."
Kara takes a deep breath, and releases it slowly, closing her eyes to focus on Alex's reassuring heartbeat. Her plan seemed great when she made it, and it probably still is. "I thought we could go to that sushi place on the waterfront," she says, "it's a bit far, but the food is good and I think she'll enjoy the privacy. The weather should be clear so then I think I'll take her for a walk on the non-touristy side of the pier, you know the one that leads to the creek ? I'll bring a thermos of hot chocolate, maybe cookies, and then we'll see. What do you think ?"
"I think you should wear blue and you'll be fine."
Kara huffs, rolling her eyes in affectionate exasperation. "That's not really the kind of advice I was expecting."
"You're amazing," Alex states like it's an obvious textbook fact. "She'll love whatever you plan."
"You're my sister, you have to say that," Kara mumbles, rolling her eyes again.
Alex shrugs. "Doesn't mean it's not true," she says still as earnestly as the first time she reassured Kara about going on a date. "You're amazing, and dedicated, I'm sure she'll love anything if it comes from you. Be your usual charming self, draw attention to your assets," she continues, patting Kara's arm with a teasing grin, "and bring her over next game night so I can threaten her. Gently. So I can threaten her gently."
"I'll hold you to that," Kara says with a sideway glare. Alex slight overprotectiveness is mostly heartwarming, but Kara also knows she has a tendency to go overboard, and with the "Sam situation", that Kara knows she has to take care of, it's better for everyone if Alex and Lena aren't put in position when they might want to behead each other.
"I only punched Lucy after she broke your heart," Alex grumbles, flexing her once broken hand, "she deserved it."
"I know," Kara says softly, taking her sister's hand and tugging until she shuffles closer and accepts her hug. "You're only looking out for me."
Alex sighs into the embrace. She's tough, harsh sometimes, but underneath she's loving and warm, and in Kara's arms, she often turns to goo. It took them a while to get there, they had to learn how to appreciate each other presence and comfort. After Jeremiah's death, Alex would often bruise herself trying to hit Kara in fits of pain and rage. But here and now, is the proof that they've made it.
Alex mumbles something against her shoulder.
"What did you say ?"
"I said, don't set her clothes on fire."
"That was one time !" Kara shouts, leaning away, her face contorting in offense and shame.
"And as your sister," Alex says with a wide grin, "it's my duty to remind you of this 'til the end of times."
"I didn't do it on purpose ! This is so..."
Kara's interrupted by a sharp knock on the door accompanied, behind it, by ragged breathing and sniffling.
"Don't think you're getting out of it," she says to Alex, pointing an accusatory finger at her. Alex's smile only widens in reply.
Lena is standing at the door, or more exactly slouching, a haphazardly wiped tear still visible on her cheek and her phone almost crushed in her hand. The screen is definitely cracked, and one of the corner has most likely encountered a wall.
"My mother's a fucking cunt," she says thickly, her body shaking with unreadable energy. She could be about to burst into tears, or to murder someone, and Kara isn't quite sure how to approach her. Wordlessly, she opens her arms, offering comfort and stalling for time until she can find something to say that isn't a stupid "How are you ?" when clearly she isn't fine.
"She, she," Lena mumbles, her face buried on Kara's t-shirt.
Kara hugs her tighter, running her hands up and down in a soothing rhythm and keeping her breathing calmed and measured so Lena has something to match hers on. "It's okay," she whispers, "whatever is happening, it's okay. I'm here."
Behind them, Alex shuffles around, gathering her things and slipping her shoes back on. Lena untangles herself from Kara in a flash, straightening her clothes and wiping her face self consciously. The transformation is almost scary ; in less than a second she goes from a nervous wreck to a pristine and proper heiress with a terrifying sharpness in her eyes. "I'm sorry Kara. I didn't realise you had company."
"I'm Alex Danvers," Alex says, firmly, but with an open smile, expertly cutting Lena before she has time to panic further. "I'm gonna go, but I hope we can meet again under other circumstances. Call me if you need anything," she adds, squeezing Kara's shoulder on her way out.
As soon as Alex is out of sight, Kara swoops Lena up, carrying her inside of the apartment, choosing to ignore that two players of her Sam situation just bumped into each other in less than stellar circumstances. At least, and though Kara isn't happy about it, Lena is too out of it to have really acknowledged Alex. Gently, she settles her on the couch, crouching in front of her and tenderly prying her hands open, stroking a soothing thumb on the half moons in her palms. "What happened ?"
Lena sniffles, and to Kara's surprise, she pulls out the handkerchief she left at her place to dab at her eyes. "God, I hate that I'm like that." She exhales, and forces a smile on her face, toying with the handkerchief while Kara, satisfied that she isn't going to hurt herself, sits on the couch next to her, her hand hovering a moment above her knee before she sets it down on it. "My mother just called to request my presence at her next fundraising gala that she conveniently forgot to mention before. And as the CEO I really have to be there." Kara can see it coming a mile away. "It's the night of our date."
In a fit of good timing, Kara manages to school her face, wiping the disappointment off it before Lena can turn to gauge her reaction. "It's okay. We can reschedule."
"I know I shouldn't be so upset about it," Lena sighs in frustration. "But she. She's getting on my nerves. She treats me like a child but expects me to act like a fucking adult with all of the responsibilities and none of the benefits. I'm sure she checked my planning. I was really looking forward to our date. I don't want to go to her shit gala."
"Would it," Kara starts before stopping, pondering over what she's about to say for a couple of seconds. Lena looks at her expectantly. "Would it help if I came with you ? You're allowed a plus one, right ?"
"These things are terrible. I wouldn't want to drag you to hell," Lena replies hastily, almost fumbling over her words.
"But would it help ?" Kara asks again, "if I were here with you ?"
"Yes but..."
"If you really don't want me to come," Kara says, "I wont. But it would be an honour to be there at your side. And as soon as you're allowed to leave, we can sneak out and go do something cool."
"I'll have a suit tailored for you. So we can match," Lena says, straightening up a little, freezing for a second, and then allowing herself to slide closer to Kara to rest her head on her shoulder.
Kara isn't unused to formal wear. She wore a suit to prom, and owns a relatively cheap one tailored to her body by Eliza ; but for all that money can buy, the kind of clothes she's wearing right now are definitely part of it. The fabric is of unknown origin, but it's more expensive than anything she's ever touched on Earth. A man in another expensive suit is deftly working around her, lifting, pinning and making wrinkles, that even her eyes can't see, disappear. Lena is sitting on a luxurious armchair, her laptop open on her knees but her gaze fixated on Kara ; her own dress is hidden, and no amount of puppy eyes could get Kara even the tiniest of sneak peek. Part of her wants to point out how unfair it is that Lena can look at her freely, the other, stronger, is stuck on the way she's staring at her, like she's a five course meal and she hasn't eaten in months. Kara won't deny that it's good to feel wanted. She's had women looking at her before, she's no stranger to lust filled looks and desire ; but something about the way Lena looks at her feels different, more permanent. Their story is barely beginning, and Kara is already in too deep for her own sake. It isn't as frightening as it should be though, because deep down, she feels Lena is in this with her.
A pin fractures against her impervious skin and she's startled out of her happy daze. She's going to, at some point, have to tell Lena that she's an alien. And not any alien, a Kryptonian, unregistered. It's been drilled into her so hard, that no one should know, that it's dangerous, that it's become second nature for her to hide it ; it almost take no effort at all. She's kept Jeremiah's leaden glasses but forgets them most of the time. It's not like she has a secret identity to protect, they're just for comfort, a sort of security blanket that reminds her of her adoptive father and prevents her from accidentally looking through people on harder days. While she's being fitted for clothes she'll probably only wear once and that cost three months of salary, Lena is keeping them safe for her. She toyed with them for a while before putting them away in her purse. If she noticed the lack of prescription, she didn't say anything about it.
"All set," the tailor says, stepping off the stool. "It will be ready tonight for pick up, or of course we can have it delivered to a place of your choosing. Have you settled on a colour for your tie yet ?"
Kara considers this for a moment. The suit is charcoal black and she's sure that, unlike her usual dark blue suit, almost any colour would go with it, maybe gr...
"I'll show you a sample," Lena says rising from her seat, her credit card already in hand. And Kara isn't, she really isn't, attracted to people waving their money around ; but Lena is standing on eight inches heels, her ankles disappearing in the skinniest slacks to ever grace the surface of this planet, the rest of her figure hugged by a no-nonsense blazer, nonchalantly handing her credit card like she's buying something as cheap as tomatoes, and yeah, maybe Kara is a little bit attracted to the visual. "We'll need shoes to go with that," Lena adds, "black, shinny, seven, no seven and a half. Put it on my card and have it delivered here."
"Are you sure this is the right address Miss Luthor ?" the salesman asks, his voice confused but his customer smile well in place.
"Positive," Lena replies with a cold smile.
Kara simultaneously doesn't want to ever be in that man's position and would do anything for Lena to murder her with her glare.
In insight, Kara should have seen it coming, and she entirely blames her dumb lesbian brain for this. She should have seen it coming because since the tie wasn't in the package that was delivered, of course Lena would be the one who has it. The input of sensations is so high that she doesn't know where to look, what feeling to concentrate on. Her hands on Lena's hips, or the hands that flutter around her neck ? The tastefully sinful pine green dress that wraps around the goddess in front of her, or the delicate hands that work close to her face, creating an intricate knot ? She might just explode and be happy about it.
"There," Lena whispers huskily, smoothing down the tie and tucking it under Kara's waistcoat. With her heels on, they're standing eye to eye and Kara is very grateful for it because she doesn't have to look down to see her and risk getting caught in her neckline in an untoward manner. Her boobs are probably not talking to her, but she hears them anyway. Unfortunately it also means that Lena is at the perfect height to leave a lipstick stain right on the corner of her mouth. Kara doesn't remember signing up for temptation when she offered to come with her tonight.
"Thanks for the flowers," Lena says taking the offered arm with a shiver ; even through their clothes, their skins react to each others like magnets.
Kara hums, resisting the urge to smooth her thumb across Lena's soft skin. "They reminded me of you," she says. "You're beautiful."
Beside her, Lena ducks her head shyly. "You're very handsome yourself."
A black town car is waiting for them in front of the building. Lena's driver is standing next to it in a crisp uniform, but Kara beats him to opening the door, stepping back slightly so that Lena can get in.
The car ride is silent, not tensed, but silent nonetheless. The vehicle is filled with the sound of their breathing and the occasional clicking from the bracelet Lena is absentmindedly fidgeting with. A thin drizzle covers the tinted windows, making it impossible to see through them, but having seen the city from above, Kara can situate them by mentally following the twists and turns of the streets. They come to a stop in front of the convention center, a bulky building that in Kara's opinion is downright ugly.
She goes to open the door, but Lena stops her with a cautious wavering hand. "Whatever stupid shit my mother says tonight," she says, "ignore her. She lives to make people unhappy. She's best left to her own nefarious devise."
"I promise," Kara says softly. "But don't let her get to you either." And with a deep breath, she opens the door to the loud outside world.
A narrow red carpet leads to the door and is surrounded by guards and security. Kara even spots a couple of burly men with guns strapped to their side ; the event immediately seem a lot more ominous. She thought she was the only one with a Lena radar, but as soon as she steps out of the car, she's proven wrong. Every single camera turns to her, reporters screaming her name to get a good picture or a quote. For a second, Kara fears she's going to cave on herself, but Lena squares her shoulders and start walking determinately, her eyes fixated on the door, a fake smile plastered on her face. Kara catches up with her in two quick steps and walks by her side, a comforting hand lightly resting on the small of her back. Halfway to the door, she's recognised by a colleague, and her name circulates quick enough that by the time they've walked the entire carpet, people are calling equally after her and Lena.
"I'm sorry," Lena mumbles as they walk into the brightly lit hall.
"Don't be," Kara whispers back, "it's not your fault."
"You're going to be on the cover of every tabloid."
Kara goes to say it's worth it if she's by her side when a shadow falls over them, encompassing them in darkness and cutting the words out of her mouth. She looks up to find Lillian Luthor herself, towering over everyone with menacing heels. Everything, from her tight bun to her grey straight dress, is severe and intimidating.
"Good evening Lena," she says with a smile that manages to be both belittling and hostile. "It's good to see you there."
"It's not like you left me much of a choice," Lena mumbles under her breath. "It's good to see you too mother," she says, louder this time.
"Where's Veronica ?" Lillian asks, her eyes turning to Kara for the briefest of moment.
Lena tenses again Kara, her body straightening up in a way that can only be painful. Her tremor reverberates in Kara's body. "She's very obviously not here," she says. Kara can almost picture a grimace on her face, but when she turns to look at her, her features form a mask of impassibility.
Lillian lips curl with displeasure. "Who is your, lovely, companion ?"
"Kara Danvers," Kara says, extending her hand for an awkward second before dropping it to her side when Lillian doesn't so much has glance at it. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"Kara ?" Lillian repeats with a sly grin, "that's a girl name."
"I've been known to date girls," Lena replies, gripping Kara's arm strongly enough that it would hurt if she were anything over than indestructible.
"Well," her mother says, this single word dragging eternally out of her mouth as she eyes Kara up and down several times. "This certainly is confusing." Her gaze stay fixed somewhere around Kara's tie for a moment before she snaps out of it and turns towards Lena again. "I have business to attend. But have fun tonight. Talk to important people. Shake important hands. And please, don't be an embarrassment. God knows we need the good press." And with that, she whirls around and leaves them both alone, still standing by the door.
"Well," Lena says after a beat, "that went well. I need a drink."
Kara tries to find words, tries to construct a sentence with any sort of meaning, but the only thing her brain supplies her with are strings of kryptonese swear words that she most definitely can't say here.
Its startling beginning sets the tone for the rest of the evening and Kara does what she can to support Lena, whispering jokes in her ear and fetching her various bites of fancy food. That is until Lillian Luthor falls upon them again, appearing quicker than The Blur, and dragging Lena away to dance with various sleazy men and a couple of plastically enhanced women for "the company image." Kara stays to the side, ready to intervene if needed, scooting the place for any sign of Veronica Sinclair. As the evening progresses, Lena looks less and less put together and more and more like she could bite someones head off ; Kara's hope of getting drunk on human alcohol increase with each passing minute. Both of their resolve finally snap when Lillian introduce Lena to Morgan Edge and he somehow thinks that squeezing her ass as they slow dance is acceptable. Kara interrupts the dance immediately, not caring at all that anyone could have witnessed her crossing the room at an inhuman pace. She shoves Edge aside with a bit more strength than necessary and she's sure the bone she hears cracking is not a figment of her imagination.
To an outsider eye, Lena is the picture of poise and grace as she takes Kara's hand and dignifiedly walks away ; but Kara can feel her trembling, and she easily pick up her fumbled words, "please, get me out of here." Kara does, stopping at the door for a short minute to remove her jacket and drap it over Lena's shoulders. As they leave, she glances back to find Lillian Luthor staring at them, an indistinguishable look on her face as Morgan Edge is escorted off the premises.
Outside, they stop on top of the stairs to breathe for a minute, Lena refusing to stand on her own and instead leaning fully on Kara. She turns her head to the stars, letting her head hang backward like she's trying to detach it from the rest of her body. Kara doesn't ask if she's okay, she knows she isn't. "I don't wanna go home yet," Lena says eventually. "I know this was a thwart evening from the start, but I don't know, I would have liked to at least dance with you."
"There'll be plenty of over, better, occasion," Kara says, kissing the side of her head and letting her lips linger there for a moment. "We can even dance right now if you want to."
Lena closes her eyes, inhaling deeply and then slowly emptying her body of all air. "Can we go somewhere ?"
"Sure. Do you have any particular ideas ?"
"No. But I trust you."
Kara flags down a taxi. The old hybrid is a far cry from their previous ride, but Lena doesn't seem to mind. Forgoing the seatbelt, she cuddles to Kara's side and normally, Kara would say something about it, would even buckle her in herself, but for now, she trusts herself to protect her.
The car weaves in and out of traffic, taking them to their destination. The sun is setting, shading everything in its golden light and warming even Lena's pale skin. They're nearly there when she speaks for the first time since they've sat down at the back of the car. "I don't even hate her. My mother. I don't even hate her."
"It's okay not to."
The taxi drops them off in a narrow street that picks Lena's curiosity. She's intrigued enough to not fight Kara much when she bats her hand away and pays for the ride. "Where are we ?" she asks once they're alone. "I've never been to that part of town."
"I thought we could go on our date," Kara says, offering her arm to lead her through the streets. "But since we've already eaten, I thought we could skip straight to dessert. Unless you're hungry."
Lena lights up suddenly, and she starts walking alongside Kara with a renewed spring in her steps. "You've slipped me enough finger food to last me for a month, I think I'm good for now."
"Is ice cream good ?"
"Ice cream's perfect," Lena beams. "Where are we going ?"
"Someplace really cool," Kara says with an engaging smile. "I know you don't like surprises, but this one's worth it. It'll be just us, and it's very quiet. Is that alright ?"
"Okay. Okay I trust you."
"I've been living just outside of National City since I was four," Lena says, "and I've never once heard of this place. How did you find it ?"
She leans back on the rock they're sitting on, exposing her pale features to the paler moonlight. The stars reflect in her eyes so much that Kara doesn't know where Lena begins and where the sky ends.
There's mint ice cream on the corner of her mouth. Kara wants to kiss it off ; so she does.
They're sitting close enough that they're almost touching already, and Kara only has to tilt her head an inch to the right to deposit the softest of kiss on the corner of Lena's parted lips.
Lena inhales sharply. She doesn't move, but still looks ready to take off under the sheer power of the sudden tension radiating from her. "Aren't you supposed to wait until the end of the night for that ?" she whispers her words accompanied by the hint of a smile.
"Sorry," Kara says, moving back, "that was impulsive."
"I'm only teasing," Lena says, turning fully to Kara and leaning slowly until their faces are almost touching. "You can kiss me Kara."
Kara waits a second, to give her the time to change her mind, and then closes the non existant gap.
It's chaste at first, respectful she'd say. Just the press of lips over lips, a hand cupping a face, the smell of sea salt in the air. But Lena lights a fire inside of her, and when she leans back in after the shortest intake of breath, with an open mouth and a tongue running across her lower lip, she can do nothing but deepen the kiss. For all the power she usually wields, for all the strength coursing through her veins, she's putty in her hands.
Lena's hands come circling her neck, threading at the back of her head and scratching where her hair is short and soft. Her own hands leave her face, trailing down Lena's body until they settle firmly on her hips. Shamelessly, Lena licks into her mouth, and it's a life altering experience. She tastes of champagne and mint. Kara bites down on her lip, one of them moans, she's not sure who. She presses more fully into Lena, feeling the length of her body against her and intimately aware of all the places they're touching. Lena arches away from the rock, in pain, or something else, and swiftly, Kara flips them so that Lena is above her, bracketing her hips with her thighs, her dress bunched up and leaving acres of smooth skin uncovered. After that, her brain stops functioning.
She has no idea of how long they stay like that, making out under the stars, lips sliding against lips until they get tired and slide against skin instead before they connect again like long lost lovers. Lena's got her hand under her shirt and Kara's got both of hers on her thighs under her dress. Somewhere along the way, she forgot to be gentlewomanly.
Somewhere further along the line, she becomes aware of a damp spot in her underwear and at the same time, Lena draws back, breathing out of control and pupils so dilated her eyes are no longer green. "We should stop," she manages to say between two sharp intake of breath, "before I do something untowardly."
"I'm sorry," Kara says, gulping for air, her lungs having somehow reached their maximum capacity. "I'm really attracted to you."
"Don't apologise for that," Lena mumbles, hiding her face in the crook of her neck for a moment before she slides off Kara's body and lies down beside her. "We just got a bit carried away. But to be continued, right ?"
Her question has her shift from confident to shy and unsure in a way that Kara finds revolting. She cannot bear the thought of Lena feeling so shy and small even after what just happened. They were well on their way to having sex on a beach on their first date and Kara would have been a very willing participant, decency be damned. "To be continued," she says, taking Lena's hand into her own and threading their fingers delicately. "Don't be shy," she adds when Lena averts her eyes to the ground. "You're beautiful."
"With you I really feel like I am," Lena says, her voice caught between a whisper and slight certainty.
"Then I shall make it my life mission to make you feel like that, always."
Lena doesn't reply immediately, and Kara wonders if she's pushed it a notch too far until suddenly, a chuckle escapes the woman next to her and it barrels into full body laugh. It's contagious, and she starts laughing too even if she doesn't grasp what's so funny about their situation.
"I'm sorry," Lena eventually says, wiping happy tears from her eyes, "it's just, you said that in such a nerdy way. You're like my knight in shinning armour."
"Bestow me your favour and I'll battle literal dragons for you," Kara says, exaggeratedly puffing her chest. She guess she can see how it's funny, but deep down, she's bursting with pride.
They stay a while longer, laying under the stars, Lena pointing gas clusters and Kara telling stories about them, making things up when she can't quite remember the correct myths. There is an opening at some point, a moment when she could mention how different the stars were back on Krypton. But she doesn't. She feels so happy and she's too afraid of ruining it. She'll tell her tomorrow, maybe, but tonight, she wants to feel nothing but joy.
They take another taxi home, and this time, Kara doesn't manage to deter Lena from paying. She still opens the door for her, bowing down to make her laugh, the musical sound filling the night around them. Lena struts up the stairs, a spring in her step that Kara hopes comes from her. They're on the second floor when her brain tunes in on wracking sobs coming from over their heads. She climbs faster, hoping, wishing, praying that she's wrong ; but she isn't, Alex is on her doorstep, and the world crumbles around her.
