Together, they decided that they would tell Alex over dinner at Kara's apartment the next week. Kara did her best to bring it up casually with Alex that morning, "Hey, why don't you come over for dinner tonight? I haven't seen you in ages. Lena was gonna come over anyway." Lena spent her day flitting between heart-stopping panic and excitement behind her desk at Luthor Corp. She was meant to be drafting a proposal to send on to her brother and the rest of the department heads for final approval, but her mind wouldn't stop.

In an utterly irrational panic, she feared Lex would just know. That if she simply forwarded the document in a blank email, signed with her default signature, he would be able to tell that something had changed. Sure, she had been with Kara for months - but this was different. She was different and it was official now.

The moment her mother's gaudy limo picked her up from boarding school in Vermont, only to drive her to a nearly identical building in the middle of Connecticut, played in her mind. The only difference was the cross etched into the stone. Lillian didn't speak for most of the five hour ride, busy on conference calls, but she looked up once to say: "Now you've gotten that out of your system, I hope you realize a Luthor doesn't deviate. And if you are," her eyes were ice, "a deviant, that is…well, you aren't a Luthor." Lena nodded like she understood, like she wasn't terrified and barely fifteen. "I should have never sent you to that all-girls school."

She'd been caught skinny dipping in the pool with her roommate after hours. They didn't do anything, but she desperately wanted to…and the whole school knew it. In Connecticut she was more careful; she didn't get caught. The fear didn't stop tingling from the pads of her feet to the base of her skull, though.

That was ten years ago now. Lena was an adult. She had her own apartment, her own life. Still, it took little pressure to break the fragile hold she had on it. Her job, her finances, any sense of stability - it was all tied to her family and the thought of coming out put a laser focus on the fault lines that could lay waste to her life.

Her leg bounced erratically as she glanced at her phone, working at her desktop between the anxious texts she sent Kara.

Lena [8:31AM]: I'll see you later, girlfriend.

(At the start of the day, she was just fine, thank you.)

Lena [10:08AM]: Should I change after work?

(The worry started to hit and fuck, what if I make a bad first impression? It took Lena five minutes and a panic attack to remember she had, in fact, met Alex Danvers before.)

Lena [1:23PM]: Are you sure this is a good idea?

Lena [1:30PM]: She's a lesbian. I don't know why I'm so are sure she's a lesbian, though?

(She had, admittedly, had one too many cups of coffee after ten too many stressful emails.)

Lena [3:07PM]: What are we making for dinner? I want ramen. Also, a drink.

(God, did she need a drink.)

When five-o'clock finally rolled around, Lena was still answering emails and putting the final touches on her proposal draft titled Acquisition Of Renewable Resources For Energy, FY2019-20. If approved, she could begin to seek funding for alternative energy research. If not, she'd have to start all over again.

Her shoulders were stiff with stress and her neck ached as the tension spread. Sighing, Lena rubbed at the sore muscles with very little hope of relief. She knew it wouldn't ease until after dinner, which - based on her current pace - wouldn't be for another hour, at least.

She sent a quick text to Kara.

Lena [5:03PM]: Work is hell. Running late, is 6:30/7 okay?

Kara [5:05PM]: Yeah, of course. Alex and I will just catch up. Take a break if you need to.

Lena smiled fondly at her girlfriend's reply, sending a heart emoji back before she returned to the exhausting document on her computer monitor.

—

On the other side of the city, Kara grinned at her phone before sliding it back into her pocket. "Sorry, what were you saying?"

Alex, who had arrived at her apartment not long ago, sat across from her. She was in the middle of a story about her latest case at the FBI when Lena texted. "Was that Lena?"

"Yeah, she's running late. At least another hour, maybe two," Kara summarized.

"Enough time for mid-2000s classic hit film Sleepover?" Alex grinned.

"Uh, yeah!" Kara grabbed for the remote, quickly searching for the movie.

Soon they were both lost in the world of their shared childhood crush, Alexa Vega, and debating whether or not Jane Lynch could ever be believably straight. As the credits rolled, Kara glanced at her watch. "Shit, I gotta start cooking."

"Cooking? Since when does Kara Danvers cook?" The older sister balked.

"I cook!" The blonde protested. "I just don't cook for you."

Alex's eyes lit up. "Lena? You're cooking for Lena!" When Kara didn't respond, her head buried in the fridge, the agent continued on. "A straight girl, Kara?" She questioned, cautioning.

"Do you want dinner, or not?" Was all Kara said.

"I don't like this," Alex huffed before settling back on the couch as Kara shuffled around the kitchen, beginning to prepare the ingredients she purchased on her way home. As she chopped the vegetables, she was beginning to realize just how nervous she was - if not for herself, for Lena. Sure, she had introduced past partners to Alex before, but never like this. The stakes were never so high. And Lena…she couldn't begin to imagine the pressure she was under. Kara trusted Alex with her life and then some, but this was overwhelming - even for them.

Adding stock to a large pot, she left it to boil with various vegetables she knew Lena would like. Then, chopped chicken was added to a pan to sauté. There was a knock at the door just as she seasoned the raw chicken frying in the pan.

She pulled the door open to an exhausted Lena Luthor. "Hey," she smiled, "dinner is almost done. I think Alex is on the phone."

Lena pulled her into the tight hug she was too afraid to initiate, "It smells good. Thank you." She placed a quick, cautious kiss against the blonde's neck.

Pulling away, Kara remembered her girlfriend's earlier text. "Sit. Let me get you a drink."

"I'll get it," Lena declined, "You cook."

Kara smiled fondly as she watched Lena move with ease through her kitchen, pulling a bottle of scotch down from a cabinet she put there for herself months ago. God, did she want to kiss her. As if Lena could feel her eyes, she spoke without even lifting her head. "Don't burn my dinner."

"It's not burnt," She turned her attention back to the pan, "it's…crispy. Shit."

Lena wanted to laugh. It was adorable. But she could sense the rising anxiety from the usually calm woman. "It's fine. Where are the noodles?"

Kara nodded toward a bag on the countertop while she turned off the burner. Lena returned with the sinewy rice noodles, placing them in the boiling stock, then popped a piece of slightly blackened chicken in her mouth. "See? Delicious," she grinned.

The blonde slumped against her, sighing. "Shouldn't you be the one comforting me?" Lena teased as she rubbed the reporter's arm.

"Shit, Lena. I'm so sorry. I just wanted everything to be so perfect and—" Lena cut her off.

"It's okay. You're perfect. It's distracting me from how nervous I am." She laughed softly, adjusting their bodies as she pulled the blonde into an embrace. "But maybe you could use a break?"

Kara looked thoughtful for a moment before asking, "What kind of break are you suggesting?"

She felt Lena's hands shift around her waist as the brunette's throaty laugh reverberated throughout the kitchen. In lieu of a kiss, Kara received: the brunette's glass of scotch, warm hands settling comfortably in the back pockets of her jeans, and a promise of "later."

With at least another five minutes left until their dinner was finished cooking, they settled into quiet conversation. Did Kara finish that article today? I've gotta tweak it, but yeah. What, specifically, was so awful about Lena's day and how could Kara fix it? That fucking proposal...but this is helping. Did Lena want to stay the night? Absolutely.

The timer buzzed. Dinner was ready. Though not quite ready to extricate herself from Lena's grasp, Kara called for Alex. "Dinner!"

"I'm right h—." Alex began in frustration, cutting herself off as she rounded the corner. "Oh. Oh. You're…this was…" She didn't know where to start. The couple sprang apart as she spoke. Lena wanted to sink into the floor. She felt trapped. Stuck in the kitchen like a lobster about to be boiled alive. Anxiety bubbled in her chest and her fingertips were going numb. She should leave, right? This meant it was time to go?

"I should go," she whispered to Kara.

"No, Lena. Stay, please." Kara's eyes were frantic. What the fuck, Alex. Fix this!

The pained look on her sister's face seemed to kick Alex into gear, "Yeah, uh, I heard Kara made you ramen? Smells good." She smiled. Comforting, warm, welcoming.

The reporter smiled, nodding in encouraging confirmation. She's safe.

For a moment Lena's boardroom persona slipped on like armor. "I guess it would be a waste."

—

Dinner went smoothly.

If FBI Special Agent Alex Danvers noticed that Lena was shaking - her nerves still overwhelming in spite of the alcohol - or that she couldn't bear to meet her eye, she was kind enough to not mention it.

She smiled fondly when Lena gushed about Kara's cooking in-between stories which she had previously only heard heavily watered down versions. She was proud of her sister's protective loyalty, even if it meant lying to her.

When they settled back down on the couch with tea, Alex suggested putting on another movie. "Something gay," she raised an eyebrow at the couple.

Eventually, Alex selected Kyss Mig and Lena finally felt brave enough to say, "It's so much better than Imagine Me & You," through the blush that hadn't left her cheeks in hours.

"Finally! Someone on my side!" Alex laughed, poking her sister.