Kara grabbed the coffee while Lena filled the coffee pot with water. They silently worked together and within minutes the strong scent of coffee filled the penthouse.
"Oh," Kara exclaimed, startling Lena. "I almost forgot. Alex is coming over for dinner with Sam and Ruby. They're cooking." Her face fell slightly. "I hope you don't mind that I invited them."
"No, that's fine," Lena told her. She filled up her mug and sipped the warm liquid. She sighed happily. "I want you to be comfortable here. You can invite anyone you want."
Kara beamed. "Then I guess I should warn you… my adopted mother, Eliza, will be visiting soon."
Lena's face fell slightly. She knew the older woman didn't like her because she was a Luthor. She wasn't looking forward to that meeting. But she would stand by Kara if that's what she wanted. "That's great," she said in fake enthusiasm.
"She'll behave," Kara assured her. "She wants to give you a chance. She promised to look past the Luthor name."
"Okay," Lena said. If Eliza was willing to give her a chance, then she would give Eliza a chance. It was only fair. And if it made Kara happy then it was an added bonus. "What time are they coming?" She wanted to know if she would have time to shower, and clean up the penthouse a bit.
"Seven," Kara answered. "Plenty of time to get ready. I'll clean up while you get ready."
"You don't have to do that," Lena protested.
"It's not a big deal," Kara said with a shrug. "There's not much that needs to be cleaned anyway. Besides, I'll have it all done before you're out of the shower."
"Fine," Lena agreed. "Should we go to the store?"
"Uh, I don't think so," Kara said. "Alex said they would stop and pick up things for dinner. Unless there's anything extra we want to get."
"We should go," Lena decided. "We'll need snacks and I can use some more wine."
"Alex and Sam could get snacks and wine," Kara pointed out. She wasn't against going to the store but if she would prefer that they stay home. It was safer at home.
Lena shifted uncomfortably. "Alex can't afford the wine I buy," Lena admitted.
"Ah," Kara said. She licked her lips. "Alright. We'll go. The odds of Lex attacking a grocery store is small. We should be okay."
"You don't have to go," Lena told her.
Kara shook her head. "I'm not letting you go alone," she said. Lena sighed but didn't comment. There was no point. Kara would never let it go. She knew Alex would be equally upset with her.
"Okay," she agreed. "I'm going to shower and get dressed. You can use the guest bathroom if you want, unless you would rather wait for me."
"I'll wait," Kara decided. "I'm going to check the fridge and cabinets and see what we have, so we can stock up. I would rather not go out more than necessary."
Lena finished her coffee and kissed Kara's cheek before heading off to her bedroom. Lena quicky showered while Kara dug through every cabinet. Most of them were rather empty. Kara sighed. It was obvious Lena didn't take care of herself when she was alone. It made sense. Lena didn't have someone like Alex or Eliza to make sure she was taking care of herself. Honestly, Kara wasn't even sure if Lena's parents cared if she lived or died. Kara sighed. No, she knew they didn't care and it made her angry.
Kara dug out a notepad and a pen. She wrote a list of basic things Lena needed. Things like pasta, canned goods, flour, olive oil and other baking necessities. She checked the fridge next. It was mostly full thanks to Jess. She scribbled down a few more things, like eggs and bacon since they ran out. She added some fresh fruit and vegetables, mostly for Lena. Eating healthy didn't affect her in any way but she did have to keep up appearances in public. Last, she checked the freezer. She added ice cream and potstickers to her list but other than that the freezer was good.
There was over a dozen items on her list by the time she was done. She heard the shower shut off and decided to clean until Lena was ready. By the time Lena came out of the bedroom, most of the penthouse was cleaned. The only thing that needed to be cleaned was the bathrooms.
Kara looked up when Lena approached her. Lena was wearing slacks and a black tank top. For her it was considered casual wear and she had to admit Lena looked comfortable.
Lena looked around the penthouse. "Kara, you didn't have to clean," she scolded gently. Her penthouse wasn't dirty but still it was uncomfortable watching someone else clean up her mess.
Kara shrugged. "I had time," she said. She gestured to the notepad on the counter. "I made a list. Are you ready?"
"Yes," Lena answered. She picked up the list Kara wrote and quickly scanned it. She grabbed the pen and added a few extra items.
"I'm going to change real quick and then we can go," Kara told her. She was gone before Lena could respond. Lena finished adding to her list. When she looked up Kara was standing there, fully dressed.
Lena drove them to the store. Winn had done a great job in getting Lena's car back in a reasonable amount of time. Winn had taken his time bringing the car back, not that Lena cared, but he still managed to get it back within a day. Lena was pleased to see there was no damage done to her beloved car. It was the one thing, other than her penthouse that she spent a lot of money on.
There was something comforting and strange about shopping with Kara. It was like they were a family, no matter how small. She realized, as she walked Kara dump snacks into the cart, that she wanted this to continue. She wanted to shop with Kara every week. Really, she just wanted to be with Kara. She wondered if Kara would consider moving in with her. Since their trip to Santa Monica, where the two confessed their feelings, they had spent every minute together. Even before that trip they spent a lot of time together, especially after Kara's injury. It was pointless for Kara to continue to pay for an apartment she didn't spend time in.
"You okay Lena?" Kara asked concerned. Lena had been quiet since they entered the store. She didn't even say anything when Kara filled the cart with junk food.
Lena glanced at Kara. She would talk to Alex about Kara moving in. If anyone knew Kara, it was Alex. "I'm fine," Lena answered. "I was just thinking."
"About Lex?" Kara questioned. "He's not here. I've been listening to everyone around us."
"No, not Lex," Lena said. "I refuse to give him more attention than necessary. I was thinking about us actually."
Kara stopped the cart and turned to face her. "What about us?" Kara was concerned now. Was Lena going to dump her? Did Lena realize being with Kara put her life in even more danger? As devastating as it would be… Kara wouldn't blame her if she wanted to leave.
"Nothing like that Kara," Lena assured her. She took Kara's hand, which was gripping the cart a little too tightly. "I was thinking about your birthday actually. Is there anything in particular you wanted to do?"
She was planning the party for Kara but she wanted to see if there was anything Kara wanted to do. "How did you know about my birthday?" Kara asked with a small frown. "I don't remember telling you about it."
"You didn't," Lena confirmed. "Alex told me and she told me about your tradition. I wanted to know if you wanted to do something else, or if you would rather spend the evening with Alex."
"I hadn't thought about it," Kara admitted. "With everything going on, my birthday is the least of my concerns."
"Kara, your birthday is important," Lena said softly. "I won't let you dismiss it because of my family issues. Now, is there anything you want to do for your birthday?"
Kara looked at Lena. She recognized the look Lena had. It was the same look Alex and Eliza got when they wouldn't let something go. "I'll think about it," she promised.
Lena nodded. She could live with that.
They hurried to finish their shopping. The only thing left on Lena's list was alcohol. She grabbed a bottle of the expensive scotch she loved. She grabbed an expensive bottle of tequila. She wasn't a huge fan of tequila but she did enjoy the occasional margarita. She grabbed a second bottle of tequila because she knew Sam liked it. "What does Alex like?" Lena asked curious.
"She's not picky," Kara told her. "She mostly drinks beer though." Kara picked out a case of beer that Alex typically bought. Lena grabbed a couple more cases of different kinds of dark beers and added them to the cart.
"Is there anything you want?" Lena asked.
"Alcohol doesn't affect me," Kara reminded her.
"I know," Lena said with a frown. Perhaps one of her future projects will be making alcohol that Kara could drink. Until then she needed to stock up on that alien alcohol from the bar. "Is there anything you enjoy drinking?"
Kara shrugged. "I'll drink anything. I normally drink what other people are drinking."
"Are you sure?" Lena questioned. She had more than enough money to buy alcohol for Kara, even if it had no effect on her.
Kara stepped forward and kissed Lena. "Yes, I'm sure," she said. "But thanks. I love you."
Lena grinned. "I love you too Kara." She glanced in the basket. "I think that's it then. Unless there's something else you want."
Kara shook her head. "I have enough potstickers for now," she said. Lena laughed and led Kara to the check out. Once Lena paid, they headed back to the penthouse.
Kara's superstrength came in handy with groceries. She managed to carry everything but two bags on her own. It was amazing to watch and was a good time saver.
"How much time do we have?" Lena asked as Kara followed her into the penthouse.
"Two hours," Kara said after checking the time on her phone.
Lena started to unpack the groceries. She grabbed the pasta and stuck it in the cabinet. When she turned to grab the next items she saw all the bags were gone. She glanced Kara but she looked like she hadn't moved. Lena shook her head. "Well, now that that's done…"
Kara laughed. "I'm going to put some potstickers in the oven and then shower," she informed her. "Cleaning is done and they're dealing with dinner so we're ready."
"Kara," Lena called before Kara could disappear. Kara turned to face Lena. "I love you."
Kara grinned. "I love you too. Open a bottle of wine and relax Lena. I'll be out in a few."
Kara's shower took a lot longer than normal. She had an ear out for Lena the entire time, just in case something happened. She was so focused on making sure Lena was okay that she wasn't paying attention to what she was doing. She ended up washing her hair with body wash and then washing it with shampoo three times before she gave up. She quickly scrubbed her body before turning off the shower. She used her super speed to dry off and get dressed, opting for shorts and a tank top. No glasses and no ponytail. Everyone knew her identify so there was no reason for her to hide.
"Your shower is amazing," Kara declared as she went back to the living room.
She was pleased to see Lena took her advice. She was seated on the couch, a glass of wine in hand, with her feet propped up on coffee table. An empty wine glass was on the table along with the bottle of wine in case Kara wanted some. She had the remote in her hand and was flipping through the TV channels.
Lena looked up at the sound of Kara's voice. She raised an eyebrow at Kara's attire. "Comfortable?" she asked.
"Definitely," Kara answered with a grin. She sat down beside Lena and put her head on Lena's shoulder. Lena sat her wine glass down so she could wrap her arm around Kara's shoulder. She laid her cheek on top of Kara's head. "More comfortable now."
Lena closed her eyes and smelled Kara's strawberry shampoo. She loved the smell and anytime she ate strawberries she was reminded of Kara. "You seem more relaxed too," Lena noted. "You've been tense since L-Corp was attacked."
Kara pulled away slightly to study Lena's face. "Can you blame me?" She didn't wait for a response. "I have you here…in my arms. I know you're safe. And right now, that's good enough for me. Tomorrow we can deal with Cadmus and everything."
Lena nodded. "I can live with that. Tomorrow, we deal with everything," she agreed.
"I thought about what I want to do for my birthday," Kara said after a few minutes of silence.
"Oh?"
"I want to spend time with you, Alex and our friends and family," Kara said. She snuggled closer to Lena. "With everything going on with Cadmus. I want a night with all the people I love."
"Okay," Lena agreed, secretly thrilled. It meant her plan to rent out the alien bar was perfect. "Then that's what we'll do."
Kara glanced at Lena. "What are you planning?" she asked suspicious.
"Don't worry about it," Lena said. "I promise you'll love it."
Kara sighed. "Fine." The timer on the oven went off and Kara was off the couch before Lena could protest.
"Kara," Lena whined.
Kara turned off the oven and reached in with her bare hand to pull out tray. She dumped the potstickers onto a plate and was back at Lena's side in an instant. She grabbed a potsticker and gently blew on it. She offered it to Lena. "Careful, it's still hot."
Lena bit the edge of the potsticker. She winced and pushed Kara's hand away. "Too hot," she said.
Kara frowned at the potsticker, like it had offended her. She gently blew on it. Her cold breath cooled down the food enough to make it safe for a human. "Try this," she said.
Lena ate the potsticker that Kara fed her. She had to admit. She could get used to Kara feeding her. "It's delicious," Lena said after she finished the potsticker.
Kara grabbed another potsticker and shoved the whole thing in her mouth. She nodded. "They are good," she agreed after swallowing her food.
Lena watched the blonde superhero eat. The more she watched, the more she knew exactly what she wanted. "Kara," she said getting her girlfriends attention. Kara looked up. "How do you feel about moving in here…with me?"
Kara dropped the potsticker she was holding. "Move in," she repeated. "Here…with you…"
Lena pulled away from Kara. "I'm sorry. It's a stupid idea. Forget I said…umph."
Lena was cut off by Kara kissing her. Kara straddled her lap and pushed her hair out of her face. She leaned down and kissed Lena again. Lena's hands went to Kara's thighs, trying to pull her even closer. Kara didn't stop until Lena was struggling to breathe. "Yes," Kara whispered in her ear. "I would love to move in with you."
"Yes?" Lena asked as if she couldn't quite believe it.
"Yes," Kara repeated.
Lena leaned forward to kiss her. She pulled away far too quickly for Kara's liking. She rested her forehead against Kara's. "We're really doing this?" Despite hearing Kara say yes twice, she still couldn't believe it.
"We're really doing this," Kara told her. "I can pack up my apartment tomorrow. I just need to talk to my landlord and get everything cleaned up."
"I can hire someone to pack and clean for you," Lena offered.
Kara shook her head. "I can do it." She paused and sighed. "I'll pack if you're willing to get someone to clean. I don't want to be away from you too long in case something happens."
"Nothing is going to happen to me," Lena told her. Kara didn't look convinced. "But I'll call first thing in the morning. I guarantee you will get your security deposit back. Not that you'll need it," she added.
Kara raised an eyebrow at her. "You're not paying for everything just because I move in," Kara said firmly.
Lena grinned. "And you plan on stopping me how?" Kara glared at her. Lena sighed. "Kara, I have the money. More money than I will ever need. Let me help you."
Kara laid her head on Lena's shoulder. "You know I'm not with you because of your money, right?"
Lena cupped her cheek. "I know that, Kara. If there's one person I trust that is not after my money, it's you. You're the first person to see me as Lena and not as Lena Luthor. I will always love you for that." Kara kissed her again. "Now, get up. We need to get the beers in the fridge." She frowned. "We may need some help with that."
Kara laughed. She climbed on Lena's lap and made her way to the kitchen. The beer was neatly stacked on the counter. She took a deep breath and blew cold air onto the bottles, instantly cooling them. "Done," Kara announced. With a bit of super speed all the beer was placed into the fridge so they would stay cold.
"Don't take this this wrong way…but I seriously love your powers," Lena laughed. Kara grinned. "What time is it?"
Kara didn't get a chance to check as there was a knock on the door.