Let me know what you thought? .com
Lena realised why Kara's flirtatious tone didn't sit right with her until the next day, while watching TV with Sam.
"Shit," Lena whispered.
"I know, right?" Sam hummed around the popcorn she was eating. "How do they even survive?"
Lena focused on the TV, noting the jellyfish on the screen before turning to Sam. "No, I was jealous."
"Of the brainless, jelly creature?" Sam frowned.
"No," Lena shook her head. "Yesterday, Kara kind of flirted with me, as Spider-Woman, and it didn't feel right to me."
It dawned on Sam them. "No," a smirk slowly grew on Sam's lips. "No. You were jealous. Of yourself."
"She and Lena are friends, I think. But she's- and I-"
"You have a crush on the pretty reporter." Sam grinned.
"I think I might."
"And you are aware that you are the spider, right?"
"I know, I just-" Lena sighed, falling back against the sofa.
Sam's grin slipped when she noticed the turmoil in Lena's face. "What?"
"I'm not Spider-Woman. I am but I'm not, that's not who I am. It's the power it was given, the moral responsibility to do something good with it but Lena is me, and-"
"And you want Kara to like the real you and not hero worship you?"
"Yeah," Lena sighed. "But that is never how it works, everyone always prefers the spider, no one trusts me. I'm a Luthor, that name comes with a stigma."
"Ah, the good old 'I'm a Luthor' self deprecation." Sam sighed. "Does she flirt with you?"
"I don't think so,"
"Well, there you go." Sam smiled. "That's all you need to know! You never flirt with the person you actually like, not brazenly anyway."
"What? Or course you do." Lena frowned. "I've seen you flirt with people."
"Yes, I flirt but there is this cute FBI agent that comes into the precinct sometimes and I can't flirt with her. Because, well, she's a little scary, but also because I'm too nervous to flirt with her because I actually like her." Same planned. "You know what I'm in saying?"
"You have a crush?"
"That's what you focus on?"
"Well, you've never told me." Lena grumbled. "I thought we were best friends."
"Oh, don't try and make me feel bad. You didn't tell me you were Spider-Woman." Sam glared at Lena. "The only reason I know was because you crashed into my room instead of your own in your pain induced haze. It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact we've been best friends since we were six." Sam gave Lena a pointed look.
"That was an easy mistake to make, okay? Your house is exactly like mine and is directly beside mine."
"Mm," Sam hummed, unconvinced. "You were so out of it because of how hurt you were you can't even remember me being there until you woke up in my bed the next morning."
"And did I wake up all healed up?"
"That's because you have super healing," Sam reasoned.
"This is old news, I would rather talk about your crush."
"It's newish." Sam shrugged. "She's- I don't know, I don't think she likes me."
"Why would you think that?"
"She's just really abrasive and standoffish." Sam said. "And she just doesn't give me that vibe."
"Maybe flirt with her and you would know."
Sam rolled her eyes. "I will flirt with her when you flirt with Kara."
"That's a different situation, Kara is my friend, I have something to lose."
"Mm," Sam hummed, unconvinced.
—
Kara stopped by L-Corp the following day, smiling widely at Lena as she placed a doughnut down in front of her. "How are you?" She asked, setting on the sofa.
"Tired," Lena hummed, grabbing the doughnut and moving to sit beside Kara. "I was up late with Sam last night."
"Sam?"
"Yeah, we were watching David Attenborough, we got stuck in a rabbit hole of Blue Planet, before we knew it it was two am."
"Oh," Kara nodded, that little crinkle appearing in her brow.
"What?"
"Hm?" Kara hummed, trying to seem disinterested. "Nothing."
"Tell that to your little crinkle." Lena commented with a little grin.
"No, it's nothing. You've just never mentioned that you're dating anyone." Kara shrugged. "You should have her over for our weekly movie nights, I would love to meet her."
Lena couldn't stop that little voice in the back of her mind telling her that Kara was jealous. "Sam and I haven't dated in eight years."
That little crinkle got deeper. "What?"
"We dated for a short while when we were sixteen, but that was a case of being the only two openly gay girls in the area." Lena explained. "We were together for about six months, but something happened that drove us apart. We broke up and didn't see each other for a year, even thought we lived right beside one and other, but we reconnected, and realised we were better as friends. She worked for the company, briefly, but decided she wanted to be a police officer."
"Oh, okay." Kara nodded, but Lena noticed the slight upturn of her lips.
"What about you? Do you have anyone you want to bring to movie nights?"
"No," Kara answered immediately. "I like that it is just us, it's nice."
"I agree," Lena hummed, watching Kara attentively as she ducked her head, tucking her hair behind her ear.
Lena took the doughnut from the bag and split it in half, handing half to Kara.
"So, I want to tell you something, but it has to stay between us." Kara said, accepting the doughnut from Lena.
"Of course,"
"I've been looking into the families around National City and I think the Costa and DeMaggio families are working together to take territory from the other two families." Kara said before taking a bite of her doughnut.
"Really?" Lena frowned, picking off a piece of hers. "That can cause a gang war across the city."
"I know," Kara hummed. "But there is something else, there has been communications from the Costa and DeMaggios, and the McDuffys in Central City, and probably more families across the east coast."
"You think families across the cities are, what?" Lena frowned. "Trying to band together and share all the territories?"
"It makes sense, one peace treaty, if you will, will keep the family in power in their city and give them back up if they ever need it." Kara said. "But it will cause gang wars in the city and I know the Costa and DeMaggio families won't play nice for long, one will get to power hungry."
"A lot of people could get hurt." Lena commented. "Not just gangster. Have you told anyone?"
"I have no proof." Kara shrugged. "I'm trying to get some but their cyber security is FBI level, so my buddy is having trouble with it."
"I have a friend in the police service, she will listen and help you, off the books."
"I don't know, I haven't had great experience with police officers."
"That's because you illegally sneak into places." Lena commented quietly, and Kara narrowed her eyes slightly. "She's good, I promise." Lena assured.
"I will think about it."
"Of course," Lena nodded once. "But please don't go running headlong into danger. Again."
"Did your spider-friend tell you about that?" Kara grumbled.
"Detective Arias, actually."
It seemed to dawn on Kara then. "She is your police friend."
"She told me all about you almost getting killed by the Costa family."
"That is a little dramatic," Kara murmured, taking a bite of her doughnut sheepishly. "Anyway, your other friend saved me."
"Please don't get yourself killed, Kara."
"Are you worried about me," Kara asked with a cheek little smile.
"Of course I am," Lena said, not biting Kara's teasing comment.
The mirth in Kara's eyes melted away into something Lena couldn't quite decipher, then Kara just stared, her eyes flickering around Lena's face, and the look on her face caused Lena's heart beat to spike, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end for an entire different reason than she was used to.
"Don't get yourself killed, I enjoy having you around." Lena admitted, and the corner of Kara's mouth turned up into a soft smile.
"I will try not to," Kara promised. "I know you keep saying no, but games night this Friday, you should come, and bring Sam."
There was a hopefulness in Kara's eyes, that was always there, but coupled with that almost dazed smile she was currently sporting, Lena really couldn't say no.
"I will see if Sam is free."
The wide smile that broke out on Kara's lips made all the anxiety of meeting Kara's friends worth it.
"That's great! it is so much fun, and we can go on a team." Kara offered, her fingers touching Lena's arm. "Alex will probably be mad but that's okay."
Lena had been on the receiving end of an angry Alex, and it was definitely not okay. "Okay,"
Kara rhymed off an address, then waved her hand and told Lena should would text it to her later.
Kara talked some more about her job, considerable less heavy stuff, and Lena talked a little about the fall out from Lex, and eased Kara's guilt when she looked sheepish at the mention of it.
They didn't realise it was so late until Kara glanced down at her watch, doing a double take when it read 11:23. "Oh, gosh, it's so late."
Lena couldn't help but wonder how a person who said 'gosh' could be such a 'hardened journalist', but it was cute and she couldn't stop the smile that pulled on her lips.
Lena glanced down at the own watch. "It definitely doesn't feel like it has been five hours,"
"It never does when you are in good company," Kara commented shyly, busying herself with putting on her jacket.
"I couldn't agree more," Lena smiled, walking Kara to the door.
"You aren't going home?" Kara asked, turning to lena when she had opened the door, the foyer in darkness.
"I have a lot of work to catch up on," Lena leant against the door, her temple resting against the wood, smiling sleepily at Kara. "A pretty reporter distracted me."
Kara blinked, unsure how to reply to that. "I'm so sorry, you should have kicked me out if you were busy."
"I'm never too busy for you, miss Danvers."
Kara ducked her, her hand coming up to tuck her hair behind her ear as she grinned. "Goodnight, Doctor Luthor."
"Let me know when you get home safe." Lena requested.
"Only if you agree to leave within the next hour,"
"Two hours," Lena bargained.
"Hour and a half," Kara shot back.
"Deal," Lena held out her hand playfully, which Kara took, giving a hard shake.
"Pleasure doing business with you,"
"You got lucky, I don't usually let people off this easy when it comes to business." Lena kinked an eyebrow, her thumb smoothing over the skin on Kara's hand.
Kara's eyes flickered down to their hands briefly but quickly returned to Lena's eyes. "I bet,"
"Goodnight, Kara." Lena loosened her grip on Kara's hand, and Kara let her fingertips ghost off Lena's palm.
"I will see you on Friday,"
Kara left and Lena closed the door behind her, letting a shaky breath as she leant her forehead against the door.