Fidgeting nervously with her napkin, Lena Luthor cranes her neck around to peer at the back of the restaurant. Kara Danvers still hasn't emerged from the ladies' room. It has been twelve minutes so far, the new CatCo CEO has been counting, and worry is beginning to morph into dread.
Kara has abruptly disappeared on Lena before countless times, this was nothing new. The reporter most likely did have an upset stomach or other intestinal issues and needed her privacy. Yet, Lena could not shake the urge to check on her friend. She frets and fusses over Kara like no one else in her entire life. It is inexplicable and drives the Luthor mad but she is helpless to ignore it.
The last four minutes have been a raging internal debate with herself to stay put and wait calmly or rush inside like a needy, clingy, girlfriend. An imaginary image of the blonde passed out and bleeding on the tile floor is enough for the brunette to toss aside her napkin and start to slide out of the booth. Before Lena can stand, she catches a glimpse of Kara heading directly for her.
The gorgeous woman strutting and pouting like a runway model is not the cherubic, cautious Kara that left the booth only moments ago. This Kara is dramatically different and Lena notices it immediately. All confidence and charisma, the blonde sashays past envious onlookers and zeros in on Lena. Instead of returning to her seat, she now stands before the stunned brunette and simpers.
"Scooch in a little."
Before Lena can answer or move, Kara practically sits on top of her and pushes her way inside.
"I like your side of the booth better."
The baffled brunette is smushed between her friend and the wall panel.
"Do you want me to switch seats with you?"
The blonde throws a protective and territorial arm around her.
"Nope, I like your side of the booth better because you're in it."
Lena laughs nervously and Kara picks up on it.
"Is this making you uncomfortable?"
"Quite the opposite, actually."
"Good, because I don't want to behave like a creepy Hollywood slime dude."
"No worries there, Ms. Danvers."
"Do I have your permission to enter your personal space, Lena?"
"I believe that has already been established."
Kara winks at Lena and squeezes her into an affectionate hug. Anyone watching them would assume that they are lovers by their proximity and rapport.
"Kara, are you feeling okay?"
"Never better."
"You rushed off so quickly."
"Nature called and I had to answer."
"You were in there for quite awhile."
"Did you want me to bring you back a specimen?"
Lena is not used to this level of sarcasm from Kara. She studies her for a second and is about to say something when the blonde begins to rub her back in slow, soothing circles.
"I'm fine, Lena, thank you for worrying about me."
"I'll always worry about you, Kara."
"So, I have noticed."
The highly-charged expression from her friend flummoxes the brunette. She sips from her water glass in retreat and attempts to keep her voice steady.
"Good, well, I wanted to ask your opinion on…"
"Something juvenile?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"More boy band trivia, or favorite cartoon character, or eyeshadow gone wrong?"
"I don't…"
"Yeah, we've covered all those topics ad nauseam… emphasis on the nauseous part."
"I didn't realize that, I'm sorry."
The blonde grabs the brunette's mimosa and drains it.
"Stop apologizing, it makes you look weak, you're supposed to be a badass."
"You can be a badass with manners."
"True, and that's part of what makes you so fucking hot, Ms. Luthor."
Lena is alarmed since Kara rarely swears and to use the f-word in such a casual, vulgar way as a compliment is something new. In an attempt to keep her focus, the CEO pivots to a more conventional topic.
"So, I was thinking about your upcoming feature on…"
"Stop!"
"What?"
"No talking about work, either."
"Then, what would you like to talk about, Kara?"
"Oh, I dunno, Lena, we're in yet another romantic restaurant, in the most secluded booth in the building overlooking the harbor, you tell me?"
"I'm not sure what you're implying?"
"Don't play coy, boss, we're both too smart for that."
The brunette exhales and tries to form words but is unable to do so. The blonde rolls her eyes and sighs.
"How many more of these endless dates disguised as friendship outings do we have to go on before we finally get it on?"
"Kara!"
"No more hot and heavy pairings ending in frigid, platonic isolation… I'm tired of you leaving me in a clit snit every time, Lena!"
"Where… where is this coming from?"
"Do you really need me to explain it to you?"
The brunette stiffens up and takes on a stern, professional tone.
"Ms. Danvers, I want you to be honest with me about something…"
"You know that's me, all honesty, all the time."
"Are you using?"
"Using… using what, my knife and fork?"
The reporter takes her spoon, twirls it, and flips it across the room. It lands in the dessert cart with a clang.
"I suppose I will have to use them now."
In no mood for games, an exasperated Lena glowers at Kara.
"Did you go in the bathroom to use drugs and get high?"
The cackle echoing across the restaurant is loud and ironic and it lasts a bit longer than it should have. The blonde finally settles down and wipes the corner of her eye.
"Heh, I don't need drugs to get… high."
Kara uses air quotes with her fingers and snickers. Lena grabs her hand in hers and gently pats it.
"You can tell me the truth, Kara, there is absolutely no judgement here, I've had my own fair share of adventures in school."
"Ooh, adventures, did you stay up past midnight once during a chess tournament?"
Lena is gritting her teeth to keep from snapping. Again, Kara notices and softens. She raises her right hand and places her left hand over Lena's heart.
"I swear on all that is sacred to me that I do not do any kind of drugs, illicit or otherwise, and that is the 100% truth."
The brunette can tell by the blonde's eyes that she is indeed telling the truth. All of the years around her own family members have turned her into a walking polygraph machine. Lena now softens and unwittingly snuggles into Kara's shoulder.
"Thank you."
The reporter pulls the CEO into cuddly hug and whispers in her ear.
"You're welcome… and you're pissed because I called you out on your attraction to me."
The Luthor stiffens up again and nearly knocks over her plate.
"That is not true!"
"Now who is not being honest?"
Lena averts her eyes and clears her throat as Kara casts her an evil smirk and a cocked eyebrow.
"Leeenaaah?"
"We're BFFs forever."
The blonde instantly makes a gagging motion and grimaces.
"Gah, I hate that expression, it's so stupid and inaccurate in our case!"
Lena goes to say something but is shushed by Kara's finger on her lips.
"I had a best friend in high school and for her sixteenth birthday, I bought her a purse on sale at the mall for half off and a stuffed animal keychain I got at the carwash."
"I'm not sure what you're getting at?"
"I don't know any bezzies who fill an office with flowers."
"Friends send each other flowers all the time."
"Um, not rare orchids that cost $200,000 per plant!"
A guilty Lena slumps in her seat as a haughty Kara continues.
"I'm an amazing reporter, I did my research, and there were six of those exotic plants in my office."
"So, I'm a wealthy individual who can afford extravagant gifts."
"You know what I learned working for Cat Grant all that time?"
Lena hesitates to answer as Kara continues.
"I learned that super rich people stay rich by being the cheapest douches in the world, yes, Ms. Grant would give out expensive bottles of scotch but that was because she had a secret endorsement deal with the beverage company and when she wasn't handing out free goodies from the swag bag room, I had to regift presents she received from others and give them to her own family members."
"I know… my mother does the same scam."
"And if Cat absolutely had no choice and ended up buying something with her own money, she would make sure she could write it off… did you write off those orchids, Lena?"
Lena blushes and answers softly.
"No."
The blonde places a gentle kiss on the brunette's neck.
"Do you have a secret endorsement deal with a flower shop?"
"No."
Another kiss on the neck higher up.
"Were they leftover centerpieces from a L-Corp business function?"
"No."
Another kiss by her right ear. Kara now whispers into it.
"You paid for those flowers with your own money, didn't you?"
"Yes."
Kara almost brushes Lena's lips with a kiss but passes by her at the last second and reaches over to snag a strip of bacon from her plate. She crunches it with a cheshire grin.
"Crispy!"
The irked brunette has nothing to say as the blonde casually yawns.
"There are extravagant gifts and then there's 'melt a bar of platinum and shape it into an emoji heart with the letters 'L+K' etched inside of it'… wait, did I just guess my next birthday present?"
Lena continues to give Kara the cold shoulder as the reporter prattles on.
"And orchids, we all know what erotic female body part that represents… symbolism 101."
"You are reading way too much into it, Kara, I was only trying to be nice."
"There's nice and then there is trying-too-hard overboard."
Tired of trying to defend her actions, Lena sighs and surrenders to her crêpe. Kara watches her eat it. The reporter takes the CEO's napkin and stuffs it inside her own shirt.
"I want to try your crêpe."
Before the brunette can protest, the blonde is suggestively shoving her middle finger up inside the thin pastry, angling it around, and carefully fishing out the honey and raspberry jam center. Kara now sucks that covered finger and chuckles.
"Mmm, sweet and sticky… so much better than my dried out pancake ball."
A flustered Lena is unable to look at her. Kara wipes her hand on the napkin and tosses it back in the Luthor's lap.
"Speaking of dried out pancake balls, I remember when Mon-El - and I saw you throw up in your mouth a little just now, everyone has that exact same reaction - gave me a tiny bouquet of sunflowers he either picked himself from someone's yard or bought at the grocery store between the beer and the tortilla chips, that was barely nice… you went light years beyond nice."
"You, despite this little display here, deserve beyond nice."
"I do, and thank you for not smashing me in the mouth with a brick."
"Why would I ever do such a thing?"
"All of my whining about my Daxamite boyfriend must have driven you crazy, my own sister said she wanted to smash me - and him - in the mouth with a brick, so I assumed you felt the same."
"I don't believe in violence like that."
"Remember, Lena, be honest."
"Okay, not a brick… but maybe a small kitchen utensil?"
"There you go… and I adore the fact that you bought CatCo for me, best non-special occasion gift ever!"
"I… I didn't buy CatCo for you, I bought it as a sound business investment and to defeat Morgan Edge."
The CEO's own voice doesn't sound convincing as the blonde unleashes a snorting cackle.
"Right, next thing you'll be telling me is that you bought the company so you could work with James… how lames is that?"
"James Olsen is a decent man."
"He is, I totally agree with you, but do you really want my leftovers?"
"I respect him greatly but I don't think of him in a carnal way."
"Because you don't think of anyone in a carnal way except for the woman sitting next to you, eating your crêpe… a little symbolism 101 for later."
"Kara, I truly do not understand what is happening here but I find it all very disconcerting and…"
"Shut up, Lena."
Before the brunette can say another word, the blonde is kissing her full on the mouth and not stopping. Lena finds herself kissing Kara back and the two of them are now making out in full view. Thankfully, due to the privacy of the table, no one has noticed them yet. It is only a matter of time before someone walks by. The CEO's brain worries about paparazzi but her body is ignoring it. The reporter is the first to break and speak.
"I'll clear this table right now and take you on top of it, just say the word."
The sharp Luthor mind seizes this opportunity to overpower the body. Her icy professional demeanor returns.
"That is enough, Ms. Danvers, please return to your original seat… now!"
"Ooh, there she is, my bitchy boss babe, your wish is my command!"
"Brunch is over."
"I get it, you don't want to put on a show for the patrons, that's cool."
Kara now checks her phone messages and chortles.
"Heh, it's my cousin, he would rupture his aorta if he saw a Luthor licking me like a lollipop."
"You initiated the kiss."
"You took it to the French level."
"This is so unlike you, Kara, I am at a complete loss to explain it."
"Aww, do you miss boring, good little Kara?"
"Good is the key word."
"And I will show you just how good I am as long as you promise to be bad, Lena."
Lena shakes her head and motions to a passing server for the bill. Kara grabs her purse and coat.
"Time to go, this place is overpriced and pretentious, plus I have to help my sister move stuff and some of us have utility bills to pay."
The blonde shrugs her coat on and then walks over to the brunette's side of the table.
"I'll meet you at nine tonight, text me the address of your place, I'm curious to see if you have a real bed or just sleep in your office."
Kara bends down and reaches across for Lena's purse. She rifles through its contents and finds the brunette's red lipstick. She pops the cap and uses it on her own lips.
"Oh, I know you force yourself to dress like a prim, drab potato sack for work because you want the male chauvinist executives to respect you for your intellect and business acumen…"
Kara smashes her lips into Lena's until they are now the same shade of smeared scarlet. She pulls back and writes the number nine on the Luthor's left palm with the lipstick.
"Tonight, I will not be fucking your intellect or business acumen, Lena, so show off your physical attributes and wear something sexy… better yet, don't wear anything at all."
The brash reporter drops the lipstick on the table, sweeps past their waitress, and hurries out the door. The tongue-tied CEO stares at the door and tries to catch her breath. She crosses her legs to keep the wetness seeping between her thighs from spilling. The smiling server is now at her side.
"Shall I clear this for you, Ms. Luthor?"
"Yes… hold up, on second thought, may I have two to-go boxes, please?"
"Of course."
As the server departs, Lena is on her phone and dials her assistant.
"Clear my schedule for the rest of the day… and night."
The brunette replaces the lipstick in her purse and finds a pen.
"Oh, and patch me through to Dr. Singh in the biochemical R&D lab immediately."
The server returns with the cartons and Lena hands her the credit card.
"I can box these up myself, thank you."
As the server walks away, Lena ignores the rest of their food and takes the two cups containing the remnants of the pink custard and places them in their own cartons. She takes the pen and writes 'Sample K' on one and 'Sample L' on the other, along with the date, time, and room temperature. Her phone rings through to the lab.
"Hello, Dr. Singh, I will be personally delivering samples to you very shortly… my dining companion began to behave in a most bizarre manner after ingesting the contents of said sample whereas I have yet to be affected."
The server returns with the credit card and smiles as Lena leaves a large tip and signs her name.
"Please hold on for one moment, doctor… excuse me, miss, the dark-haired mustached man who brought us the custard earlier, where is he now?"
The server looks perplexed.
"Ms. Luthor, the chef did not prepare any custard today and we only have two waiters on the current shift, one is a ginger and the other is an older gentleman with thinning gray hair, and neither one of them has a mustache."
"That will be all, thank you…"
Lena rubs her forehead in anguish and returns to her phone call.
"Dr. Singh, you and your staff will drop everything you are presently working on and focus all of your energies on testing for Molly, Sally, China White, any kind of drug or other anomaly associated with these samples, have I made myself clear?"
Lena turns her left hand over and peers down at the scarlet number nine scrawled on it.
"And I need the results before tonight."