Lena was in her office when Kara showed up, knocking, peering from behind the door.
"Are my eyes deceiving me," she said with a bright, cheeky grin, "Or am I looking at the CEO of L-Corp, Lena Luthor herself, on her birthday?!"
The commotion of Kara's excitement made Lena smile and blush. Pushing back the chair, she stood up and made her way towards her most favourite person in the world, beaming in return.
"Happy Birthday, Ms Luth—uhh, Lena!" Kara exclaimed enthusiastically. From behind her back she produced a bouquet of lilies. "These are for you."
"Thank you, Kara!" Lena accepted the bouquet gratefully, positively glowing in Kara's affection for her. "Lilies! They are beautiful!"
Lena wrapped her arms tightly about her dearest friend's shoulders and basked in the sensation of their embrace for a moment.
How does one person carry and spread so much love and warmth? she wondered as she closed her eyes.
"I saw them and thought of you!" Kara added just as enthusiastically.
Lena inhaled their scent and smiled brightly.
"I love them," she replied.
She crossed the office floor towards the desk and placed the bouquet in a tall vase, next to the plumerias that Kara had given her only the day before.
"I wonder what Mike has to say about this though…" she added, smirking.
"About what? You mean me giving my friend flowers every day?! Pft!" Kara waved her hand dismissively. "Besides, you started it!"
"I did! But, well… I mean lilies in particular," Lena responded, arching her eyebrow. "You know… Because of their meaning and everything."
Kara shrugged and shook her head.
"You haven't seen 'Imagine Me and You'? 'You're a wanker number nine' doesn't ring a bell? No…? Okay!"
Lena cleared her throat.
"Please, have a seat," she gestured towards the infamous cream-coloured couch, then promptly sat down next to Kara.
But when she next looked up at Kara, she saw that the blonde did not appear so at ease.
"What's wrong?" Lena's look fell.
"To be honest…" Kara spoke then hesitated as if debating whether to continue.
Lena blinked at her, obviously growing concerned.
"Is everything alright, Kara?"
"Yes! Oh, yes," Kara replied then scrunched up her nose. "Well… No. Not really."
"What's going on?" Lena was growing increasingly alarmed, fearing something deathly serious.
"It's to do with Mike," Kara held her breath in. "Things haven't been going so well."
"Oh…?" Lena frowned. "What happened?"
"Nothing I want to get into too much detail about," Kara replied decidedly.
"Kara... If something's happened," Lena persisted out of concern, "You know I'm here for you."
"I know…" Kara replied, expecting nothing less from one of the most caring people she knew. "But... It's your birthday and I don't want to make you sad—"
"You are infinitely more important to me than any birthday," Lena retaliated before even thinking the sentence through.
Kara's eyes fluttered behind the lens of her glasses. Deep down inside her, something else fluttered too.
"Okay, well…" she said slowly, "It turns out that he's not the person I thought he was. Some days, I felt like we were just from two... entirely different... rival... planets!"
"Oh…" Lena tilted her head a little, her eyes turning sad as she tried to take in Kara's tense body language. "I'm sorry to hear that… That's no good."
"Yeah... And the truth is…" Kara took another deep breath in, "We actually broke up almost a month ago."
"Oh, Kara... I... I don't know what to say…"
Lena was genuinely shocked. She withheld a small gasp as the implications of Kara's words unravelled in her mind.
"I'm really sorry... Are you... Are you doing okay?"
"Yeah, I mean, I was upset for a while…" Kara admitted, staring down into her hands. "Thank Ra-god for potstickers, you know?! But now, I'm glad I ended it. It's like... Everything was all about him and now, I get my life back…"
"I am so sorry, Kara…" Lena's voice turned tender, full of compassion. She placed her hand on Kara's shoulder and gave it a gentle, affectionate squeeze. "I really am. Is there anything I can do to make this easier on you?"
"Not really," Kara shook her head, then looked up to meet Lena's gaze. "Just being here with you makes me feel better."
The words meant a great deal to Lena and softened her already gentle heart. Her eyes sparkled as she smiled at Kara, who could not help but smile back, unable to imagine being anywhere else except on that couch, next to Lena.
For a moment the two women adoringly gazed at one another… And a sweet moment of silence lingered on. That is, before Lena's expression suddenly changed and her eyes turned large, excited, as if she'd remembered something important.
"Oh, I know!" she exclaimed.
She grabbed her cellphone and speed-dialled a number, while Kara observed in confusion.
"Diane," Lena's voice turned authoritative, "Make a dinner order for two and have it delivered to my office. Broiled lobster tails, orange pistachio-stuffed grilled scallops, parmesan-fennel rolls, and kale-salad."
Kale-salad? Again?! Kara could not help herself but scrunch-up her nose in distaste.
"Oh, and potstickers," Lena added, directing a wink at the girl that sat opposite her.
Hearing the magic word, Kara's look transformed entirely. She beamed at Lena with bright eyes and an excited smile. She was unsure whether she beamed because of the prospect of potstickers or because of Lena's wink, but she was certainly aware that she beamed regardless, overjoyed, giddy, as if somebody had magically created an ice-cream cone in her hand.
"Oh and uhh… A side dish of mashed potatoes," Lena whispered into the receiver, turning her head away, hoping Kara wouldn't catch it.
But it was too late.
"Mashed potatoes?" Kara tilted her head, an amused, puzzled smile twisting her features.
"Don't judge me," Lena tried to justify herself as though discussing a serious topic, "But, sometimes… Even with all the fine-dining restaurants around… Sometimes, I simply crave a plain dish that I know regular families like to eat. And there is nothing more regular than 'mashed potatoes', right? Plus, there's a really great Irish pub round the corner where they serve really good mashed potatoes."
Kara giggled at Lena's elaborate explanation, finding it utterly adorable.
"You don't mind, do you?" Lena's expression turned all sheepish.
"Not at all!" Kara laughed and smiled big at her. "You should know you have nothing to fear from the 'potsticker-girl,' Lena. Besides, who doesn't love a good Irish potato?!"
"Oh, thank god," Lena exhaled, her demeanour relaxing.
"Oh! I almost forgot," Kara blurted out and reached for her bag, which she had left at the foot of the couch. From inside it, she pulled out a bottle of pink-tinted wine. "I got you this - a treat to celebrate your birthday!"
"Rosé!" Lena exclaimed and accepted the bottle into both hands. "Now you're talking!"
She got up from the couch, crossed the room and from a concealed cupboard in the wall withdrew two wine glasses. She returned to the couch and poured the pink liquid.
"Oh, that's enough for me!" Kara protested.
Lena shot her a suspicious look but halfway stopped pouring wine into Kara's glass.
"I just don't really need to drink," Kara tried to explain herself, "Since it doesn't really affect—I mean, since it really does affect me, a lot! Like, wine goes straight to my head!"
Her sudden nerves turned into sudden awkward giggles, while on the inside she died a little for having to lie once again.
"I'm such a lightweight!" she waved her hand about as if to prove her case.
"Oh god, me too," Lena replied and sat back on the couch, wine-glass in hand.
Kara picked up her own glass and sipped on it lightly.
Good save, Zor-El! she exhaled in relief.
"Do you want to talk some more about Mike?" Lena took in a mouthful of wine, her previous concern creeping back. "Because I don't mind. I just want to make sure you're okay."
"Oh, no, it's fine," Kara protested, waving her hand dismissively. "There's not much to say really. Besides, it's your birthday… So how about we talk about something you want to talk about."
Kara put her wine glass to her lips and let the liquid fill her mouth.
"Okay, then," Lena conceded. "Let's talk about Supergirl."
Kara gulped back the wine, choking on it for a brief second.
"Oh! Uhh… Sure!" she replied once her airways had cleared. "Wh-what would you like to know?"
"What is she like?" Lena asked eagerly, star-struck sparkles lighting up her eyes. She tucked her feet beneath herself and settled into the couch, one hand holding the wine glass, the other supporting her head as she playfully gazed at Kara. "How long have you known each other?"
"Not very long," Kara replied looking elsewhere, her lips pressed into a tight line.
"Well, what does she have to say about your break-up with Mike?" Lena persisted.
"We, umm, have a strictly professional relationship," Kara cleared her throat, "So I-I don't really tell her personal things like that."
Lena eyed her suspiciously.
"Oh, come on, Kara," she groaned.
"What?" Kara stared blankly.
"It's SO obvious!" Lena arched an eyebrow.
"Wh-what is?" Kara responded, her eyes turning big.
"You and Supergirl…?" Lena added, trying to coax the answer out of Kara, in-between wine-sips. "Every time I call you, you always seem to be 'together'… And you seem to have so much 'in common'…"
"That… That doesn't have to mean anything," Kara protested, her face draining of colour.
She could feel her stomach twisting into panicked knots.
"Oh, please," Lena was indignant. "You don't have to sneak around me, you know. I'm your friend! Besides, it's so obvious."
Kara's brow knotted with unease. Perspiration started to break over it.
"It-it is…?"
"Yes!" Lena exclaimed. "Kara, I know… I know that you're in a relationship with Supergirl."
"Say what?!" Kara just about choked on air. "I mean, what?! I mean, um… Uh, no! No, I-I'm not dating Supergirl!"
Lena stared at her blankly, wine-glass suspended mid-air.
"You're not?"
"No! No... That would just be... Weird!"
Kara scrunched up her nose in distaste as if Lena had just offered her kale-salad.
"Oh," Lena replied.
For a moment she appeared to be confused, as though contemplating the implications of this completely unexpected information.
"But... You even look alike," she added. "I thought it was a classic lesbian thing?"
Kara shook her head slowly, suddenly feeling incredibly awkward.
"Oh… In that case… I really apologise, Kara," Lena replied with a hand pressed to her chest, owning her guilt. "I just… I don't know what I was thinking to be honest."
"It's okay," Kara tried to dismiss the whole thing.
However, the awkwardness lingered and she turned to eagerly drinking the wine from her glass.
"Well, in that case…" Lena added casually, "How about you invite her over and we play 'Spin the Bottle'?"
Kara spat out her drink all over the L-corp couch.