Chapter Text
Stuck working over thanksgiving, courtesy of a last minute request from Cat Grant, Kara can’t face returning to her empty apartment and takes refuge at the diner on her way home. Caught between ordering the all day breakfast, or what she knows is the perfect burger, she looks up and has to do a double take, because the woman, who just walked in the door, is most definitely Lena Luthor and she is absolutely, looking right at Kara.
“Miss Luthor,” Kara gets to her feet, slightly flustered, as is often the case when Lena is around. They’ve met a handful of times and it’s always the same. Kara can’t deny that Lena Luthor is captivating. She’s also powerful, has poise, exudes confidence whenever she walks in any room, even if it’s only the diner on Kara’s block. Lena’s perfectly put together and immaculately dressed, always. It’s the reason Kara quickly adjusts her sweater, whilst praying her hair isn’t sticking out at all angles.
The way Lena keeps staring at her, isn’t filling her with much confidence that she’s been successful and as the seconds tick by, slowly, Lena seems to gather herself, stepping forward, her hand waving in the air in front of her.
“Call me, Lena, please,” she says, her tone warm, inviting and it has Kara smiling. “So, what has National City’s hottest new reporter, visiting my favourite diner on thanksgiving?”
“You’ve been here before?” Kara’s wondering how they’ve not crossed paths before, even though the place is usually full of people, she’d surely have noticed if Lena walked in.
Tonight, it’s practically empty. Half the city likely having somewhere else to be or people to be with, unlike Kara and apparently, unlike Lena.
“A few times,” Lena says, she’s distracted, her focus on a group of friends, spilling out of the bar across the street, loud and happy. She looks back at Kara and asks “are you meeting someone, or did you come here hoping for an interview?”
“No, I, uh…just me,” Kara sits back down, gesturing for Lena to join her, which she does, taking a second to remove her thick winter coat. “I didn’t want to go home, it’s been a day of chasing wild turkeys thanks to Ms Grant and…” she tries not to sound too frustrated, but it’s not been a day, she’d care to remember any time soon. “I couldn’t get out of the city and didn’t really want to be alone.”
“Oh,” Lena’s smile fades, albeit briefly.
“So, how come you’re here?” Kara asks, twisting her fingers together. “Not exactly the fine dining establishments you’re used to I’m guessing?” She does a little wiggle of her eyebrows, which does at least make Lena’s smile seem a little more genuine.
“You’d be surprised,” Lena says, with a sly wink. “Actually, I like it here. Quiet, no-one knows me. Those fine-dining types, tend to fall over their feet whenever a Luthor walks in the door. I didn’t really want anyone to recognise me. Not today. They’d probably only try and sell a story about how I’m all alone on thanksgiving,” she sighs, then her eyes meet Kara’s. “Which is something I’m sure your employer would love you to do…”
“I’m off the clock,” Kara holds up both hands, hoping Lena doesn’t suddenly bolt out the door.
“I wouldn’t blame you,” Lena runs her fingers through her hair, working it up and into a tight ponytail. Kara tries not to stare, but it’s a real effort. Lena looks tired and Kara can only imagine the turmoil she’s been through, since her brother’s demise. It’s 100% a story Cat would kill for, but Kara’s not Cat and Lena? Well, she needs a friend, Kara wants to be that for her.
“Rough few days?”
“An understatement,” Lena sighs, briefly scanning the menu.
When their server approaches, Lena appears unsure of herself and Kara is quick to say, “stay,” before Lena can find an excuse to sit somewhere else. She holds her breath, can see the hesitation in Lena’s eyes as she looks around the diner, then towards the exit. “Please,” Kara says, hopefully.
It feels like an age, before Lena makes up her mind. Her posture relaxes as she quickly studies the menu, then looks up, with a practiced smile and places her order. Kara follows, deciding on the burger and agreeing to share a bottle of wine.
The conversation flows, once their drinks arrive and when the food is placed in front of them, Lena reaches out to top up Kara’s glass, asking, “I take it, this isn’t your usual thanksgiving?”
“I couldn’t get the day off,” Kara says. “My sister’s tied up with something too, so Eliza told us to put it all off for a day and pretend tomorrow’s the big day, but I don’t know, it felt strange being in my apartment alone. You?”
“Work got in the way, it usually does,” Lena twists the stem of her wine glass between her thumb and finger. “I caught myself sitting in my office, a glass of red on my desk, and yeah, you know? It felt so depressing, next thing I was on my feet, walking out the door.”
“Wow,” Kara gasps, then remembers Lena owns the company. “I guess that’s something you can do when it’s your name on the building.”
Lena’s resulting chuckle, warms Kara to the core. She wants to hear that sound again and again and is so distracted by that thought, that she’s halfway to putting some fries in her mouth, when she catches the way Lena’s looking at her, “you usually help yourself to other people’s food?”
Kara’s eyes go wide, at the realisation of what she’s just done. She has a choice, apologise in a fluster or, style it out. She chooses the latter, shoving the food in her mouth and chewing away, “only when they’ve been neglected by their owner.”
“Neglected,” Lena muses, “Wouldn’t want to hurt the feelings of my fries,” she pushes her plate closer to Kara and winks. It has Kara’s heart thumping harder in her chest, even before Lena says, in a low, sultry tone, “help yourself Miss Danvers.”
Kara happily does as she’s instructed and the conversation continues to flow.
Lena tells her about the project she’s working on, Kara lists the ten best donuts she’s ever eaten and then finds herself opening up about how it felt when she first had thanksgiving with her adoptive family.
“Does Alex still hide the marshmallows?” Lena asks, like she already knows the answer and Kara’s snort of laughter catches her by surprise. It makes Lena laugh too and for a time, that’s how they are, laughing and catching the others eye and then falling back into another fit of giggles. It’s ridiculous and it feels so good.
“I don’t think I’ve laughed like this in years,” Kara says as their plates are cleared.
“I’m not sure I ever have,” Lena says. “Not that I didn’t laugh, just everything was always in order, perfectly planned. My friend, Sam, is always trying to get me to do something reckless or to make a decision on a whim, it’s a process, a slow one. I think I’m too conditioned to the Luthor way of life,” Lena says and there’s a tinge of sadness in her words, that makes Kara ache for what her life must have been like. Lena must see it written all over her face, “don’t feel sorry for me, the Luthor’s were cold, but I still had fun, just in a different kind of way. Lex and I would spend hours in the den, building battle bots or playing chess. It was…” she shrugs. “Just different.”
“Competitive?”
“Oh, absolutely,” Lena laughs and Kara’s really doing a good job of making that happen over and over.
—
The server returns with the bill and Kara makes an attempt of trying to settle it, without Lena noticing, but a warm, soft palm comes to rest on top of her hand, “I pay my way,” Lena says, no heat in her words. They split it fairly and carry on chatting, until the server begins sweeping up around them.
“Guess that’s our cue,” Kara really wishes it wasn’t. She’s had the best time with Lena and would stay all night if they could. “Do you have much planned for the rest of the holiday?”
“Perhaps, I’ll do something wild and reckless,” Lena jokes as Kara holds the door open for her. “But most likely, I’ll be stuck working my way through this project proposal.”
“Fun times,” Kara teases and earns a light poke in her ribs, from Lena as she walks past.
“I know how to have fun.”
“I’m sure you do,” Kara says, not intending for it to sound so flirtatious, but Lena’s cast some kind of spell on her and she can’t help herself.
—
They stand on the sidewalk, neither appearing to want to go their separate ways. Kara’s hoping this could be the start of something good, a friendship she’s craved since she first moved to this city, but deep down, she’s also hoping it’s something more.
The spark she felt when Lena covered her hand, insisting they split the bill and the way Lena’s eyes sparkle in the street lights has her fighting to keep herself grounded. She shoves her hands into her pockets, scuffing her shoe on the tarmac, trying to stop smiling at Lena so much, by biting down on her bottom lip. Lena’s eyes track the motion and Kara hears her breath hitch and wow, that has to be a good sign, right?
“Lena, I…”
Lena turns away. before Kara can work out what she’s trying to say, just as a sleek black car pulls up alongside them, “my driver,” she says, turning back to Kara, but not moving towards the waiting vehicle. “Can I drop you somewhere?”
“That’s my building,” Kara points up to where her lonely apartment waits for her. Although she doesn’t feel so alone now. “I had fun tonight.”
“Me too,” Lena says, that small smile drawing Kara back in. “I hope it’s not the last time?”
“I hope so too,” Kara’s swaying back and forth now. It’s ridiculously hard to not reach out and at least hug Lena.
With no reason to linger, Lena reaches out to open the car door, then hesitates for the briefest second, before she faces Kara, muttering something about, “being reckless,” and then she’s on her toes, leaning forward until her lips meet the edge of Kara’s cheekbone, in what Kara thinks is the softest, most wonderful kiss she’s ever had. “Good night, Kara Danvers and thank you for tonight.”
Kara’s lost in it for a moment too long, unable to say anything before Lena slips into the back seat of the waiting car, Kara catches the top of the door with her right hand, before Lena can pull it shut and then, for some unknown reason, other than being left facing the idea of not seeing Lena, until some indeterminable point in the future, Kara pokes her head inside the interior of the car and says, “come to Midvale with me?” Lena’s startled surprise, has Kara wishing she could wind back time, but then Lena’s features soften and Kara feels a little bolder, “I’m serious, we talked about being reckless and making decisions on a whim. Why not this?”
“I couldn’t possibly impose,” Lena says, but she’s struggling to hide this tiny smile, which to Kara, looks a lot like hope blossoming.
“Nonsense, Eliza always says the more the merrier, so what do you say?”
“I really do have to work on this proposal,” Lena mashes her lips together.
“Bring your laptop. We’ve wifi, whatever you need. You can work out on the porch and won’t be disturbed, got to be better than being in that office of yours…”
“Or alone in my apartment,” Lena says quietly, she takes a breath, shaking her head lightly. “Okay, Midvale it is,” she looks as surprised as Kara, by the sudden turn of events, but there’s no going back now.
“Perfect, send me your address and I’ll pick you up first thing?”
“I’ll be waiting,” Lena says and Kara closes the door.
She stands on the sidewalk, watching as Lena’s car pulls away, her arms folded across her chest and a satisfied smile on her face. Being stuck on her own, in the city, didn’t turn out too bad after all.