Chapter Text
Kara straightened her glasses for what must have been the tenth time since she entered the elevator. She was never very fond of elevators, for someone who could fly they felt a little superfluous. The elevator at L-Corp would chirp little facts about the business as you ascended and since Lena’s office was at the top and Kara had visited a few times now, she could recite the entire loop of L-Corp elevator facts.
“L-Corp is a leader in its field of sustainable energy. The desert outside National City powers this building with over 100 solar panels.” Kara breathes out the line under her breath. She always thought this particular fact was an exaggeration. She had flown over the desert many times and her quick count was about 86 solar panels.
The elevator began to slow as it reached the top floor and Kara fixed her blazer. Lena had an annoying habit of looking completely put together whenever they saw each other and no matter how hard Kara tried she always seemed to flounder a little and end up looking flustered when they would chat.
Ding.
“You have arrived at the 23rd floor, office of the CEO. Have a wonderful day at L-Corp!” The elevator called as Kara exited.
“Thank you.” Kara said, not realizing how strange it was to speak to an elevator until she noticed Jess, Lena’s assistant, looking at her with a tilted head and a confused smile.
“I- Well, you know how sometimes you just- I didn’t- Is Lena in?” Kara stuttered with a self-deprecating smile. Luckily for Kara, Jess just gave her a smile that looked vaguely like it was a pity smile and waved her in.
“Of course, Miss Danvers.”
Kara closed the distance down the hall and raised a hand to the heavy door and gently knocked. She had picked up Lena’s steady breath and heartbeat before she had entered the building. She had peeked quickly into the office to make sure Lena wasn’t too busy as she had stepped through security downstairs. But now with her glasses firmly in place, she relied on her hearing to listen for Lena pausing her work and shifting at her desk.
“Come in.” Kara almost jumped. She had been listening so intently that Lena’s voice from behind the door and across her office cut through her. Great. Flustered before she was even had even entered the office. A new record.
Kara pushed the door open and peered around it, entering the office timidly.
“Kara! What a pleasant surprise.” Lena said as she rose from behind her desk with a smile.
“Lena.” Kara breathed out Lena’s name as she walked towards the beautiful woman. “I’m sorry for just dropping in. I hope I’m not disturbing you too much.”
“Not at all. I was just finishing up some reports for the board. Financial stuff, that’s all they care about.” Lena laughed. “So what can I do for you?”
Lena walked out from behind her desk and led the reporter over to the couch in her office. Kara sat down slowly as she spoke.
“Well, I know you’re very busy but CatCo is hosting a party next weekend. It’s a sort of birthday celebration for the Tribune. I write for the magazine obviously but all the reporters and several of important National City … people will be there. Anyway, I came to personally deliver CatCo’s invitation to one Lena Luthor.” Kara beamed, pleased to have gotten through several sentences of conversation without reducing to a puddle of nervous mess.
Lena had poured herself a glass of water as she listened. Now that Kara was finished, she turned and raised the pitcher in a silent offer to Kara.
“Oh!” Kara exclaimed. “No, I’m not wet- Thirsty! I mean. I’m not thirsty.” Crap.
Lena laughed softly and Kara could have sworn her super hearing picked up Lena mutter something that sounded like “Pity”, but she was too busy rooting through her bag to distract herself that she had missed it. Lena sat herself adjacent to Kara as Kara proffered up an intricately decorated envelope she pulled from her bag.
“The official invite.” Kara offered when Lena looked perplexed.
“Oh, I see.” Lena sounded slightly disappointed as she accepted the letter. “This is an invite from CatCo, not Kara Danvers.” Lena’s lips turned upwards as she opened the invite carefully.
The space between Kara’s eyes scrunched as she considered what Lena said. She reached up and nervously fixed her glasses before responding.
“Yes. Uhm. Well, we couldn’t not invite Lena Luther. But- I- Uhm. I will be there and you will be there. I mean, maybe you’ll be there that is. So we could always hang out while we’re both there. If you will be there. I don’t mean to assume you’ll be there if you are too busy and can’t be… there.” Kara’s eyes darted across Lena’s face as Lena’s smile grew and she placed the open invite on the coffee table next to the flowers Kara loved.
“Relax, Kara. I was just poking fun. I would love to, I don’t exactly have weekend offers lined up, what with being a Luthor and all. So thank CatCo for thinking of me, will you?”
Lena had adjusted on the couch to face Kara more openly and Kara had been gazing quietly at Lena through her lenses for a few minutes before realizing Lena was expecting an answer.
“I will.” Kara laughed and stood from the couch, stepping back slightly to put some distance between the green eyes that were reaching out and pulling her in.
“Leaving so soon?” Lena asked, regarding Kara softly.
“Yes, uhm, I have an article to write that my boss may or may not have been expecting yesterday so…”
“Go, go.” Lena smiled. “Is green in this winter? The public must know.”
Both women chuckled and Lena stood from the couch as well, taking the invite from the coffee table.
“I will see you next Friday night.” Lena promised.
“Yes.” Kara stated. “Next Friday. I will see you then, Lena.”
As Kara waited for the elevator to return her to ground level she couldn’t even hear the soft chiming of L-Corp facts over the weight of her mega-watt smile and the thought of seeing Lena again.
She also missed the content release of breath in the office on the 23rd floor.