AN1: This is by far the silliest story I have written. But the muse wouldn't let it go, so here it is.
AN2: My first foray into the Supergirl and SuperCorp fandom. I haven't written in a long time, so things could be a tad rusty.
AN3: Ignores everything on 2x12, but was inspired by the scene where Lena is picking at that doughnut, even though there is not mention of it.
AN4: Like everything that I write, this is self-edited. Though I've edited it to death, I'm sure I missed something. All mistakes are mine and mine alone.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Never will be. Wish they were. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm only borrowing for some fun. No profit is being made.
I'm The One From Outer Space, But My Girlfriend Is The Alien
Kara steps off the elevator on the executive floor of LCorp. She walks towards Lena's office and waves to Jess, who just sighs, waves back, ushers her in, and goes back to work. Unless Miss Luthor isn't physically in the office, Jess has long since given up in announcing the budding reporter's presence, let alone trying to stop her from walking in. One, it's not as if it makes an actual difference in reworking Miss Luthor's schedule, since her boss will always drop whatever she is doing in order to see her girlfriend (that was the case even before they were dating). Two, by the time she usually gets to the phone and is ready to call in, Kara (because, unprofessional as it is, the reporter insists on Jess using her first name and not 'Miss Danvers'), more often than not has already slipped past her and opening the door to Miss Luthor's office. And three, Kara is there to surprise her girlfriend with lunch and to make sure the woman actually takes a lunch break and Miss Luthor taking a break is always a good thing. Jess knows that if it's anything work related (like an interview) it won't be Kara Danvers paying Miss Luthor a professional visit. It will be someone else to avoid any accusations of impropriety or preferential treatment. In fact, whenever CatCo has to interview Miss Luthor, they will send someone who has no personal connections to either Kara or Miss Luthor.
Kara smiles at Jess and as quietly as possible, she opens the door to Lena's office. She loves watching her girlfriend unguarded. She relaxes at the sight that greets her, because even though Lena is working, her face isn't taut with tension. Things seem to be looking up for the CEO. At least, ever since Lena had totally distanced herself from Lillian and Lex, and had gone as far as turn Lillian in to the police, the public has been less vicious. Which means that investors aren't as paranoid about investing in most of LCorp's newest projects. After all, who doesn't want to be linked to greener sources of energy, or possibly new cancer treatment methods.
Kara is about to let her presence be known when Lena does something that stops Kara dead on her tracks. Deer caught in headlights would be an apt description. She is so surprised, she actually loses her grip on the insulated bags carrying their lunch.
The soft thud causes Lena to look up, ready to admonish Jess (or whoever might have the gall to enter the inner-sanctum of her office unannounced). Instead, Lena breaks into a huge smile and sets everything down on her desk. She is about to greet her girlfriend, when she notices Kara's baffled look.
"Kara? Sweetheart, are you all right?" Lena asks as she stands up and starts to make her way to a stupefied Kara.
Kara only manages to open and close her mouth a few times, unable to make any sound, let alone form a coherent sentence. She just looks from Lena and back to Lena's desk. She shakes her head a few times, and only manages to blink a few times.
"Kara, what's going on? You're scaring me. Do you need me to call your sister? Did something happen on the way over?" Lena asks as she basically sprints over (an impressive feat, considering the four-inch heels she is wearing) and instinctively starts to scan every square inch on Kara's body while simultaneously running her hands over any bit of exposed skin, looking for any signs of injury. She has never seen Kara look like that. Sure, she has been able to render her girlfriend unable to speak, but the young woman is usually blushing and too flustered to say anything. Not like this, where she is just standing there, doing a perfectly good impression of a fish out of water.
"I... uh, fine... what?" Kara manages to sputter.
Lena relaxes slightly when she sees no visible signs of injury on Kara and Kara's skin is as perfect as it usually is. Still, there has to be something wrong. It's not at all like Kara to drop anything with food unless there is something wrong, like an actual emergency and even then, Kara will do her best to gently set the food down. Not just let it flop gracelessly from her hands. She quickly turns around and makes her way back to her desk, straight for her phone.
The sight of Lena panicking and reaching for the phone finally manages to snap Kara out of whatever daze-like state she finds herself in. "Lena, put the phone down, I'm fine." She finally manages to say, even though her tone of voice is still a little odd and the young reporter's ears are burning, a clear sign that it's only a matter of time before a full-on flush takes over her face. She hates it when people fuss over her like that. After all, humans are the ones who are fragile.
"Are you sure? You were just standing there, staring." Lena says as she puts the receiver back in its cradle. She quickly snatches her smartphone, puts it in the pocket of the skirt she's wearing, and makes her way back to Kara, looking very worried.
"I, Lena, what were you just doing?" Kara asks, her eyebrows nearly reaching her hairline.
"Uh, I was going over some proposals from the head of the Satellites and Communications research team." Lena answers looking just as confused as Kara was a few moments ago. "But I guess you wouldn't know what I was reading if you weren't here when I got the e-mails and the documents with details of their different projects. But how is that an issue? You know LCorp is trying to develop more powerful cell towers that would hopefully withstand a category five hurricane and how we're working on receivers and satellites that will be unaffected by solar winds or solar spots flare-ups." She adds.
"Not that, the... uh... other thing." Kara says pointing at her desk.
Lena follows Kara's line of sight and where the young reporter is pointing. It only serves to make Lena even more confused, causing her to scrunch her eyebrows together. She isn't sure what is so odd that has Kara still unable to speak properly. She takes another glance at her desk and sees nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe the open folders and binders could be a little neater, but that's only because she's switching back and forth between documents. "I... Kara, Love, I don't know what you mean. Maybe we should sit down and maybe get you something to drink? Or eat? When was the last time you had anything to eat?" She finally says, hoping her girlfriend will listen. Maybe the honey-blonde is lightheaded from not eating enough in-between actual meals. Lena still can't imagine being able to function if she were to need the amount of calories Kara does.
"I'm fine. I've been snacking all morning." Kara answers a tad perplexed. What does her snacking situation have anything to do with their current conversation? "I... what were you doing with that?" She adds as she once again points to Lena's desk, trying to keep their conversation on track. 'And people say I get distracted easily', she thinks as she tries her hardest to keep her eyes from rolling.
This time, Lena sees what exactly has Kara so bewildered. She sighs and shakes her head. Of course, her girlfriend would catch her snacking on junk food the very day after Lena had insisted that Kara, even with her alien physiology preventing her from getting sick, needed to take better care of herself and eat a more balanced diet. Her argument had been that if Kara were to burn out her powers longer than a day or two, there is no saying how her body would suddenly react to having no real nutrients but just empty calories as sustenance. Or, with no real way of studying Kryptonians because drawing blood and running a cholesterol check hasn't been a viable option, there is no way to know if all the junk food is causing any cumulative damage to her physiology. Kara had begrudgingly agreed to eat better (no one would ever know that there was someone whose pout could give Kara a run for her money with its effectiveness. With everyone else, a single glare is all Lena will ever need).
"Like you, I was snacking." Lena says casually. Really. One of the few times she decides to have something unhealthy and her girlfriend walks in on her? Why hasn't Kara walked in on her munching on carrot sticks? Or apple slices? Or a bowl of mixed berries? What are the odds of that? If she weren't already a billionaire, or if she were into gambling, she would go and buy herself a lottery ticket just to test the odds. She keeps her answer short, hoping to move things along. At least she isn't blushing. With her complexion, it's impossible to hide. It's one of the few things she is actually grateful from her Luthor upbringing, always seem as in control and impassive as possible, no matter the situation. It has served her well in the business world, especially since taking over the company.
"I... yeah, but like that?" Kara points again to the bowl sitting by Lena's laptop, barely missing some scattered documents on the desk.
"What do you mean? Am I not allowed to indulge in the more unhealthy options when snacking because I've mentioned there are so many tasty options that offer more than just empty calories? Or is it because I'm rich and I'm not supposed to like 'ordinary' junk food?" Lena asks getting a little exasperated.
Kara tilts her head to the side, considering what to say. She has noticed Lena is getting a bit flustered, and not in a good way (see, she's not as clueless and oblivious as everyone thinks she is). "Pfft, of course you may and can eat what you wish. It's just, who does that?" She asks; once again pointing to the bowl on the desk.
"I don't get it." Lena says even more confused. She is looking at the same bowl, totally oblivious to what has Kara behaving as if she ate some funky mushrooms. Maybe the space frat boy slipped something on Kara's latte as a joke?
"I...I've never seen anyone do that. I mean, we've shared lots of caramel popcorn, bags of chips, corn chips and dip. And even Cheetos. Not once have you done that!" Kara points to the bowl again, as if that explains everything.
"Done what? Eat a bowl of Cheetos by myself and not share with you? You only have yourself to blame. I never used to eat junk by myself. You've spoiled my fine palate with the sheer amount of junk we devour regularly. I'm surprised I still know what fresh fruits and veggie sticks look like." Lena says with a chuckle.
"No! Not that. I'm glad you're eating the good stuff on your own. But...but, who eats Cheetos like that?" Kara says pointing again, nearly stomping her foot on the spot trying to explain herself. The only reason she isn't is because she doesn't want to accidentally (or not so much) put her foot through the floor of Lena's office and into the ceiling of the office below. Besides, that only happened the one time and it wasn't really her fault. Lena had been teasing Kara mercilessly about her reaction to some cute puppy video they had seen together. Thankfully Lena came up with an explanation and even if it wasn't all that plausible, no one dared question the source. Back to the business at hand though, just how much clearer can she be?
"Darling, for someone who is usually so gifted with the English language, you're really confusing me. Like what exactly?" Lena asks with a shake of her head. Is there some kind of hidden etiquette on when one can consume cheese puffs and/or cheese crunchies? Is it some form of faux-pas to eat them when not in some form of social gathering or while at work? Because she has never heard of something so ridiculous if that were the case.
"I... wait. I'm confusing you?" Kara asks incredulously. For someone who qualifies for the Prometheus Society, Lena seems to be oblivious to what has Kara so befuddled. Is Lena being obtuse on purpose? Is this some new way to tease her? Or does Lena really have no idea?
"Yes, you are. We've already established that you caught me with my hand in the figurative cookie jar right after I lectured you about eating better. I don't get why it's such a big deal. I mean, it's not as if I make it a habit of eating like this. If you think about it, in a way, it's still better than me completely skipping a meal or two because I'm so focused on work." Lena says, eyebrows still scrunched up together. She may have to google the etiquette of eating cheesies once Kara leaves. Or perhaps, she'll just stick to fruits and veggie sticks, or pita bites with humus. Unlike Kara, she can definitely do without the empty calories, the extra fat, and all the processed chemicals. She says as much to her girlfriend.
"I...no Lena. You can eat whatever you like. I mean, within reason, you know, because you're human." Kara says feeling bad for making Lena so self-conscious about her appearance. "I guess, I just don't get how you can eat them like that." She tries again as she points directly to the bowl and then throws her hands up in the air, showing her frustration at not being able to explain herself better.
"Like what? You mean, like it's too early in the day for such junk?" Lena asks. Maybe that's the hidden rule? You can only eat unhealthy things after a certain hour? She thinks back to her childhood. She tries as far as trying to remember her life before the Luthors adopted her because life in the Luthor Manor meant everything was scheduled, and the unhealthiest snack she and Lex were allowed to have were gourmet popcorn and expensive, imported chocolate. And the few times they were allowed to eat them, it was always a special treat, and never before the afternoon. Usually it was something they got when they had guests (that is, before she was shipped off to boarding school).
"What? No." Kara says. Really? She looks at the puzzled expression on her girlfriend and comes to the conclusion that Lena really has no idea what she means. But, how can she not? The evidence is right there, in front of both of them. It's so glaringly obvious, and yet, everyone says she is the one who is oblivious.
Lena wants to ask Kara to explain it to her, but she doesn't want to appear as if she's totally clueless to what is going on, even though she is. Kara had just said there is nothing wrong with snacking on junk early in the day. And it's not about her health. So, if that's not it, then what on Earth is it? She goes as far as to look again at her desk. Is it the size of the bowl? It just looks big, it's not as if the whole thing is filled with Cheetos. That was just the only bowl she had at the time. It's just that a big bowl makes mixing a salad less messy.
"Is this the first time you've eaten junk in your office?" Kara asks her instead.
"What? Not really. I don't make it a habit, but as I said before, ever since a certain honey-blonde reporter came into my life, my eating habits have changed somewhat." Lena answers, still not getting it.
"And you always eat it like that?" Kara asks while pointing at Lena's desk again.
"Like what? Out of a bowl? Of course I do. I need to pace myself. For those of us with human metabolism it's called portion control. Granted, I don't make it a habit of eating junk all the time and I usually don't use a big bowl like that, but that was the only one that was left here. It wasn't filled up completely." Lena answers, still not seeing what the big deal is. "I guess you could argue that because the bowl is so big, it may make portion control more difficult, but I'm judging also by the amount of Cheetos I left in the bag. And there is still quite a bit of Cheetos left in the bowl itself." She adds as an afterthought. Maybe Kara is concerned she spoiled her appetite and is too full to eat an actual meal? "And I may or may not use a measuring cup to make sure I don't over-indulge." She adds thinking that's the case.
Kara blinks. Lena really has no clue what she is asking her. Maybe it's something rich people do? She thinks back to her two years as Ms. Grant's assistant, but the only real junk Ms. Grant indulged on were M&M's (a lean beef burger made of tenderloin doesn't really count). And she did eat them out of a giant brandy sniffer. That doesn't really help. Ms. Grant was also notorious for not eating in the office during regular business hours. The only reason she even knows about the M&M's is because she has had to refill them many times. She can't really recall actually seeing Ms. Grant eating them.
"When I came into your office, I saw you reaching over and eating those Cheetos." Kara says.
"Yes, and?" Lena asks flummoxed. Didn't they just cover all that?
"I mean, do you always eat them like... like that?" Kara asks, again. This time, she points exactly to what has her so befuddled.
Following the budding reporter's line of sight once more, it finally dawns on Lena what Kara means. "When I'm in the office, yes. Why?" She replies, not really seeing why it has flustered Kara so much. It actually makes perfect sense to Lena.
"But... but... you don't see anything odd with that?" Kara asks.
"Uh, no. Why would it be odd?" Lena asks, again wondering if there is some secret etiquette to the art of eating cheesies.
"Who eats Cheetos with chopsticks?" Kara asks as she once again waves her hands around. Their lunch long since forgotten on the floor.
"Someone who doesn't want to get her hands dirty." Lena answers with a raised eyebrow. How is someone whose intelligence rivals her own not get that?
"But...but... you've never done that at home." Kara says, not realizing she has called either of their apartments their home.
"Because, when we're home, I don't care about having orange-stained fingers." Lena replies as if that explains everything.
"But, the best part of eating Cheetos is licking your fingers clean afterwards." Kara says affronted.
"Not when I have to pick up a document, or reply to an e-mail. I'm not going to risk getting an internal memo stained with orange fingerprints or accidentally get greasy, orange crumbs on my laptop's keyboard. Or get greasy smudges on my tablet's screen. And no, I'm not going to lick my fingers clean each time I need to reach for something. That's utterly unhygienic." Lena says with a shake of her head as her eyebrow lifts higher, and closer to her hairline.
Kara suddenly lets her mind wander to the times where Lena has licked her fingers clean after some of their less than innocent and definitely non-PG moments and can't help the flush that appears on her face.
"Get your mind out of the gutter, Darling." Lena says with a smirk. It's almost as if she can tell what makes her girlfriend blush, depending on the severity of it.
"I..." Kara starts to say, but snaps her mouth shut, face a deeper shade of red. She shakes her head to clear her mind of certain thoughts. Now is not the time for them, that's for sure. "But, why chopsticks?" She asks once she manages to keep her libido in check by reminding herself they're both at work and can't do anything about it. Not to mention, she has a mystery to solve.
"Why not? They're the best invention ever. It's not like I can use a fork. It'd just shatter the Cheetos or potato chips and I'd end up with a bigger mess. Those of us with regular, human strength find it annoying to try and stab a carrot stick with a fork. A spoon is also out of the question because I can't just get a single one unless I look into the bowl. That's just time consuming." Lena explains with a shrug.
"Why not just keep a washcloth or baby wipes around?" Kara asks.
"Because there is no guarantee I'll get everything, and once the washcloth is oversaturated, it'll do a poor job. And disposable wipes are against LCorp's green initiative." Lena counters.
"But... but... you just said you're very careful about portion control and you still have to look when using chopsticks. And I know you. No matter what, you'll still wash your hands, and rinse with mouthwash before any meetings." Kara says.
"Kara, Darling, I can't risk showing up with up with orange-stained fingernails if by any chance I don't get it all even after scrubbing my hands. It's not as if I'm scrubbing them the way a surgeon would before an operation." Lena says with a shake of her head.
"But, that's so weird." Kara tries again.
"What's so weird about wanting to look professional before a meeting? I doubt you'd want to show up to a meeting with your editor or when you were working for Ms. Grant with crumbs on your face and your clothing." Lena says patiently. Why is it that big of a deal? If anything, it's genius of her to find a way to eat messy things and not end up with a huge mess on herself. She really can't believe they're still talking about it.
"You're not clumsy like me. You'd never end up with crumbs on you." Kara says as if that trumps everything else.
"Kara, Darling, you know how you often tweak with your glasses when you're nervous or flustered? Sometimes, you're not even aware of it, like right now." Lena says as Kara pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose.
"I..." Kara is about to deny that when she catches herself doing just that. "Ok, but you never do stuff like that. You're always cool and composed." She says dreamily. She can't help but admire Lena.
"Not around others, but I'm sure you've noticed I like to play with my hair when I'm concentrating on something. Imagine what I'd look like if I were to grab my hair with orange and greasy fingers. I get judged enough as it is just by being a Luthor." Lena says sadly.
"I get that, but I don't see why you'd be so weird and eat Cheetos using chopsticks." Kara replies as she fidgets with the hem of her trench coat.
"And how is that weird? I think it's a great idea. I get things done, I get my snacks, I don't waste time and most importantly, everything stays clean." Lena answers with a huff.
"Oh my goodness, wait until I tell everyone about this. How my beautiful, amazing, super-intelligent girlfriend is like the epitome of eccentric genius and eccentric billionaire because she eats Cheetos with chopsticks." Kara says with glee.
"Don't you dare, Kara Zor-El Danvers. And what do you mean by eccentric? I'm not the one who has to sleep with every set of blinds up where we risk getting peeped by any pervert out there just because I like to wake up to the sun shining in my face. I mean, that's okay now that it's winter, but I can't imagine that in the middle of summer with the sun rising at ungodly hours like 5 A.M." Lena replies crossing her arms.
"Yeah, well, I'm not the one who has to open all the windows. Thank Rao I'm Kryptonian and don't really feel the cold. I mean, who does that in the middle of winter?" Kara counters. "Is your apartment's thermostat set to 'Arctic' or 'Antarctic' in the summer?" she adds with a guffaw.
"No, Love. It's actually set to a very comfortable seventy-five degrees. I just sleep in very tiny, very light lace or silk panties." Lena says with a smirk and a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"I..." Kara starts to say, but completely loses her train of thought at the mental image she gets. She surreptitiously checks to make sure she's not drooling at the mental image she gets and is relieved to see she isn't. But she's also sure her eyes are glazed over, judging by the amused look she's getting from Lena. That snaps her back to their current conversation. "Yeah, well, if I tell everyone then for once I won't be the one getting teased all the time." She says, sticking out her tongue.
"One, that's what Mon-Mike is for. To be the butt of all jokes. I mean, who shows up to Thanksgiving dinner with a pillowcase full of foam from a mattress when asked to bring stuffing. And who actively encourages someone to get drunk just because he thinks it's amusing or he thinks is going to get him laid?" Lena says, still upset that Mon-El had pulled that stunt with Kara at the alien bar. Thank god Alex showed up when she did because she doesn't put it past that idiot to take advantage of Kara or any female in an inebriated state. She is also upset that the man-child accused Kara of helping others for selfish reasons. Because nearly dying in outer space while flying a huge space prison just to keep the entire planet was so selfish. And it's not as if Kara announced that Supergirl nearly died for them then. She is about to start a rant about how ungrateful the man-child is when Kara jumps in.
"Well, to be fair, he hadn't been on the planet for long, so it's sort of funny that he took it so literal." Kara says but stops there, not wanting to give Lena more reasons to dislike Mon-El. While she has made it perfectly clear she is in love with Lena and that she will always choose Lena, Mon-El still looks at her like a lovesick calf. "Are you ever going to let me forget I fudged his name?" She adds as a way to bring some levity back.
"Of course not... it's almost as funny as you flying here on a bus." Lena quips.
"Well, I blame you for that slip. I mean, how is anyone expected to concentrate when looking at those gorgeous eyes? It's like looking at twin pieces of the most priceless jade." Kara admits dreamily.
"Not as beautiful as yours, Darling. They're like looking at the deepest and bluest glacier lakes. Even your glasses can't cover how unique they are." Lena says just as smitten. "But, you still can't say anything to them. Also, you have no proof." She amends.
Kara, using her super speed, takes out her iPhone and snaps a picture of Lena's desk, showing the bowl with the set of lacquered bamboo chopsticks resting on top. "There, now I have proof." She says triumphantly.
"All you have is a picture of my desk with a bowl and a set of chopsticks. I can easily argue I was having a bowl of noodles." Lena counters.
"I...I..." Kara starts to say, but stops, instead, she rushes over (again, using her super speed) and snaps another photo. This time, a bird's view of the bowl and chopsticks, clearly showing the remaining Cheetos. "Hah! And they'll be able to see it's your desk." She says, thinking she has won the argument.
"Don't you dare, Kara Zor-El Danvers. If you do, I'll show everyone the photo of you wearing that puppy onesie." Lena says with a raised eyebrow, arms crossed defiantly.
"Wait, what? You still have that picture? I thought we both deleted them at the same time. I mean, I saw you hit delete when I did." Kara says utterly shocked.
"Darling, it's called the 'trash' or 'recently deleted' folder, depending on which operating system your phone uses." Lena says with an amused smirk.
"But... but... that's mean. I got rid of my blackmail material thinking you'd do the same." Kara says in a huff.
"I am a Luthor after all. I have to live up to my name's wickedness somehow." Lena says seductively. She's delighted that she can so easily joke with Kara about her family and not see that shadow of doubt she still sees on Kara's friends (because she still sees them as just that, Kara's friends and Kara's sister).
"If you show them that pic, I'll show them a video of you dancing and singing while trying to cook dinner last Sunday." Kara counters, thinking she has won the argument and she gets to have some fun having the others tease Lena. Maybe it'll put an end to her family's paranoia and finally accept Lena all the way.
Lena's eyes widen considerably, to the point where she has a hard time keeping that impassive face everyone is so used to. At least this only happens with Kara and not anyone else. "I... what?" is all she manages to say. As far as she knew, Kara had only caught her dancing and singing along to whatever was playing on her iPod. Her girlfriend had never given any indication she had recorded the incident, and Lena swears she never saw a phone in Kara's hand that night.
"See? I can be sneaky too." Kara says, puffing out her chest proudly.
Lena does her best to keep her composure. Kara and sneaky, in her mind are like the biggest opposites ever. It's almost like saying a kitten is ferocious and scary in a heart attack inducing way. "Darling, you know I'm going to be teased mercilessly by your friends. Do you really want them to see me as this weird, eccentric lunatic? That will just give them more ammo against me." She asks.
"First, they're our friends, not just mine anymore. And second, I get teased all the time. It's about time I spread that joy with my girlfriend." Kara says sweetly.
"Sweetheart, they tease you because they all adore you. Me on the other hand, I swear they're still waiting for me to show my true colours. But that's neither here nor there, so no point in rehashing that all over again." Lena says with a bittersweet smile. She doesn't want their good mood to go poof. But so far, their 'teasing' always as a hidden barb in it. She just plays dumb for Kara's sake. She hopes that over time, they'll see she is nothing like Lex or Lillian.
"They'll see their error soon. And if they see just how quirky you are, well, that'll just help them see the wonderful side you show no one else." Kara says, aware of how unfair her family and friends are.
"You're calling me quirky just because I use chopsticks for Cheetos? Because I mean, dancing and singing along to music is something we all do." Lena says, not quite happy she never noticed Kara recording her.
"Lena, who else uses a toothbrush in addition to a sponge to wash dishes?" Kara asks.
"Anyone who wants to make sure that every porous surface and little crevices in some glasses, mugs and strainers are all cleaned properly and won't have gunk still attached to them from the sponge missing it." Lena says matter-of-factly.
"Or, you know, we could use the dishwasher." Kara scoffs, still finding it hard to believe that a billionaire would prefer to do dishes by hand.
"Kara, that's awful for the environment. With just the two of us, even with all that you eat, it'd take forever for a full load. And that's just disgusting, having all those dirty dishes sitting in there, getting mouldy or worse yet, attracting mice and roaches. Besides, you know a lot of my stemware isn't dishwasher safe." Lena counters.
"Then you should use that genius IQ to make a better dishwasher and a smaller one for small households, like ours." Kara says jokingly.
Lena finally catches on to how Kara keeps talking about their 'home', and their 'two-member household'. Or how she's doing it herself as well. Instead of panicking at the domesticity of it, it causes her stomach to flutter warmly. It's also funny because they still live in separate apartments, yet, both feel like home as long as they're in them together.
"Love, you have super powers, why would you need a dishwasher? I mean, you even brush your teeth using your powers." Lena says with a light chuckle. It never ceases to amaze her when she watches Kara get ready using her abilities, be it in the morning as she gets ready for work, or at night before going to bed.
"But you don't like it when I wash the dishes that way. And I only broke one of your wine glasses. Besides, we found a replacement, so no harm done. Though I still don't get why you need glasses that cost at least fifty dollars each, depending on the kind." Kara says sheepishly.
"Someone who appreciates the best and finest things in life." Lena says haughtily. "I'm actually lucky you think I'm worthy of your perfection." She adds shyly while looking at Kara as if the latter had hung the moon and stars.
Kara blushes a soft pink. She'll never get used to Lena's compliments. Lena is the only one who sees past her awkwardness and instead of seeing an ordinary and easily overlooked person, she sees Kara, the young, confident woman trying to carve a place for herself where she isn't invisible in order for Supergirl to exist. Lena has always been the only one to prefer Kara over Supergirl.
"I'm the lucky one." Kara replies just as shyly. Then she looks at Lena's desk and remembers their conversation. "But distracting me with compliments won't work. I won't forget this because it elevates your weirdness to a whole new level. And once everyone knows about that, I won't be the weird and awkward one of the group anymore." She adds laughing lightly.
"Are you saying that you're using my so-called eccentricities, though I prefer the term genius ideas, for personal gain?" Lena asks. "My, my. What would everyone say once they find out that my wicked Luthor ways are corrupting their sweet, innocent Kara to the point where she is capable of blackmailing her girlfriend and willingly letting said girlfriend be teased mercilessly. Why, one could argue that once these genius ideas, which the rest of the world would definitely misunderstand as eccentricities, or worse yet, as weirdness, could forever be used against sweet, innocent Kara's girlfriend." She continues, shaking her head as she looks at Kara as if she had just told a roomful of pre-schoolers the Easter Bunny wasn't real. "Hopefully my wonderful girlfriend will still want to be with me once the entire world continues to use any and all information as ammunition against me. One can only be vilified so much. I just hope their opinion won't cloud yours." She adds with a pout that makes Kara's pouts look like those of a rank amateur.
"What? No Baby. You know that I don't care about what anyone says or thinks about you. I trust you. I don't care if you have all these weird quirks, because I know I have mine. And, and, even if you drive me crazy when you skip meals or when you try one of your more harebrained ideas to help me with capture your enemies or any rogue aliens. Or when you nearly blow up your own building because of some crazy experiment that has the entire world saying you're a mad scientist. You know I don't care about any of that. Because you're my weirdo. You're my mad scientist. You're my eccentric billionaire. In fact, we can be weirdoes together. Because...because I love all that about you." Kara says in an impressive rant, stopping finally to catch her breath.
And that's when it dawns on both of them what Kara has just admitted. Instead of panicking and backtracking though, all the teasing is forgotten and Kara steps forward to wrap her arms around Lena's waist, pulling her as close as physically possible.
"Did you mean what I thought you just said?" Lena asks in a whisper, afraid of the answer. Because as much as she adores Kara and as much as she treasures every second they have spent together, she still finds it so hard to believe that of all the people in the world, Kara has chosen to be with her, a Luthor.
"Of course I meant it. I still mean it and I will always mean it. I love you. I love everything about you." Kara says just as soft, afraid that if she speaks louder, she'll break the moment and this will turn out to be nothing more than another daydream where she finally finds the courage to tell Lena how she feels.
Lena slowly snakes her arms around Kara's neck and manages to pull the blond even closer to her and their lips meet in a kiss that rivals their first in its sweetness; only this time? This time it speaks of love, of a future together. "I love you too, Kara." The brunette says once they pull apart for air. She sighs happily because now, she no longer has to watch what she says, in fear of those words slipping past. Now she can freely say 'I love you' to the woman who has captured her heart from the moment the blonde uttered "I know" when Lena was talking about wanting to carve a name for herself. It felt like she finally had come home.
Now, Lena finally realizes that no matter where she is; be it the office, Kara's apartment, or her penthouse, home will always be wherever Kara Zor-El Danvers is.
The End.