Okay but Lena being convinced that she’s dating Kara and holding her hand and cuddling with her and Kara thinks that they’re just friends so she doesn’t think it’s odd until one day Lena pecks her goodbye and calls her “babe” and Kara practically combusts on the spot and is like “what? Oh ok...”
It’s not that she doesn’t want to be dating Lena.
She does.
Rao, she does.
But Lena’s called them friends before, and to Kara, that means that she only wants to be friends.
Only.
So Kara lets herself love Lena the best way she can.
In all ways.
But only as her friend.
So certain things… certain things stay in her imagination.
And she thinks it’s her imagination when one day, Lena kisses her on the cheek – Kara’s heart leaps, as it always does – and tells her, “see you tonight, babe.”
Babe.
Babe.
Babe.
Kara’s heart leaps and it twitches and for a moment, she’s flying.
She must have misheard.
Or maybe she hallucinated.
Maybe there’s something in her brain that’s being attacked by some alien, maybe she should get herself to the DEO, maybe –
“Kara? All good?” Lena asks, and Lena is touching her arm, and her face is so close, and her breath smells of red wine and perfection and –
“Lena, I… did you… I… you know what, never mind, yes, yeah, later, dinner plans, our dinner plans, I’ll see you for them. For the dinner plans, yes.”
The skin behind Lena’s eyes scrunches slightly and normally Kara finds it attractive but today it’s increasing her panic, her confusion.
Her being convinced that she’s having some alien-induced visions, because Lena Luthor cannot possibly have just called her –
“Babe, what is it? Did I… did I do something wrong?”
And now Kara’s stomach really sinks, because that’s worry in Lena’s voice, that’s panic in Lena’s eyes, and suddenly both of Kara’s hands are on her upper arms because no, no, no, she cannot panic like this, question herself like this, not because of Kara.
“No, Lena, of course not, I just…” She steels herself and she breathes and she lets herself fall, just for a moment, into Lena’s eyes. “You called me ‘babe.’ And I… no, no, shh, it wasn’t wrong, you didn’t do anything wrong, Lena, I… it felt nice, but I… maybe it felt… too nice, or… I don’t know what I’m saying, I’m sorry, I – “
“No, Kara, please, tell me. Whatever it is you’re thinking, I want to know, so we can deal with it. That’s what relationships are built on, right? Communication, and… and trust?”
“Rela… friendships. Friendships, huh?” Kara chuckles and adjusts her glasses.
Lena squints.
“Kara, if calling you babe is too fast, that’s fine, that’s okay. Or… or if you’d prefer another pet name… I often think of you as… as my darling, in my head, if you’d prefer that to babe… I just… I thought… I’m sorry, Kara, truly, I didn’t mean to – “
“Wait, Lena, I… what – what?”
“Kara, you’re my girlfriend. You’re allowed to tell me what you like and don’t – “
But Lena doesn’t finish her sentence, because Kara’s lips are on hers, and Kara’s breath is her own, and Kara’s pulse is her own, and…
“You can call me babe all you want,” Kara whispers into her mouth, and Lena swoons, and Kara steadies her with strong hands and a trembling heart and soft, soft lips.
“Excellent,” Lena smiles into Kara’s mouth, and they dive into their first kiss with just as much synchronicity as they dive into everything else.
Together.
