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“Lena?”
It was whispered at an empty doorway, though if Kara unfocused her eyes just enough she could still see Lena standing there. If she let her ears wander she could catch a whisper of the brunette’s parting promise - You’ll still always be my friend, Kara.
“Lena.”
More conviction this time, spoken as she rose on shaky legs. That couldn’t be it. Kara wouldn’t let Lena just drop that on her and then leave. God, the audacity of that girl - can’t you see how I look at you? Asked like Kara was blind when Lena was clearly making the same mistake right now.
“Lena!”
Shouted, finally, as her feet stumbled over each other in their haste to catch the girl who’d turned her world upside down and then left as if it was nothing. Kara had let Lena get away with quite a bit of emotional avoidance over the years, but this - this - needed to be addressed.
“Lena Kerien Luthor, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Kara’s voice was more than accusatory, some unnamed level of hurt and blame combined into a cocktail strong enough to stop Lena in her tracks.
“Uhm… leaving?” Lena hesitantly turned, glancing up at Kara but being very careful to avoid proper eye contact. She knew the power those blue devils held, and she wasn’t going to let herself fall prone to it.
“Lee?” Kara’s voice was soft now, almost pleading. Shit. “Look at me, please?”
Okay so maybe Kara’s voice held the same power when she used that tone, but Lena had just confessed her love for the blonde so honestly no one should be surprised. Kara searched her face for a split second, finding what she was looking for quick enough for her face to relax into that slight smile she always wore around Lena.
“Okay, this might take me a second to say since- well, since I never thought I’d end up saying it,” Kara began with a deep breath, but Lena was quick to stop her.
“Kara, you don’t have to. I know where we stand.”
Her brow furrowed to form the signature Kara Danvers crinkle. “No, Lena, that’s the thing. You don’t. It’s just- I- God-” Kara stopped, taking another deep breath and closing her eyes for a moment to gather her thoughts. They fluttered back open with a slight sigh. “I don’t know what it is, honestly. Maybe it’s the way you say my name, maybe it’s the way you play your game - chess, I mean. You get this little smile when I do something you didn’t expect, that’s how I know I made a good move, and this little twinkle in your eye when you beat a hard opponent and- not the point, sorry, just- I don’t know, but it’s just- It’s so good, Lee. I’ve never known anybody like you - honestly I’ve never dreamed of anybody like you.”
Lena went to speak again, but Kara held up a finger. “Please, just let me finish? I gave you your speech, let me have mine?”
She hesitated for a brief second, wondering if there really needed to be a speech for someone to say ‘hey sorry you confessed your undying love for me but I just want to confirm that I only see you as a friend.’ But Lena had never been one to deny Kara Danvers anything, so she found herself nodding.
“It’s just- I remember that day we spent in a field of dandelions, I was wishing on every one that you’ll be mine. I see- Gosh, it’s like there’s forever in your eyes. No matter what, I feel okay when I see you smile. I’ve heard of a love that comes once in a lifetime - the kind that fairy tales are made of. I think- Lee, I’m pretty sure that you’re that love of mine.”
At this point Lena was beyond confused. Kara was saying a lot of sweet things, mostly stuff the blonde had said before - albeit less intensely. There was no reason to reiterate all this, just to end it with “oh but platonically” - because surely that was what was happening? Kara once waxed poetic about her eyes once for a solid 15 minutes before adding “I’m so lucky to be your friend” at the end. Lena knew better than to expect anything Kara said to end without the painful reminder that they were just friends. Still, she had thought Kara would be more respectful than to drive that knife home again in such a fashion right after Lena had confessed.
“I honestly think you might be the one for me - which I know probably sounds like a lot, but I’ve thought about it for years at this point. It just gets so hard to breathe whenever you look at me, I’ve never felt so alive or free or- gosh, just I’ve never felt so happy.” Kara breathed out the last sentence, voice airy and final. She tilted her head to the side, giving Lena that look - Lena’s least favorite look. The look that always prefaced some stupid line about friendship. “I love you, Lena. I wish on every dandelion that you’ll be mine, and I have since we were 14.”
Lena waited patiently, bracing for the “you’re my best friend” or “my friend, I mean” or “that’s just how amazing of a friend you are.” It was due any second, between the look in Kara’s eyes and the length of the speech. She knew this act like the back of her hand, and would really appreciate it if Kara could just-
“Gosh I’m not saying this right at all am I?” Kara’s brows were furrowed, her jaw set in a look of determination that Lena hadn’t seen since Kara had decided she would win her final basketball tournament last year. Her mouth was still moving, but at this point Lena was just waiting for that keyword so she could end the conversation.
Lena was about to cut Kara off, ask her to just cut to the “your my bestie, bye!” that would shatter her heart into a million pieces so she could just go home and cry like she wanted to, when Kara did it for her.
“Can I just-” Kara stepped forward, suddenly close enough for their chests to brush when Lena’s breath hitched ever so slightly. Kara’s determined look was firm, the crinkle between her brows deeper than Lena had ever seen. There was a whispered “fuck it” and Lena would have been suprised by the swear word if her mind hadn’t instantly been whipped clean by a firm press of lips against her own.
Lena, who had been bracing for the “lol just as friends tho” that she was so used to, didn’t gather herself in time to react before Kara was pulling away with a mortified look.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know why I did that, I just- I couldn’t get myself to say it right, and you just looked so upset, and- I know I should have asked properly, I’m sorry, you’re leaving soon and I just- out of no where, I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed- I should’ve asked, you never said you wanted-” Kara stopped herself when she noticed the dopey grin slowly splitting Lena’s still shocked face.
“Lee?” she asked hesitantly. “Are you mad? Please don’t be mad...”
“You kissed me.” Lena whispered, her smile taking on a crooked look as she spoke.
Kara blushed, looking down in shame. “Yeah, I did, I’m sorry-”
“I told you I love you,” Lena cut off, “and you gave your usual compliments and stuff. And you kissed me.” Lena looked at her, clearly waiting for the confirmation of events.
Kara nodded, “I did, I didn’t know how to make it clear I wasn’t saying that stuff in a friend way-”
Lena’s grin finally reached full force, and next thing she knew Kara was being kissed. The blonde managed to gather her wits in time to kiss back, and when Lena pulled back their grins were matching.
“I remember that day too - I found the field of dandelions and instantly knew I had to show you. But I made some wishes of my own first,” Lena’s voice was soft, neither of them ready to fully pull back and break the moment.
“Oh yeah?” Kara prompted. “How’d they turn out?”
Lena thought for a moment. “Depends.”
“On?”
There was a glint in green eyes as she asked, “Am I your’s?”
Kara’s brows furrowed in confusion, pulling back ever so slightly to look Lena in the eyes better. “What does that have to do with-”
Lena couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up at Kara’s obvious confusion. “I spent my whole morning wishing on countless dandelions, and every wish was that you’d get whatever you wished for when I brought you there.”
Kara closed her eyes, resting her forehead against Lena’s with a soft smile and a whisper. “I’d love it if we could be each other's.”
Lena grinned, memorizing Kara’s smile. “Sounds like a deal.”
Four years ago, after their first day of Freshman year:
Lena had left, being called home by an angry sounding Lillian. Kara had decided to stay a little longer, settling under one of the trees that edged the field. She looked at the bundle in her hands, wondering how long Lena must have worked to get her at least a dozen perfect dandelions.
“For the biggest wish you have,” the young brunette had said.
Kara didn’t have to think long on that. She closed her eyes, and whispered the little rhyme her mother had taught her. “Dandelion into the wind you go, won’t you let my darling know…” Then, with the biggest breath she could muster, she blew on the bouquet in her hands. “I love you, Lee.”