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Lena glanced at the back of her hand.
You’d think having an arrow that literally pointed to your soulmate would make them easier to find, but as it turned out the best tactic was to just wait for them to show up.
There was no gauge of distance. Even if she knew her soulmate was, say, straight ahead, she had no idea how far that was. They might be standing right in front of her, or they might be in another country. All she had was direction.
The best thing to do was to keep an eye out for when the needle started moving. The only time there’d be any noticeable movement would be when her soulmate was closer. By then, it would be easier to follow the arrow.
Lena jerked up as she saw the arrow move. Ok then-
“Miss Luthor?” Jess’ voice came through the speakerphone. “I’ve got two journalists who want to talk to you about the Venture.”
Lena paused, briefly. She looked down at her hand; the arrow was pointing roughly to where Jess sat outside, if her sense of direction was right. It might be…
“Send them in,” Lena said.
She watched. The compass needle jerked a little to the side not long after she spoke, possibly marking someone moving around Jess’ desk,. Then the needle stayed more or less stationary. Well, there was a straight corridor to her office-
The door opened, and two people walked in. As they moved to their seats, Lena saw the compass needle jerk sideways faster than she’d ever seen it move.
Lena followed where it pointed with her gaze, to see a blonde woman with an ever-present grin on her face. Lena offered her hand.
“Lena Luthor,” she said.
“I- uh, I know who you are,” the woman said, taking her hand. “Kara Danvers. Um, Catco.”
“Clark Kent,” said the man. Lena barely paid attention. “Daily Planet.”
Lena regarded the back of Kara’s hand curiously. No tattoo; at least none that was visible.
It wasn’t unheard of. Some people covered it up with make-up as some kind of statement, or to avoid the constant reminder. Some people had a skin transplant and lost the tattoo permanently.
Which was it? Lena wondered, reluctantly letting go of Kara’s hand. She didn’t let her eyes drift from the woman.
“Catco?” Lena said. “There’s a publication not known for its hard-hitting journalism. Are you reporting for the same thing?”
“Oh, I’m not- I’m not a reporter,” Kara said.
She fiddled with her glasses in a way that was just a bit too adorable. Lena smiled.
It was one of the few times she’d felt the need to send a mental thank you to the universe. Good choice.
Alex was fairly sure her soulmate was in National City. She often noticed the arrow pointing at different landmarks or objects in her apartment; for her soulmate to circle around that much implied he was close.
She hadn’t run into him yet, but it had been at the back of her mind. With the long string of failed and unsatisfying relationships she’d had, she did look forward to it.
Maybe it wasn’t a romantic soulmate. That might explain a few things, but Alex did still like the idea of it being one. Even if she hadn’t really had a good relationship, she wanted one. The idea appealed.
Now and again, she glanced down. It was getting to be a habit. Apparently she hadn’t gotten close enough to her soulmate to spot any sudden movements, but sooner or later-
The needle moved. Alex blinked.
She looked up, following where it was pointing. She hurried the next few steps; she could afford to be a few minutes late. The needle said to go this way-
She bumped into a stranger. Alex jumped back, a little breathless.
“Maggie Sawyer,” the dark-haired woman said. She’d been distracted too, apparently, looking her hand too; that hand she offered to Alex, to shake.
“S-sorry,” Alex said, brushing past her. “I don’t mean to be rude, I’m just looking for someone-”
The woman gave her a slightly incredulous look, while Alex moved past. She scanned the street.
If she was honest, none of the guys looked particularly attractive. Still, there was more to a soulmate than that. She glanced back at her hand, to narrow it down.
She wondered what he’d be like.
The needle had gone back a full 180 degrees. Alex span on the spot, following it again. He must have passed her-
She couldn’t get this close and then miss him, surely?
She hurried down the street. So long as he didn’t get too far away, she could just zigzag back and forth. If she hadn’t bumped into the woman – did she say her name was Maggie? – she might have seen the needle turn.
It would be easier to find him when she was moving past him. There wasn’t much room to her left and right where people could be, on this street, and if the needle was close enough to wobble-
She bumped into Maggie again.
“How many bumps will it be before I get your name?” Maggie said.
“Alex,” Alex said, lifting her eyes from her hand. “Alex Danvers. Sorry, my soulmate’s on this street, I’m trying to find him.”
“Mine too,” Maggie said, vaguely amused.
“Good luck finding him,” Alex said.
“Trust me Danvers, mine’s not going to be a him,” Maggie said.
“Oh,” Alex blinked. “Well, um, good luck still. I just need to- I think he’s behind you.”
The needle was pointing straight towards Maggie. Keeping her eyes raised, briefly, Alex nodded a goodbye before circling around Maggie, taking care not to run into her again.
She lifted her hand-
The needle had spun around. Damn it. Alex turned, watching the compass.
Once again, it was pointed to a somewhat impatient looking Maggie. Alex blinked.
“Huh,” Alex said, flatly.
“Should I be insulted?” Maggie said.
She lifted her own hand; a needle pointing straight for Alex. Somewhat uncertain, Alex moved to the side. The needle followed her.
Alex looked from that, to her own hand. It still pointed to Maggie.
So much for looking for a guy. Alex blinked. Then, a little uncertain, she moved onto tiptoes, looking over Maggie’s shoulder.
“No one behind me,” Maggie said. “Any reason you’re so desperate to find another soulmate?”
“I’m- I’m not, um, gay,” Alex said.
Maggie raised her eyebrows.
She reached out, to take Alex’s hand with her own and interlocking their fingers; the compass needles pointed directly at one another. As Maggie moved, the needles stayed pointing to each other.
Alex stared.
“Clearly,” Maggie said, less than convinced.
There weren’t too many people that wanted to hear their soulmate was a Luthor. Given her soulmate, Kara, just had to have either covered or lost their tattoo, it would fall to Lena to broach the subject.
It wasn’t the easiest thing to bring up, especially with Clark Kent in the room. He had a bit of a reputation for being harsh on Luthors, especially Lex, and she could sense his suspicion.
Still, she knew her soulmate’s name, and where she worked. It was a start. Now she just had to bring it up.
She almost had a plan, before her building was attacked. And in the explosions and chaos, she’d spotted a streak of blue and red shoot through the sky.
Her needle span around with it. Lena stared.
Supergirl? Why would her compass point to Supergirl, if her soulmate was that reporter-
Oh. Oh. And that’s explain her Metropolis-based, dark-haired friend with a dislike of Luthors too. Huh.
Well that made things a hundred times more complicated than they already were.
“Wait, it’s seriously a surprise to you?” Maggie said.
Alex had decided she might as well go for drinks with her soulmate. She’d had to hurry to the DEO after their first meeting, but they’d exchanged numbers to arrange this.
Alex had already managed to go through a fair bit of alcohol. It was one thing to meet her soulmate, it was another to essentially have the universe come down, take her by the hand, and tell her she was gay. Or bi. Or something that wasn’t what she’d assumed, at least.
Probably gay, thinking back.
“I- uh, I’ve never really… with girls,” Alex said.
“Tell your fashion sense that?” Maggie said.
Alex choked, slightly.
“And didn’t I see you pull up on a Ducati?” Maggie said.
“So?” Alex said.
“Just saying,” Maggie said. She paused. “You seriously didn’t know?”
“No,” Alex said; hesitated. “Not really. I…”
Alex frowned for a moment. She gulped down some of her drink.
“I mean, it… kind of makes sense,” Alex said. “I never- None of my other relationships seemed to work. And I always thought that was just me, it wasn’t guys, or…”
Alex stared down into her drink for a moment. After a few seconds, Maggie reached across, resting one hand on hers.
Alex was pacing slightly. Sure, visiting Kara’s apartment was far from uncommon for her, but normally she didn’t have to say much of importance.
And it wasn’t like coming out was really a big deal. Kara wouldn’t really mind; for that matter, most of the world didn’t mind. The fact countless people had same-sex soulmates ensured only a minority took any issue with it.
After all, the universe was basically saying it was ok. And on top of that, Kara of all people would be fine with it. Kryptonian culture didn’t care in the slightest.
Still, it was hard to bring it up, or know what to say. She felt she ought to tell Kara, and Maggie had suggested coming out to her family, but putting it into words…
“Alex?” Kara said.
“I- uh, I met my soulmate a few days ago,” Alex said.
“You did?” Kara’s eyes lit up. “When? How? What’s he like? What’s his name?”
Alex smiled, slightly. Kara had always been excited by the idea of soulmates; it was her optimism peeking through. In addition, it was something new to her. Kryptonians weren’t born with the same tattoos as humans.
Though, according to Clark, it was still possible for her to have a human soulmate.
“It’s- um, she’s called Maggie,” Alex said.
She hesitated, briefly. Kara did show surprise, for a moment, but it didn’t do anything to diminish her joy.
“Oh,” Kara said. “I don’t know you were, um…”
“I’m not,” Alex said; “Well, I didn’t think I- I’ve had to rethink a few things.”
“And is she…”
“She’s amazing,” Alex said, slightly breathlessly. “She’s strong, and – she’s so beautiful.”
Alex smiled, briefly distracted; Kara beamed.
When Kara was about to speak again, however, there was a knock at the door. She jumped, frowning slightly and peering over the top of her glasses.
Baffled, and murmuring to herself, Kara went to answer the door. She shot an apologetic glance towards Alex, and Alex gestured for her to open the door.
It wasn’t as though Alex had much more to say. She’d gotten the main thing off her chest, and she could talk about her soulmate more any time.
Still, Alex was rather surprised to see Lena Luthor on the other side of the door.
“Lena!” Kara said brightly. “Come in. Why are you-”
“How do you know where Kara lives?” Alex said, a little sharply.
Lena looked across to her, something odd in her expression. After a moment, her gaze flicked down; Alex’s arms were crossed, showing her compass.
Slowly, Lena’s expression shifted to something contemplative.
“Supergirl told me,” Lena said, smiling ever-so-slightly.
“What?” Kara squeaked. “No she didn’t.”
“How would you know?” Lena said.
Kara’s eyes widened. She floundered for a few seconds, before Alex smoothly joined the conversation.
“I think what Kara’s trying to say,” Alex said, “Is when did you talk to Supergirl?”
“After she saved my building,” Lena said. “I had to thank her. I mentioned you, briefly, and she said you knew each other. Then she mentioned your address.”
A baffled Kara glanced to Alex again.
“She- um, she didn’t say that,” Kara said.
“Didn’t she?” Lena said.
“She told me she didn’t,” Kara said. She nodded, slightly proud of that claim.
“Did she?” Lena said.
“Um, yes.”
“So, you talked to Supergirl,” Lena said, “And she specifically told you that she had not told me where you live? That’s a rather narrow topic of conversation.”
Kara blinked. Alex raised her hands, in a gesture of ‘you can handle this.’
Smiling slightly, Lena continued.
“I was hoping you could put in a word, when you see her again,” Lena said. “There’s something important I forget to tell her.”
“What is it?” Kara said.
“Something I think needs to be said to her personally,” Lena said. “Could you pass on the message?”
A rather confused Kara nodded.
Lena couldn’t imagine what Kara was thinking.
She’d admit, she had a sense of humour. And Kara was just adorable, which made the teasing worth it. She had to wonder why Kara thought Lena was lying about talking to Supergirl, though.
No doubt she could expect Supergirl to ask her about it, whenever she showed up.
It wasn’t too much longer after that, that she heard a rush of air as the door to her balcony opened. Smiling, Lena turned.
“Supergirl,” Lena said. “I never got a chance to thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Supergirl said. “I’ll always help, for as long as you’re in this city. Though why did you tell Kara you’d already thanked me? That never happened.”
Getting right down to it, then?
“You sound like Kara,” Lena said, amused. “She said something similar.”
“Because it’s true,” Supergirl said.
“I know,” Lena said. “But it’s the way you said it.”
Supergirl’s eyes widened, almost imperceptibly.
All things considered, there had to be dozens if not hundreds of people Kara kept her secret from. She must be endlessly amused by the things she overheard about Supergirl, or the things she was party to.
If, like it sounded, she really was going to pursue journalism it gave her a rather prominent source.
It was only fair Lena have fun with it too.
“Have you considered wearing glasses?” Lena said. She tilted her head, speculatively. “You’d look good in glasses.”
“I’d- what?”
“And wearing your hair up,” Lena said. “That would suit you.”
“I- n-no, I’m happy with…” Supergirl stumbled for a moment in a way that was pure Kara, before catching herself, and straightening. She spoke in a vaguely more heroic-sounding tone. “You said you wanted to talk to me.”
“I did,” Lena said.
“Why?”
“What do you know about humans?” Lena said. “I imagine you’ve lived on Earth for longer than you’ve been known. Maybe you have an apartment somewhere in the city. Probably in the same building as Kara.”
“I- that’s not- I grew up here, mostly,” Supergirl said. “Why?”
“I notice you don’t have a tattoo,” Lena said.
She gestured to Kara’s hands; Kara looked down for a moment, at the blank skin on the backs of her hands. She nodded.
“We didn’t have them on Krypton,” Supergirl said.
“But you could still have a soulmate?” Lena said.
“I think so,” Supergirl said. “Why?”
“Just remarking that you and Kara seem very close,” Lena said. “Particularly when you talk.”
“What?” Supergirl’s eyes widened. “N-no, it’s nothing like that, and- wait, why do you think we’re close, you’ve never even seen us together.”
“You’re very sure of that,” Lena said.
“I am!” Supergirl said. “Kara and I haven’t, um…”
“But surely you’d have to have spoken, for her to let you know I wanted to see you?” Lena said.
“We did, but that was, uh, you wouldn’t have seen it. We were very careful. And, uh…”
“It certainly sounds like you’re close,” Lena said.
“We-” Supergirl began.
Then, she paused. After a few seconds, she tilted her head, regarding Lena accusingly.
“You know,” Kara said.
Lena smiled.
“How do you know?!” Kara said.
“Your disguise is poor eyesight,” Lena said.
“But…”
“Aside from that?” Lena said. “You want to know what gave it away?”
“Y-yes!” Kara said.
Lena lifted her hand. Kara blinked, and frowned at it, not quite sure how to react. Then she realized the compass needle was pointed directly at her.
After a few seconds, she stepped sideways. The needle followed her. She moved back to where she was, and the needle stayed pointed at her.
Kara stared, confusion replaced with a softer sense of wonder.
“I wasn’t sure if I had one, here,” Kara said. “Kal-El has one, but he didn’t spend as much time on Krypton as me. I thought- maybe I’d met mine back then, and never noticed. Or…”
Kara stopped speaking, breathlessly. She turned her gaze, up from the hand, to Lena.
“Couldn’t you just tell me?” Kara said.
“I didn’t know how to, to begin with,” Lena said. “Then I watched the needle follow Supergirl.”
“And you could tell me then!”
“Where would the fun in that be?” Lena said.
She found herself smiling. She never had much opportunity to smile; it was refreshing.
Kara flushed a little, under Lena’s gaze. Still, Kara found she couldn’t stop staring. Her soulmate, she had a- She’d met her-
“Can I kiss you?” Kara said, suddenly.
Lena blinked.
“I mean, if that’s ok,” Kara said. “I just always wondered what it would be like, with my- And if you’re, and you want to, then…”
Lena’s lips curled at Kara’s babbling. Then, as Kara trailed off, realizing that she was going on, Lena closed the distance between them.
Kara’s eyes went wide, then drifted shut.
When Lena slowly pulled back, a small whine came out of Kara’s throat. Lena chuckled.
“As good as you thought it would be?” Lena said.
“Better.”
Alex sat next to Maggie. She’d been sitting next to Maggie for a while.
It was meant to be movie night. It was good to have someone whose tastes more or less lined up with her own; she loved Kara, she really did, but Kara just couldn’t handle horror movies.
It was rather distracting when her sister was desperately clinging onto her arm or a cushion throughout the movie. It was also rather dangerous when jump-scares could lead to ceiling damage.
Having Maggie with her, and watching the movies with Maggie, however, was perfect.
If not for the fact she just couldn’t concentrate. Alex was only half-aware of what was going on, on-screen, and her eyes kept flicking sideways.
Maggie seemed far more intent on the screen.
Then again, for Alex, this was almost a first crush. She wasn’t used to feeling this… head-over-heels. That described it, it really did. None of her ill-fated relationships had involved feelings anywhere near this intense.
Aware she was staring at Maggie’s lips, Alex jerked back, trying to focus on the screen. It didn’t work.
“You ok Danvers?” Maggie said, looked sideways.
Alex tensed. Ok, she hadn’t been subtle after all.
“Just… distracted,” Alex said.
“I’m flattered,” Maggie said.
Alex hesitated. Maggie frowned, pausing the movie.
“Seriously, you ok?” Maggie said.
“Fine,” Alex said.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Kissing you.”
The words came out before Alex could stop them. She blinked, falling silent to watch Maggie’s reaction. For a second or so she hoped she’d imagined saying that.
Then Maggie cracked a smile.
“That an offer?” Maggie said.
“You tell me, Sawyer,” Alex said, inwardly relieved. “Is that a yes?”
“Could be,” Maggie said.
Alex smiled. After a moment, she leant closer, faltering at the last step. Maggie met her eyes and, just as slowly, finished closing the distance.
When their lips met, the butterflies in Alex’s stomach turned into fireworks. So that was how it was meant to feel.