Chapter Text
Alone in the suite, Lena gets to work on making herself look presentable for the evening ahead, but it feels strange to get ready on her own, having spent so much time with Kara lately. She’s somehow found herself wrapped up in the life of a college basketball star, albeit without the gruelling schedule and psychical demands of training and playing. She’s flown around the country and lived the game, off the court. Being there in the quiet moments and she’s liked it. The ease of it all. No pressure and no comparison to when she’s expected to represent her family. She’s been allowed to exist in the shadows, whilst Kara’s light has shone brightly and tonight it’ll be at its brightest.
At the same time, Lena’s foray into anonymity at NCU is most definitely over, thanks to Lex’s assistant putting out a press release about her attendance at tonights event, alongside a few notes detailing Lena’s future responsibilities within LuthorCorp. It’s nothing she’s not talked over with Lex before, but the announcement changes things. Her position is now official and it’s why, the moment she steps out of the car, her photo is taken and several reporters approach, asking a few questions about LuthorCorp’s investment in the event and the direction they’ve taken backing sport in recent months. She’s aware, this is exactly what Lex wants. Lena is to act as a figurehead in this venture of his. He believes having a woman, showcasing the Luthor name, whilst supporting female sports, is good optics. Lena agrees with him, to some extent, and answers the smattering of questions with the practiced poise she’s been trained to exude.
There’s no fighting it, she always knew this is what would happen the second she accepted her fate. Being a Luthor, comes with the knowledge that every decision she makes, every word she says and opinion she gives, will be scrutinised by the press, those that take exception to how her family built their fortune and any competitor looking for an edge, at the least.
In truth, Lena’s never truly been anonymous, even with a few years away from the Luthor machine. Her absence, temporary. An accommodation, reluctantly afforded to her by a frustrated Lillian. Something she’s reminded of on every visit she makes to the mansion and at regular intervals during their catchup calls.
Avoidance was a luxury, but she is Lena Luthor and if she wants to be the one who calls the shots, she has to be in the game.
—
Away from the camera flashes, she’s greeted by a cacophony of noise in the presentation area, where everyone is already filing in to take their seats.
The centre of the room is filled with tables, all set up for the draftees and their guests, whilst members of the public sit further back, having paid to come and watch the spectacle. To the side of the room, is a row of chairs and at the very front row, sit Kara’s teammates, all chatting, waiting until the big moment. Nia waves to Lena, but before Lena gets the chance to go and say hello, she hears the distinct sound of her older brother’s laughter.
Searching him out in the crowd isn’t very hard, he’s centre stage of course, the real surprise comes in the fact that he’s got his arm looped in Selina Kyle’s. Lena’s considering finding a corner to hide in, when Lex spots her, “Lena!” He enthusiastically calls out, making heads turn, although very few find interest in the appearance of an heiress, when the room is full of up and coming basketball stars. Lex makes a show of zigzagging past the tables, bringing Selina with him.
“It’s been too long,” Lena kisses his cheek in greeting.
“I know, video calls aren’t the same, how’s my baby sister doing?”
“I’m well, I’ve a few things—”
“You’ve met Selina?” Lex cuts her off, his eyes bright as he smiles at the basketball player beside him.
“I’d remember,” Selina offers out her hand and Lena shakes it. “I’d have signed your contract a lot sooner, if you’d been the one delivering the paperwork.”
“Something, I should know?” Lena turns to Lex, her eyebrow raised, not missing how pleased with himself he looks.
“You know how these things are, Lena. We need a player who wants to represent the Luthor name. I found one.”
Lena’s eyes dart towards Kara’s table, she’s not there yet, but Cat is close by, talking to a tall, blonde lady.
“And Kara?” Lena asks, turning to face Lex, wondering how it can be so easy that he’s moved on with little fuss.
“Never put all your eggs in one basket, her team flat out refused to speak to me, I’m not chasing,” he says, eyes roaming the room, lighting up once he spots his target. “Oh, look, it’s the commissioner, let’s get a team photo,” he’s eagerly pulling Selina along with him.
Lena watches her brother for a startled minute, unsurprised at how he seamlessly fits into this world.
—
It’s then that Kara appears, she’s dressed in a sparkling black pant suit, her hair down in flowing waves and when she catches Lena watching her from across the room, she stops walking, her lips parting in an unspoken, “oh.”
Which is most definitely the reaction Lena had wanted, when she slipped into the figure hugging deep emerald dress she’d deliberately chosen with Kara in mind.
It’s quite satisfying to be looked at in the way Kara is looking at her right now. A stunned surprise, a lingering heat. Lena’s heart picks up a beat, her chest rising and falling and Kara’s tracking the motion, like no-one else is in the room.
Lena closes the distance between them, “hi.”
“Hi,” Kara says, sounding out of breath, her hands twitching at her sides. “You look beautiful. I didn’t expect to see you just yet or that wow, you…this…wow, it’s a gorgeous dress.”
“Thank you and I love this on you,” Lena takes a step closer, her fingertips dancing along the lapel of Kara’s jacket. “Kara, I—”
Kara takes a tiny step back, eyes wide with alarm, as she covers her chest and whispers, “I’m mic’d up.”
Lena spots the wire and god, why does everything have to be so complicated? Kara’s of course being followed throughout the night. Every interaction, every person she talks to. There’s probably a camera on them, right now.
“Absolutely,” Lena squeaks out in a pitch that she’s not sure she’s ever achieved before, it has Kara grinning back at her. She’s no idea what to do, and for some reason the next words slip from her mouth in some kind of faux posh British accent, “And good luck. All of us, from NCU, are rooting for you.”
Kara does a valiant effort to not laugh in reply, “I’m so happy to have…” she shakes her head, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “…all of NCU on my team.”
It’s really quite annoying that Kara is always somehow so perfect in all these stupid encounters of theirs and Lena really wants to kiss the smirk off her face, but there are camera’s and then there’s Lex. His obnoxious laugh carries across the room and Lena has to fight the urge to glare at him. Kara instantly picks up on her unease, following her eye-line to where Lex is still chatting to the commissioner, Selina Kyle at his side, “didn’t know your bro knew SK.”
“Me either,” Lena says flatly, still surprised she wasn’t given an update seeing as she’s supposed to be the one pushing this agenda, “although it deals with one of our problems.”
“Sorry about all that,” Kara says, keeping it as vague as can be when they know they’re being listened to, she jabs a thumb towards the table across the room, “So, uh, I’d better go sit, they’ll be starting soon.”
“Sure,” Lena’s no idea what she’s supposed to do now. She watches Kara cross the room, warmly greeting Cat, her sister and mom and all Lena can do is observe from the sidelines, much like she did in all those basketball games, because she’s not here with Kara, she’s her secret lover and that’s all. Lena’s here for business. Kara’s family don’t even know who she is and it all feels a lot more complicated all over again.
Lex sees her looking incredibly useless and beckons her over to the table he’s already seated at, alongside Selina Kyle, her coach and father. It feels so wrong to be there, but unless she stands up and declares her feelings for Kara in a room full of people, there’s little reason for her to get up and leave.
The conversation around her is all about opportunities, contracts, development and she should probably pay some attention, but she can’t stop looking over to where Kara is sitting.
Even from a distance she can spot the tell-tale signs of how nervous Kara is, her leg bounces beneath the table and Lena wishes she could be at her side, with the freedom to place her hand on Kara’s thigh, to whisper a few words to calm her, but she can’t and her own nerves build in return as the moment draws ever closer.
Lex is talking about doing a reel for Selina’s instagram followers, when Kara’s head turns and she hones right in on Lena. For a second her brow furrows, once she registers the other occupants at Lena’s table and then she sucks in a breath. Alex leans into say something and Kara’s focus returns to the stage where the commissioner is now having her microphone pack fitted.
It takes too long to get to the part they’ve all been waiting for and as the commissioner starts talking, Lena spots the way Kara’s sister, places a steadying hand on her back.
“With the first pick of the WNBA draft….”
Lena holds her breath, hears the words spoken, even though her brain can’t process them. Kara’s slow to get to her feet, hugging her family first, then Coach, then she begins to walk towards the stage. There’s a smattering of applause from the tables around her and a muttered, “should’ve been ours,” from someone sitting to Lena’s left.
And, then there’s all the NCU girls, cheering the loudest of all. Lucy and Nia are on their feet. Leslie, who is on crutches, makes an attempt to clap, but it’s a struggle and then Lena catches the way Lex twists his glass of champagne between his palms,
He gives Lena a closed mouthed smile, then says, “she can go number one, but good luck to her. That team is going to need all the KD magic they can muster to even get a win. Put your money on the rookie of the year, being the girl at this table,” he raises his glass towards Selina, who looks a little sour over not being number one, but quickly forces a smile to her face.
Lena’s attention turns back to Kara, who is now climbing the steps, having waved towards her teammates. The commissioner is beaming, when she hands over the jersey with a number one printed on the back. It will soon bear Kara’s name, the camera flashes take over for a few minutes, before the screen behind them, plays back an edit of all Kara’s highlights.
“Can we get a few words?” Holly asks, holding a microphone in front of Kara’s face, once she takes a step off the stage. She does a quick interview, asking how it feels, whilst the images continue to play out on the screen.
Kara holds it together, for the most part, talking about how it’s taken a huge effort from behind the scenes to get her to this point. She thanks the staff, her teammates, “all the people rooting for me back at NCU,” her eyes meet Lena’s. “I’d not be here, if they didn’t believe in me and I owe my tutor a huge debt of gratitude for not giving up on me when it might have looked like I was only interested in playing with big orange balls,” there’s a smattering of laughter around the room, Lena licks her lips, a smile on her face. She’s never felt more proud of Kara than she does now, but the whole occasion is a lot more overwhelming than she’d imagined.
“That’s something I admire about you, “ Holly says, “You could have made tonight all about you, but you are constantly making sure the people who helped you along the way, get the recognition.”
“They’ve changed my life, I couldn’t have got here without them,” Kara’s voice cracks and Holly gives her shoulder a rub, smiling as she changes the subject.
“We saw the watch party, they are obviously pumped to have you. How excited are you about starting a new life?”
“It’s still surreal, but yeah, I can’t wait. I want to do the best I can. Let’s get it.”
“Let’s get it,” Holly nods, “thank you, Kara.”
Kara is whisked away, undoubtedly to give more interviews and soundbites, whilst the draft continues around them. Number two is a girl Lena’s never heard of and she fidgets with the tablecloth, not all that interested in who else goes where, only wanting to see Kara and say congratulations.
—
The opportunity arises a few minutes later, when Kara walks past their table and Lex gets to his feet, “Miss Danvers, congratulations on going number one.”
“Thank you,” Kara says, shaking Lex’s offered hand.
It takes Lena a second to catch up, she copies Lex’s gesture, holding out her hand for Kara to shake, “yes, well done, Kara. Never in doubt.”
Kara smiles warmly, “like I said, all down to everyone at NCU rooting for me.”
“Can’t say I’m not disappointed, I’d hoped Lena’s tuition could pave a way for us to work together,” Lex ruins the smile-off and Lena drops Kara’s hand.
“Sorry about that,” Kara gives Lex a practiced smile, which turns fonder, once she turns her focus back to Lena, “although, I’ll always be grateful to Lena for helping me graduate.”
“You really didn’t need all that much help,” Lena blushes and it’s some relief that Lex isn’t watching her too closely. “Just a nudge.”
“A bit more of a nudge and Kara might be working with you, next year,” Lex scoffs, not hiding his frustration. “Missed a big chance, Lena, but at least I managed to step in and ensure we have Selina on our team, expect big things from that one.”
Lex’s focus is on the other side of the room, where Selina is being interviewed. She’s wearing a baseball cap, with her new teams name on and is milking the moment for all it’s worth.
“I look forward to when we play each other,” Kara follows his gaze, her answer is forced and Lena longs to move closer, to congratulate her properly, but she holds back.
“I’m sure we’ll see you at a few games this season,” Lex adds, not really paying Kara much attention, now that his interest lies elsewhere. “If you’ll excuse us,” he says, motioning for Lena to join him. “We need to have a few words with the commissioner,” he’s walking away, but pauses at Lena’s hesitation. “Lena?”
She can’t care about Lex or what else he might have to say to the commissioner, but knows she can’t get out of her responsibilities. She takes a quick breath, wishes she could convey to Kara how much she hates this part of her life, “time to be a Luthor,” she sighs.
Kara chuckles, her eyes crinkling around the edges, “enjoy.”
“You know I won’t,” Lena gives a wry smile.
Kara nods, her eyes darting to where she still has a mic attached, “you’ll be at the party?”
“I will,” she says.
“Then I’ll see you later.”
Lena quickly catches up to Lex, earning a look of distain from him when she does.
“You talk too much and don’t get enough done,” Lex huffs.
“You sound like our mother,” Lena bites back and it draws an amused chuckle from him.
She looks back over her shoulder, catches Kara watching from across the room, an unreadable expression on her face and again wishes, this wasn’t how this part of the night had to play out.
—
Finally, having listened to the commissioner and Lex trying to concoct a plan to increase the popularity of the WNBA, in order to bring it on par with the college game, she says her goodbyes and escapes to the party, being hosted by one of Kara’s sponsors.
The place is loud and Lena instantly spies the entire Wildcat team, huddled together on the dance floor, bouncing up and down, hands in the air as the music plays.
The bittersweet realisation that this is Kara’s send off, hits Lena hard and she diverts her path, straight towards the bar.
She’s halfway through a glass of wine, when Kara says from behind her, “you can’t hide here all night.”
She’s close enough that Lena can feel the warmth of her body and aches to lean back into it.
“Oh, I don’t know, it’s a free bar,” she says, smiling at Kara’s reflection. “And, you know I don’t dance.”
“Make an exception?” Kara’s palm grazes the side of Lena’s waist, tempting as always.
Her body craves Kara’s touch and it’s why she instinctively turns to face her, not caring how she may look on the dance floor for once, “okay.”
Kara takes her by both hands, walking backwards towards where everyone else is dancing, not dropping her gaze once. It’s a moment in the chaos. Kara holding her, moving their bodies as one, whilst the world revolves around them.
There’s no camera’s here. No microphone hidden beneath Kara’s shirt, it’s just the team, their friends and Lena lets go of everything, that would usually hold her back. She dances with Kara, sings along to the songs, with the rest of team, even if she gets half the words wrong, not that anyone cares. This is a night for them all. Where they get to wish Kara well and celebrate all they’ve achieved together.
It’s Kara’s night and she parties, until there are only a handful of people left in the room and the music softens. For a few minutes, Lena sits to one side, watching Kara say those last goodbyes. Hugging her friends and teammates, making promises of futures, yet to be realised, before having a brief chat with Meg and then she turns to Lena with a soft smile, “ready to go home?”
Lena slips in snuggly under Kara’s arm, tightly wrapping into her side as they make their way out to the waiting car, sliding into the backseat and having one last night of their own.
There’s something different in the way Kara’s looking at her when they enter their room and she feels it in every touch, in the soft brush of fingers over her skin and can hear it, in every whisper and each kiss. It’s gentle, tender, like Kara’s committing every action to memory and Lena’s doing the same in return. No rush, just them. Kara peppering her body with soft kisses. It’s delicate, fragile.
—
The morning light fills the room, signalling a new beginning for them both, not that either of them says anything about it.
Kara keeps busy, making an attempt to reply to the messages she’s had overnight and Lena quietly packs her things, all set to check out and fly back to NCU, alone. She stalls as much as she can, not ready for this moment, wishing it wasn’t a goodbye.
Kara’s quieter than usual, even when she suggests they go out for breakfast, leaving the packed bags behind them and not focusing on the inevitable. It’s a beautiful day, the sun is bright and it would normally be enough to put a smile on Lena’s face, but she can’t quite see the joy in it, not when Kara’s reading over her schedule for the coming days.
They’re back in the hotel room, when it really hits Lena, “you just leave? Your home, all of it, everything?” The silent, “everyone,” sits heavily between them.
Kara shakes out her shoulders, sucks in a breath and puts on a smile. It’s not unlike her free-throw routine, the seconds she takes to relax her body, eye on the bucket, blocking out all the outside noise, resetting herself. “Yep,” she says, the only sign of tension, coming in the way she tightens her jaw, even as she casually shrugs. “My team fix me up with a place to stay and Alex is coming down for a few days to help out.”
Lena can’t picture this new life of Kara’s and she isn’t sure she wants to, not yet. “I guess I thought…” she shakes her head, it doesn’t matter what she thought. Kara’s no longer a college student. She’s about to start a real job and it’s all coming in fast. “It’s quick, is all.” She says and Kara nods, turning back to her bags.
“Yep, kind of crazy I know. Meg’s taking care of a lot of the details, but basically I touch down and then we get set for the official unveil. There’s some meet and greets and a load of press obligations, right through to the start of the season,” Kara’s got her back to Lena, stuffing a few last things into her carry-on. “And a whole lot of practice in between. New start and a new team. We’ve got to learn how we play together, which is going to be the biggest challenge.”
“A new life,” Lena’s standing in the middle of their hotel room, feeling like everything she ever wanted is slipping through her fingers and she’s no idea how to stop it. “They’re really invested in you?”
“Mmhmm,” Kara hums, zipping up the bag. “This is how it is, they want to build the franchise around me,” she turns to look at Lena, shrugs a shoulder, like it’s that simple and Lena should understand, but how can she? None of it makes sense. Lena’s never really thought about what is expected of a first pick player.
“Do you even know anyone?” she says, still stunned by the chain of events.
“Played against a few of the girls, met the coach and GM, but yeah, it’s all new.”
“Right,” Lena sits down on the edge of the bed, wondering why she’d not spent a minute to think about what Kara’s about to do, what she will become. It’s a huge deal, to leave all her friends, her family, start a new life in a city, over a thousand miles away. A thousand miles from Lena. “And you’re okay with this?”
“It’ll be fine,” Kara says, coming to sit beside Lena. “I’ll be fine,” she takes a breath, almost like she’s convincing herself more than Lena. “They’re really throwing everything behind me. I can have Al come visit whenever she’s free and I’ll be traveling half the time. It’d be cool if you could make it to a game? I can get you seats,” Kara says, then seems to catch herself. “I know you’re going to be tied up with all the Luthor stuff, but maybe?”
“Maybe,” Lena says, having absolutely no idea how or when she’d be able to get to see Kara or what it would even mean for them. “I’d like to. I…” she can’t promise, not when going to a game isn’t as easy as walking across campus anymore.
“Different worlds,” Kara says in understanding.“Maybe it’s for the best, Meg thinks the next few months are going to be a lot more intrusive than what it was like at NCU. Everyone is going to be watching what I do, who I do it with.”
The very idea of it, has Lena drawing in a sharp breath and it’s really not going to be much different for her either, not after Lex’s assistant put out that statement, “I can imagine.”
“You know, I’m glad you were there last night,” Kara gives her this lopsided smile.
“Me too, one thing to be thankful to Lex for,” she jokes and Kara’s eyes crinkle at the edges, but her smile quickly fades.
“These last few months, this thing with us,” Kara says, her eyes searching Lena’s. “You had fun?”
“I did,” Lena nods, “you?”
“A lot,” Kara answers in a heartbeat.
Her chest heaves when she sees the look in Kara’s eyes, knows this is it, the moment they’ve both been putting off for as long as they could, “God, this feels awful.”
Kara takes hold of Lena’s hand, “I’m going to miss you.”
“Me too,” Lena nods, “we’ll stay friends?”
“I’ll always be your friend, Lena. I promise,” Kara says, quietly. “But, I’m also going to leave now.”
“Do you have to?”
It’s then that Lena catches the tears threatening to spill from Kara’s eyes. She nods, swallows thickly, “for us both, yes.”
Lena lets go of Kara’s hand, unable to move as she watches her pick up her bags and walk towards the door. Kara pauses, and then in one breath she’s turning, crossing the room and kissing Lena. It’s as pained, as it is beautiful. A goodbye, which leaves Lena shaking.
She can barely breathe as Kara turns for a second time. This time she doesn’t pause at the door, just tugs it open, then closes it behind her.
Lena sinks back down onto the bed, feeling like she’s just said goodbye to the one good thing she’s ever had in her life, not knowing a way to make their ending any different.
Despite knowing this was always how it would end, she’s left wondering why it feels like the word, “stay,” is trying to claw its way out of her mouth, but Kara can’t stay and Lena can’t follow, she’s her own future to build and sitting court-side is not on the Luthor agenda.