spidey

it was late enough into your valorant stream that people in your chat were telling you to go to sleep, which you, of course, ignored. your friends had gotten off an hour ago, and you'd spent the last twenty minutes pretending you were also getting off but never did close the game.

"okay," you said, stretching in your chair. "one swiftplay and then i'm going to bed."

chatter: the lies chatter: said that an hr ago... chatter: famous last words chatter: "but chat we can't end on a loss"

you ignored your chat and started the queue. it was already after midnight, so you knew the games were gonna be completely silent, filled with some of the weirdest people alive, or the occasional normal people that you could add and play with later.

when the game loaded, you waited for everybody to pick their character before filling, feeling a bit nice today. when everybody locked in their characters, there was sage, skye, phoenix, and reyna, while you played clove. the map was abyss.

you talked to your chat while you waited for the game to load in, but while you were there, your chat pointed out that your team all had matching banners, so you had to be playing with a four-stack. but on top of that, the names looked really familiar to you, though you couldn't really put your finger on it.

"chat, do we know these people?" you asked because you were too lazy to search it up.

chatter: why would we know your val randoms...?

"so now when i actually need to know somebody's name, nobody can tell me who i'm playing with," you playfully rolled your eyes.

chatter: are they pros? chatter: imagine it's just y/n's friends chatter: could just be ppl you've played with before chatter: wait i recognize these names

"okay, so i'm not trippin'," you said after reading some comments validating you.

the game finally loaded up, and you kept unmuting and muting your microphone, debating on if you wanted to talk or not. eventually, you decided on just buying a ghost and your meddle decay ability.

"hello random!" the sage said to you as you exited the spawn barriers, following the group toward a site.

"oh, hi random," you said, returning the energy.

"so you can talk," the reyna said.

"we kept watching your microphone pop up and didn't know if you were trying to talk," the sage said.

"i was debating whether i wanted to talk or not," you admitted.

"your name lowkey looks familiar," the phoenix said.

"i was gonna say the same thing about y'all," you said as you tried to think about it. "have we ever played together?"

"i don't think so..." the phoenix said.

chatter: i recognize the voices chatter: ong thats girlset chatter: lucky asl

"oh, i know now," you smirked, the chat finally feeding you the answer.

"what is it?" the reyna asked.

a loud electronic chime echoed through your headset. "oh—rounds starting," you said, locking in as the barriers dropped.

"you recognize us," the skye said.

"oh yeah, we've met," you said, jiggling the corner of a main.

suddenly, an enemy raze grenade painted the floor in red warning circles. you pressed your ability key, dropping a clove smoke right on the choke point to block the enemy's vision, but a flash popped through the cloud, blinding you.

"where?" the reyna asked.

"just at this event recently," you said, currently fighting for your life. you held down left-click, spraying through your own smoke as footsteps rushed you. you managed to land a crisp headshot on the blinding enemy phoenix, tapping your pick-me-up skill to absorb her life energy and overheal.

"my chat helped me," you added, quickly falling back toward the site's center pillar before you could get traded.

"so you're a streamer," the skye said, her character's flash-hawk soaring over your head to blind the remaining attackers.

"i dabble," you muttered. it was your full-time job.

"wait, can we get a hint because you've said we met before," the phoenix said, pushing past you to chase a kill.

"why would i do that?" you said, laughing as the round wrapped up with your team cleaning up the last attacker.

"so you can know us, but we can't know you," the sage said during the next buy phase.

"technically, i know who y'all are, i just don't know exactly who's who," you said, purchasing a vandal.

"if we tell you which one we are, will you tell us?" the phoenix asked.

"if we win this game, then i'll tell y'all," you challenged.

"can we lock in then?" the skye said.

"of course you wanna know," the sage teased.

"i also wanna win," the skye defended.

you all absolutely rolled the next round, and you finally found out who was who: lexi was on sage, camila was playing skye, kendall was playing phoenix, and savanna was playing reyna.

"so can we know now?" lexi asked.

"i said if we win the game, not the round," you reminded them.

"we're just gonna have to find you then," savanna said.

"why's that kinda scary," you laughed.

"you forced it to go this way," kendall said.

for the rest of the game, it was just all of you hanging out, taking it kinda serious but not too serious.

"lexi, swing with me," you called out, peeking the corner into b main. you wide-swung the angle, expecting lexi to be right behind you to trade the kill if you fell. instead, an enemy operator's shot rang out, instantly dropping your character to the floor. your camera immediately shifted to spectator mode, tracking lexi's sage, who was safely tucked behind a wall.

"lexi?" you questioned.

"what i do?" she asked innocently.

"you just watched me die!" you said in disbelief, watching her character's crosshair glide over your dead body to swap her pistol for your dropped vandal.

"nuh-uh," lexi said, shaking her character's head back and forth in the game since she knew you were watching her.

"you did!" you yelled.

"i was gathering information," lexi defended.

"yet you gathered nothing," you shot back.

"no, i found out there were two of them there," lexi countered smoothly.

"i should've gone with camila; she would've traded me," you sighed.

"i got you, clove," camila chimed in, immediately flashing the corner and bursting down the enemy sniper to avenge you.

a couple of rounds later, the match hit match point, tied up at 4-4. it came down to a chaotic b-site retake. savanna and kendall went down early, leaving just you and lexi in a brutal 2v4. you used your post-death clove smokes from beyond the grave to line up the site, clouding the enemy's vision.

you watched lexi hold the spike defuse while you, freshly resurrected by your ultimate ability, sprinted onto the site. you caught the first enemy lurking in the smokes, transferred your spray to a second pushing from back-site, and crouch-sprayed the third.

"wait, random's kinda fire!" lexi exclaimed over the mic as the 'round won' banner flashed across the screen.

"oh my god, lexi of girlset just complimented me," you told your chat, matching her energy.

you ended up winning the final round of the game. everybody was so caught up in screaming and celebrating kendall winning a crazy 3v1 clutch at the very last second that the lobby comms were pure chaos.

as the screen faded, kendall finally caught her breath. "wait, clove, who are you?"

"oh, gg's! i'll tell you if we meet again," you said quickly, knowing the chances of running into the same four-stack in swiftplay were actually incredibly low.

"we were—" you didn't hear the rest of savanna's sentence because the match ended and the mvp screen popped up, showcasing your clove front and center.

you grinned, your adrenaline spiking. after such a good game, how could you actually go to sleep now? you immediately clicked the queue button for another match.

chatter: we're gonna be here all night chatter: y/n's prob hoping to run into them again

"guys deadass they're at so many events i go to, they do not need to know who i am," you said.

chatter: they're prob gonna recognize ur voice next time chatter: it's already been clipped. they're gonna see

"wait can we not share it," you pleaded.

chatter: ur cooked chatter: maybe it won't reach their side of the internet

the next game loaded in and you filled again playing gekko. the game went to show the enemy team and map screen and you were looking down at your phone but looked up when you saw how fast your chat was moving.

on the enemy team was the same four stack you just played with, girlset. they were all on the same characters too.

once the game loaded in you saw a text in all chat.

(all) broitslexus: traitor. (all) flexonthemhoes: yall left me (all) justkendalll: ur on the other side (all) flexonthemhoes: mind u, y'all are all tgthr wo me

the first round started and you immediately booked it down a-main, sending gekko's mosh pit fluid swirling into the common chokepoint to cut off their push. lexi aggressively peeked past the corner, trying to line up a pre-fire, but you were already waiting. with a single, crisp click of your mouse, you one-tapped her immediately.

(all) broitslexus: cheater (all) flexonthemhoes: skill issue

after dropping lexi, you caught kendall blindly sprinting through the corridor with a classic gekko dizzy flash that blinded her entirely, leaving her an easy second target. you picked up her fallen vandal, pivoted to b-link, and caught camila mid-air off a jump-pad. savanna tried to trade her, but you crouch-sprayed under her crosshair to secure the fourth kill. the final enemy, a random fifth player, tried to stick the spike defuse through a smoke, but you sent wingman rushing in to stun them before you swung, giving you an ace.

(all) camilaribelle: where was this last game (all) flexonthemhoes: hello i mvp'd

after that it was like they didn't even care about killing anybody else on your team, just you.

it peaked on round three when you found yourself isolated holding the b-site container. suddenly, the entire sky turned into a nightmare. kendall triggered her ult, charging straight down your line of sight while lexi threw a sage slow orb directly under your feet, locking you in place. before you could even attempt to aim-duel, camila's ult came tracking around the corner, instantly nearsighting you, closely followed by a flashes of blinding light. you were completely paralyzed, trapped in a cage of utility, unable to move or see.

instead of shooting you, they literally just circled your blind, slowed character, throwing graffiti sprays on the wall and jumping around you in circles while the spike timer ticked away down to the final seconds.

(all) flexonthemhoes: this feels personal :( (all) savvcwavv: should've told us the stream

only when the spike was fractions of a second from detonating did savanna finally put a bullet in you. you obviously ended up losing that round and you stared at the screen, before looking at the replay just to re-show the chat the trauma you just went through.

next game, you loaded in and immediately sighed.

"well look who it is," savanna said.

"you came back to us," camila said.

"did you guys ask riot to do this to me?" you said.

"to that we'd have to know your stream," savanna said.

"i definitely don't want to after last game," you said.

"maybe we should just go live and find out," kendall suggested.

"wait no that's not necessary," you said.

"so what's the stream?" camila asked.

you reluctantly told them.

"y/n?" savanna yelled out.

"i'm so sorry," you laughed.

"you're so different in person," lexi said.

"so nice to us in person too," kendall added.

"i truly didn't think we'd ever queue together again," you said.

"imma remember this for the next event we see you at," camila said.

"you look so embarrassed on stream," savanna laughed.

"you're watching the stream," you covered your face and debated turning it off entirely.

"don't worry you look cute," lexi said.

you had to mute your in game microphone after that and you knew they were watching but you had to talk to your chat.

"everybody shut the fuck up do not embarrass me," you said like they could even talk.

chatter: ur doing that all on ur own buddy chatter: heyy clip channel chatter: girlset knows us

"okay calm down, they know me not y'all," you said.

the map was haven, lexi was on sage, camila was on skye, kendall was on astra, and savanna was on reyna, while you were able to lock in iso.

the game started and you felt at peace not being attacked anymore. on the very first round, you popped iso's wall, sending the massive energy barrier driving down c-long to block the enemies line-of-sight. you tapped into your double tap shield, smoothly entrying onto the site with savanna trailing right behind you. together, you cleaned up the defenders holding the back logs, securing a flawless site take.

but when you said you weren't being attacked anymore, that was just from abilities because lexi kept trying to ship you and camila because you two would always go to the same site.

"i remember camila talking about how pretty y/n was after we met the first time," lexi said.

"what are we exposing me for?" camila chuckled.

"why are you trying to put them together so bad for?" kendall asked.

"i just think they'd be cute," lexi said.

"i think lexi likes y/n," savanna said.

"oh fuck no," lexi said.

"well damn let me just go kill myself," you said.

"also lexi was with me saying y/n was pretty," camila said.

"i don't like people who bully me," you said.

chatter: straight lying

"you gotta be nicer to her lexi," kendall said.

"no her chat says she likes it," lexi said.

"you're still in here?" you said.

"i needed to know if you're talking shit about us," lexi said.

"shit, so you heard me say you're really bad at the game," you said.

"you said that," kendall laughed.

by round eight, the match was a breeze. you activated iso's ultimate, pulling the enemy omen into your 1v1 arena. you cleanly won the duel, stepping back into the real world right into the middle of a-site. lexi was standing right there, using her sage wall to secure a plant, while camila's trailblazer tiger scouted out the remaining enemies.

"she's lying, she just compliments me a lot," lexi said.

"you gotta be watching somebody else's stream," you said, "ain't nobody glazing bro."

"maybe we ship lexi and y/n," camila said.

"well, it's been great, i gotta go y'all," you said as the game ended.

you didn't even get to escape because after that game, you got a friend request from all of them, and once you accepted it, they invited you to the party. at that point, you knew you weren't getting much sleep because you just had to keep playing with them. chances like this don't come often.

the second you joined, the girls were already talking again.

"anyways, continuing our chat. i'm seeing the chat ships y'all two," savanna said.

"nobody has said that," lexi said.

"oh so you're still here," camila said.

"i just know you two are lying," lexi said.

you started up the next game. a couple of rounds into a match on ascent, savanna absolutely went berserk on b-site defense. playing reyna, she dismissed away from a blind flash, popped her ultimate, and tore through the entire enemy team with lightning-fast sheriff headshots. her screen turned a bloody crimson as she secured the final kill.

"wait, you're so hot for that," you said after savanna aced.

"oh–thank you y/n," savanna said.

chatter: y/n pulling multiple girlset girls tn is crazy

"i'm just good like that chat," you said.

you all were on a winning streak when kendall yawned.

"it's actually three in the morning," kendall said.

"we should really go to sleep," camila said.

"yeah, don't we have plans in the morning or something," savanna said.

"i was supposed to end hours ago," you sighed.

chatter: we know chatter: stayed up to play w pretty girls, real chatter: we understand

you all said your goodbyes and you were getting ready to get off when you saw lexi was making no move to leave.

"aren't you gonna go to bed?" you asked.

"we should," lexi said.

"but are we gonna?" you asked.

"up to you," lexi said and you started the queue immediately.

chatter: lexi of all ppl staying is crazy chatter: oh????

"so..." you leaned back in your chair, "we're not going to sleep for a while huh."

"i would just feel bad leaving you alone," lexi said.

"didn't savanna say y'all have something to do tomorrow?" you asked.

"it's not until later," lexi said.

"you think they're gonna be mad we played without them?" you asked.

"they'll be fine," lexi said.

when the next game started, you clutched a round and some random complimented you in the team chat. the match was on sunset, and you were backed into a corner on b-site. with only a sheriff and zero abilities left, you held your ground against a three-man push. you crisp-clean tapped the enemy omen head coming through the main choke, swung wide to drop the jett mid-dash, and hit a nasty jump-shot on the remaining cypher to take the round.

the random jett on your team instantly unmuted. "yo, gekko, you are actually insane. marry me?"

you played into it, talking back, but it eventually got flirty the more you two talked. you started asking them to buy you guns, threw your dizzy flash to "protect them," and joked around in team chat.

the more you two flirted the quieter lexi got. during the buy phase of the next round, she stood completely still in the corner of the spawn barrier, her sage character just staring at the wall while you and the random kept bantering.

"i was gonna drop you a skin," lexi said casually, breaking her silence as the barrier countdown hit five seconds.

"wait drop it please," you said, crouching in front of her character and shaking your crosshair up and down.

"no, you're over here just cheating on me," lexi said, jumping backward away from you.

"excuse me?" you chuckled.

"talking to other people," she clicked her tongue.

"hello, we're not dating," you said.

"...okay," lexi said.

"you're so jealous," you grinned.

"why would i be jealous?" lexi scoffed.

she aggressively swung out of spawn, sprinting straight toward middle without checking her corners. you followed close behind her as she threw down a sage wall just to block the random jett's line of sight, completely cutting them off from the rest of the push.

"see, look at you using your utility just to block them out," you teased over the party mic.

"they were moving too slow," lexi said.

(all) jett: sage can i get a heal

"bros at fifty asking me for a heal," lexi said.

"you healed me at ninety," you laughed.

"okay because you're actually valuable to the team. that jett isn't doing shit," lexi said.

"literally right under me on the leaderboard by the way," you pointed out.

"not at the top though," lexi said.

"insane," you said.

"can you flash for me gekko?" jett asked.

"anything for you," you said.

"thank you, my goat."

by the second half of the game, lexi was barely speaking unless it was to give necessary comms or complain. but then, the random jett died right in the middle of the site. once the team had successfully taken it back over, the jett noticed lexi's ultimate was up.

"wait, sage, you can res me," the jett said over the team mic.

lexi aggressively shook her character's head side-to-side, deliberately walking right over the jett. you couldn't help but laugh.

"so you're gonna throw the round because you're jealous," you teased.

"i'm not jealous," lexi argued, her tone defensive.

when the game finally ended, you backed out to the lobby and instantly hit the requeue button without saying a word. lexi didn't even complain about it; she just sat in the lobby with you, the heavy silence hanging between your headsets.

"i'm lowkey craving tacos right now," lexi said out of nowhere, "but i don't know if i wanna order right now."

"you want me to order you food?" you asked.

"you're not gonna," lexi dismissed.

"actually, add me on discord. i will order for you right now," you said.

chatter: the way they met tdy lmao chatter: this is so down bad of y/n

"if i actually give you my order, will you?" lexi asked. she paused for a second, her voice getting suspicious. "wait. you're just trying to get my address."

"i will venmo you the money if you want," you offered.

"like, deadass?" lexi asked.

"yes, bruh," you said, chuckling. "do you want taco bell or like, authentic tacos?"

"what do you wanna order me?"

"this is about what you want," you said.

"i feel like i should be cheap," lexi murmured.

"no, it's fine, you can spend my money," you said.

"well, in that case," lexi's voice instantly perked up, "what's the most expensive taco i can buy?"

"i'm gonna go broke," you said.

the next match popped up, the map was haven so you instelay locked in jett so you could have lexi as your pocket sage.

a few rounds in, the enemy team executed a fast push onto a-site, completely clearing out the rest of your teammates before they could even rotate. suddenly, it was a 2v4, with just you and lexi left to defend.

"i'm gonna do some dumb shit," you told lexi over party chat.

"you got that," lexi replied smoothly, trusting you.

you pulled out your knives and updrafted high over a-box, catching the enemy reyna completely off guard and headshotting her mid-air. then you dashed forward straight into a smoke near cubby, blindly turning and killing the omen who was hiding inside it.

you short-dashed backward into hell right as the last two enemies sprayed through the smoke. seeing you in danger, lexi perfectly timed a slow orb, dropping it right at the edge of the smoke and delaying their push just enough. you peeked off of her utility and hit two consecutive headshots.

"that flick was disgusting!" the random sova screamed into their mic.

"actually unreal," the brimstone chimed in, laughing in disbelief.

"okay, i sent you my order," lexi said quietly in the party chat, completely ignoring the teammates hyping you up.

you picked up your phone, opened your discord dms, and pulled up the food delivery screenshot she had just sent you.

as the barriers for the next round started counting down, you hovered near spawn. "wait, can we all survive for a second so i can order food right quick?" you asked over the team mic.

"what you ordering?" the sova asked.

"tacos," you answered.

"can you order me tacos too?" the brimstone joked.

"i usually would," you smirked, looking toward lexi's character, "but my girlfriend gets jealous easily. she barely lets me talk to other women."

"don't tell people that," lexi snapped in the private party chat.

"are you not getting jealous easily?" you teased.

"shut up and order my food," lexi said.

after that game, you two played a couple more matches before you eventually decided to call it a night. you ended the stream, the screen going black as you sighed and stretched in your chair. you were about to get ready for bed, but then you got a text from lexi on discord.

broitslexi i'm so cooked for tmrw 😭

y.n. i told u to gts

broitslexi i actually don't think u ever did...

y.n. nono i did at some point

broitslexi ur literally lying

y.n. ima rewatch the entire vod and look for it

broitslexi and ur gonna find nothing

y.n. i willl omg the sunrise is so pretty

broitslexi its up?

y.n. u wanna see?

broitslexi i have so many regrets but yes

y.n.

broitslexi wait it's so pretty u have such a nice view

y.n. come see it in person

broitslexi oh?? 👀

y.n. who said that???

broitslexi maybe i will

y.n. omg it worked

broitslexi 😭😭

y.n. i should rly gts now

broitslexi we both rly should

y.n. goodnight lexiii

broitslexi night night

it was your first stream since that night, mostly because you'd been caught up with a ton of off-camera stuff over the past couple of days. ever since that late-night stream went a little viral, the shipping edits with lexi had been all over your timeline. you didn't really mind it, but for the most part, both of you just tried to ignore it because internet people are going to think whatever they want to think anyway.

you greeted your stream, watching the chat instantly flood with comments about lexi and the rest of girlset. but you were here for a completely different reason today.

"minju got me playing fuckass league," you said, leaning back.

"i rarely ever play this game and they want me to play it for like six hours," you complained, pulling up discord on your second monitor.

"but anyways, yoona's in the discord call but she's deafened," you told your stream, hovering your mouse over the voice channel. "do i join and also deafen or just mute?"

"imma just ping her until she undeafens," you said, clicking into the call and immediately spamming her mentions in the text channel.

"my chat told me you were waiting on me," yoona said as she finally undeafened.

"can you look at the discord?"

"bro why'd you ping me fifty times?"

"now that i have your attention, hi," you said.

"i'm deafening until minju gets here," yoona said immediately.

"wait i was kidding," you said, sitting up. "i was trying to talk to my chat, but they just keep asking if i talked to you know who."

"well have you talked to her since?" yoona asked, immediately picking up on the hint.

"well we text at least once a day," you said, trying to downplay it.

"basically dating," yoona said.

"well no."

"y'all stayed up til' what like five am playing and talking," yoona said.

"i don't know how you know that," you said.

"i've seen the clips!" yoona exclaimed.

"you're supposed to look away because you know me for real," you told her.

"i was just mad because you were supposed to be going to bed," yoona said.

"i'm sorry, but my chat kept asking for one more game," you said, shifting the blame.

chatter: lying on us chatter: we fully told u to go to bed

"so now you listen," yoona said.

"i always listen," you said.

chatter: ok sincere

"anyways, when is minju getting here?" you groaned.

"you should've been pinging her instead," yoona said.

"good idea," you said as you shifted targets and started pinging minju this time.

"she's gonna be pissed when she joins," yoona chuckled.

"good, i'm pissed she's forcing me to play league," you said.

"all i see is the discord moving fast as hell," minju said, her icon lighting up green as she suddenly joined the call.

"you're here!" you cheered, your voice bouncing with sudden energy.

"unfortunately," minju sighed, her microphone capturing the sound of her slumping back into her chair.

"you act like you weren't the one who made us play league," you said, pointing an accusatory finger at your webcam.

"i asked," minju corrected smoothly, her tone entirely too innocent.

"you peer pressured."

"i did no such thing," minju denied.

"you did send a calendar invite," yoona laughed, her icon lighting up in discord as she joined in on the roasting.

"basically holding a gun to my head," you added on, shaking your head dramatically at the stream.

minju completely ignored your theatrics, masterfully shifting the conversation. "so how's everybody been? it's been a dead couple of days in the group chat."

"i've been busy," you answered, leaning back to eye the slow-moving progress bar of your game launcher.

"with?" minju urged you to continue.

"life and shit," you shrugged.

"that tells me absolutely nothing."

"i know," you grinned, enjoying how easily you could annoy her.

yoona hummed thoughtfully over her mic, "i think she was filming something."

"see? yoona gets it."

"i guessed."

"well... your guess was right."

"no way," minju gasped dramatically

"i also had meetings."

"boooo," minju droned, completely over the professional talk. "can you get in the game?"

"wait, i gotta update," you said as you looked at the download bar on your screen.

"you could've been doing that this whole time," minju groaned.

"my bad, i don't play this game," you said defensively.

"since we gotta wait even longer, yoona, i finally started that show you told me to watch."

"and?"

"you were right."

"i know."

"that plot twist at the end was crazy," minju exclaimed.

"why was i not told about this?" you chimed in, feeling left out of the loop.

"you probably were; you just don't listen to us," yoona said.

"literally false," you said, crossing your arms.

"what do you even watch anyway?" minju asked.

"i've mostly just been watching youtube while i eat," you said.

"still?" minju asked, sounding genuinely disappointed in you.

"it's a lifestyle."

"you're never beating the ipad kid allegations."

"i literally watch one video while i eat."

"you still need subway surfers gameplay at the bottom of the screen to focus," yoona teased, laughing at her own joke.

"i do not!"

"you literally do."

chatter: ipad kid confirmed chatter: family guy clips next chatter: attention span cooked chatter: bro needs a sensory video to eat breakfast

"see?" yoona laughed, reading the chat overlay on your stream. "even chat agrees."

"stop looking at my stream," you said, covering your face with both hands in pure embarrassment.

"we're literally on a call right now," yoona said, sounding incredibly amused.

"it's different," you mumbled through your hands.

when your download finally finished, the client flashed a bright notification, and you all hopped into a lobby.

you locked in a champion you barely understood, spending the first ten minutes completely lost in the bottom lane and trying to figure out which items to buy. but your game sense kicked in during team fights; you managed to instinctively flash away from a lethal ultimate and clean up two low-health enemies just by clicking the right targets.

minju was heavily carrying the entire team, securing a massive double kill at the dragon pit while yoona locked down the enemy team with perfect crowd control from the support role.

you all tore through the enemy base before the twenty-minute mark, securing a clean victory.

the next two games went exactly the same way. you kept accidentally stealing minion kills and wandering into the enemy jungle by mistake, but whenever a team fight broke out, you somehow found a way to survive and lock down assists. with minju absolutely dominating the leaderboard and yoona consistently playing her part to bail you out of bad positioning, you rolled through the match history on a massive win streak.

after a couple of games on league, you all finally switched over to overwatch. you loaded into a match, three-stacking in the queue, but after enduring a particularly frustrating game with random people, you needed to play with people you knew.

"wait, i don't wanna play with randoms anymore. can we invite somebody?" you said.

"great idea! we should play with your new friends," yoona suggested.

"who is my new friends?" you asked slowly.

"y'know... lexi," yoona said, dragging out the name.

"probably busy. is jiwon available? what about kkura?" you said quickly, listing off other names.

"nobody else in the server is available," minju chimed in.

"i don't think that was enough time to check," you said skeptically.

"did it earlier; now just check if they're busy," minju said.

"do we have any other friends?" you asked.

"you have options," yoona teased.

"anybody in the chat wanna play?" you offered, looking at the chat.

"can you just text her?" minju said, completely unbothered by your stalling.

"she's literally under the same company as yoona, but sure, let me text her," you said, rolling your eyes as you switched to lexi's chat on discord.

y.n. u busy?

broitslexi nope

y.n. that was fast...

broitslexi might be watching your stream 😁

y.n. ooh turn it off

broitslexi im too invested now

y.n. broooo have u been here the whole time 😬

broitslexi came as soon as i saw ur tweet and i have ur notifs on

y.n. turn that off

broitslexi i like watching u tho

y.n. im embaressed

broitslexi just invite me to overwatch bro

y.n. u tell nobody what we talked abt

broitslexi 🤐

y.n. would it also be too much to ask u for one more person? plsplsplsplsplspls

broitslexi i'll ask kendall

y.n. thanks bro

broitslexi 😁😁😁😁

"she can come," you said, pulling your mic closer. "i also got us a fifth too."

"look at you, networking," minju teased.

"i am not networking."

"you literally just recruited two people."

"i just asked my friend if she wanted to play."

"friend?" yoona repeated.

"yep," you nodded.

"interesting choice of words."

"never make me do this again," you said quickly, trying to cut off the teasing just before a loud voice joined the call.

"hellooooo!" lexi announced as she joined.

"yeah, muting you immediately," you joked, hovering your mouse over her name.

"you actually should; i do be screaming a lot," lexi said.

kendall joined a second later, "what's up?"

"hey guys," minju greeted.

"you're saving us from solo queue," yoona said, letting out a sigh of relief. "thank you."

"i heard y'all were suffering," kendall replied.

"we were," you answered immediately. "every game has been miserable."

"you've been flaming league this whole stream," lexi pointed out.

"because that game deserves it," you said.

"you barely even play it," minju laughed.

"because i know how bad it is," you countered.

"valid," kendall admitted.

"thank you!"

"but you're also terrible," kendall added.

"ok rude," you said.

"the gameplay was a lil eh," kendall teased.

"i was learning!"

"you were walking into towers," kendall said.

"i didn't know they hurt that much," you said defensively.

"she's hopeless," minju laughed.

"i'm trying my best," you pouted.

"your best concerns me," minju said.

you clicked into the overwatch lobby and started firing out invites to everyone. "so who's playing what?" kendall asked as their characters began popping up on the main screen.

"i'll probably support," yoona answered.

"damage," minju said.

"i call stealing whatever role y/n wants," lexi spoke up immediately.

"you are not stealing my role," you said, hovering over the selection bar.

"too late," lexi said.

"you don't even know what i'm playing," you said.

"i'll figure it out," lexi said.

"you're so annoying," you said.

"you love it though," lexi said.

"who tells you these lies?" you said.

"it's like we're not even here," minju interrupted, sighing loudly into her mic.

"i thought some of those clips were taken out of context, but no, you two are just like that," yoona said, sounding incredibly amused.

"imagine how crazy it was to see all of us decide to go to sleep, and then i wake up to see clips of these two flirting after we left," kendall said.

"you told a lot of people you were going to sleep, huh," yoona said.

"we were not flirting," you defended.

"that's what i'm saying!" lexi agreed.

"mhm," kendall let out the most unconvinced hum. "you literally called her a cheater."

"she was cheating," lexi argued.

"it was literally a random on voice chat," you rolled your eyes playfully.

"she was gonna leave me for someone with better aim," lexi sighed dramatically.

"oh my god," you groaned, burying your face in your hands.

"wait, that's actually what happened?" yoona burst out laughing.

"she got jealous over a random complimenting me," you told them, exposing her to the group.

"i did not get jealous," lexi denied loudly.

"you called me a cheater," you said.

"as. a. joke," lexi insisted, emphasizing every word.

"right, right," you hummed.

"it was!" lexi said.

"they're just feeding the edits at this point," kendall laughed.

"it has to be on purpose," minju said.

the queue popped with a loud ring, and the first match loaded into king's row on defense. you locked in kiriko, while lexi instantly went d.va, kendall took ana, minju ran soldier: 76, and yoona filled on mei.

the enemy team pushed aggressively right out of the gates, rolling a reinhardt and a bastion straight down the choke. you took the high ground, weaving kunai headshots into the fray while keeping a sharp eye on minju's health bar. suddenly, the enemy reinhardt shattered the ground, stunning yoona and minju right in front of a transforming bastion.

"i got you, i got you!" you yelled, dropping down from the ledge and throwing a clutch protection suzu clean onto them. the brief invulnerability cleansed the stun just as a massive barrage of bullets hit. lexi flew straight in, mechanics on point, raising her defense matrix to swallow the rest of the bastion's damage.

"lexi, you're actually a savior!" minju cheered, sprinting behind the ice wall yoona just dropped to recover.

"i only protect the people who don't cheat on me," lexi shot back into the mic, her voice dripping with smugness.

"there's no way you're still on that," you groaned, sending a healing ofuda toward her mech.

by the end of the round, the enemy made one final, desperate push onto the streets. kendall caught them in a bottleneck and threw a massive nano-boost onto lexi's d.va. lexi boosted high into the air and launched her self-destruct mech over the archway. it detonated perfectly on the payload, wiping out four of them instantly.

the second game took you to esperança for a sweaty push map. the enemy team was highly coordinated, running a hyper-mobile dive comp with genji and tracer that immediately started harassing your backline.

you were playing baptiste this time, staying close to kendall's zenyatta. the enemy genji suddenly dashed through the sky, blade drawn, nanomed, and screaming his ultimate line. he dove straight for you.

"backline, backline! help!" kendall called out, frantically dropping discord orbs.

you reacted instantly, slapping down your immortality field drone right as the blade swung across your screen. trapped inside the death-preventing aura, you and kendall stood ground-to-ground, aiming straight for the genji's head. you dropped an amplification matrix right in front of you, doubling your damage output, and burst-fired him out of the sky before the blade could reset.

"wait, the support synergy is kind of insane right now," kendall laughed, her zenyatta kicking a tracer away from the robot.

"don't be too nice, lexi's gonna get jealous again," yoona chimed in, sniping an enemy from across the courtyard.

"i caught a stray and for what?" lexi sighed while you laughed.you on the other hand,

with the genji dead and their dive completely dismantled, you and kendall kept the team topped off on health while minju cleanly cleaned up the stragglers. the robot marched steadily across the final checkpoint, securing another decisive win for the lobby.

you all played a couple of more games before calling last game.

"i think that's my lg," minju said as the victory screen popped up, showing your team front and center.

"yeah, i need to tap out too," yoona agreed. "good games, guys. good luck with whatever... this is," she teased, gesturing vaguely to the call.

"goodnight, guys," kendall laughed, disconnecting from the voice channel alongside minju and yoona a second later.

suddenly, the discord channel went quiet, leaving just you and lexi in the call.

"so," you said, leaning back in your chair and spinning a little. "just us again."

"you gonna finally go to sleep now, or do you need me to stay and carry you through one more?"

"i don't know, i kind of like having you around," you smiled as you watched your chat go crazy. "even if you do accuse me of cheating with randoms."

lexi let out a soft laugh, her voice dropping a little lower. "i only protect what's mine, y/n. you should know that by now."

you cleared your throat, suddenly feeling a bit flustered as you looked everywhere but your webcam. "okay, yeah, i'm definitely ending the stream before chat clips that and ruins my life."

"goodnight, y/n," lexi murmured. "don't dream about me too much."

"in your dreams, lexus," you retorted, but you couldn't hide the smile on your face. "bye."

you quickly muttered your goodbyes to your stream, slammed the 'end stream' button, and finally shut down the computer.

broitslexi Y/N are u going to the event tmrw?

y.n. i think i got an invite

broitslexi u should go

y.n. awww u wanna see me 🥰

broitslexi yes so pull up

y.n. oh damn i didn't think it'd be that ez ok i'll be there 🫡

broitslexi yippeee i'll tell the girls

y.n. yeas plss i wanna see camila

broitslexi nvm don't show up 🙄

y.n. jk i'm excited to see all of y'all especially you

broitslexi mhmm

y.n. i'm seriousss i won't look at anybody else except for u to prove my point

broitslexi ur eyes better be covered until i see u then

y.n. done.

broitslexi we'll see

you were currently at this massive block party event, an outdoor venue swarming with a chaotic mix of creators, industry people, and a handful of fans. you were just walking around the perimeter of the crowds with jiwon.

"are you not hot in that hoodie?" jiwon asked.

"i have to cover my eyes," you said, tugging the drawstrings a little tighter so the hood fell even further over your face.

"you could've just worn shades," jiwon said.

"i'm not supposed to be looking at anybody though," you said.

"and this is what you came up with," jiwon said.

"well i wasn't wanna walk around with a blindfold on," you said defensively.

"why can't you look at anybody though?" jiwon questioned.

"i promised lexi i wouldn't," you told her.

"right... because she'll get jealous or something," jiwon joked, rolling her eyes.

"she denies it but i know she does," you smiled.

"and you like that shit?" jiwon chuckled.

"well, yeah, it means she likes me or whatever," you said, shrugging your shoulders casually.

"or whatever," jiwon mumbled under her breath.

"i heard that," you said.

"you were meant to," jiwon said without missing a beat.

"i knew i should've stayed with yoona," you said, letting out a heavy sigh.

"you can go back with them," jiwon said, gesturing back toward the main vip tent. "you're the one who dragged me out here to walk around."

"there was just too many people in there, and like too many cameras. i didn't feel safe."

"were you planning on streaming today?" jiwon asked.

"nope. it's my day off," you shook your head.

suddenly, jiwon stopped walking, her gaze locking onto something in the distance. "i see your people," jiwon said.

"who are my people?" you asked, peeking out from under the hood.

"girlset."

"oh fuck no," you said looking ahead, immediately spotting the four girls. "i didn't know they were streaming."

"i am not finna embarrass myself on camera; you go talk to them," you said, pushing her ahead lightly by the shoulders.

"you literally know them better than me," jiwon said, quickly dodging your push and going to stand behind you instead.

"we talked that one night," you said moving out of the way to avoid the camera's line of sight.

"more than me," jiwon said pushing you ahead, her hands firmly planted on your back.

"in that case we can talk to them later," you tried to change your course, planting your feet in the concrete, but jiwon held onto your shoulders, making you walk toward them. you tried to stop her from pushing you, but apparently jiwon was strong as fuck and kept pushing you forward until you were right in front of them.

"y/n!" lexi said once she saw you approaching, her face instantly lighting up as she stepped slightly away from the camera frame to greet you.

"hii," you waved shyly.

"what happened to how you used to talk to us?" camila chuckled, noticing how different you seemed.

"wasn't me," you shook your head, awkwardly shoving your hands deep into your pockets.

"she's just shy in person," jiwon said, completely throwing you under the bus.

"we can tell," savanna said.

"nice to meet y'all," you bowed politely, keeping your eyes mostly glued to the pavement.

"this is not our first time meeting," kendall said.

"i know, but like we didn't really know each other back then," you said.

"you also can't look at us," camila said.

"i'm just tryna avoid the sun," you said.

"you're actually doing it," lexi laughed.

"i told you i would," you said, looking up at her finally.

"so you really haven't looked at anybody else?" lexi smiled, crossing her arms.

"i've been looking at the floor for the majority of the day," you said.

"she's deadass had this hoodie on to cover her eyes all day," jiwon told her.

"i like that," lexi grinned.

"can i take it off now though?" you asked slightly waving yourself, "it do be hot as fuck out here."

"i didn't think you would really do it," lexi said.

"i keep my promises," you said.

"can we get out of the way first, though," camila said, looking around at all of the people around.

"let's go sit down somewhere," kendall suggested, gesturing toward a quieter section of the venue.

you all wandered over to a nearby lounging area, tucked away under some shaded tents. it had low-slung couches and a heavy wooden coffee table where the crew could easily prop up the portable camera to capture all of you. it also meant you had officially been included in a random, impromptu q&a session that you never signed up for. you were sandwiched tightly between jiwon and lexi, and lexi's knee kept playfully nudging against your leg under the table.

chatter: how is it meeting y/n in person

"y/n just acts really different in real life than when we play games together. you're like a completely different person," savanna commented, leaning forward and resting her chin on her hands as she read the chat.

"like, she hasn't even tried to argue with me yet, which is so not like you in our messages," lexi chimed in, giving your shoulder a light shove.

"y/n's just nervous to be around lexi," jiwon said, leaning back and smoothly throwing you under the bus.

"okay, so now we're just lying on me," you said.

"don't worry, y/n. i like you all nervous for me," lexi cooed, tilting her head to look at you with a teasing smile.

"please save me," you whispered out of the side of your mouth to jiwon, not looking away from the camera.

"you wanted this," jiwon whispered back, completely unsympathetic.

"not anymore," you muttered.

"you gotta deal with it," jiwon shrugged.

you let out a quiet sigh and forced yourself to sit up straight, trying to look presentable for the thousands of people currently watching the stream. lexi had finally stopped nudging your leg, but the relief was short-lived. beneath the low table, out of the camera's line of sight, her hand slid over yours, her fingers gently tangling with yours and slowly caressing the back of your hand.

chatter: will y/n survive being w girlset the entire day

"we're gonna find out, because i don't think lexi is letting y/n leave," camila laughed, pointing at the two of you.

"insane," you breathed out, trying to ignore how weird the feeling of lexi's hand felt.

"y'all are basically holding hands underneath the table right now," jiwon pointed out ruthlessly.

both you and lexi immediately snatched your hands back, placing them flat on top of the table.

"now you're just making stuff up for the clip channels," you stammered, pointing a finger at jiwon.

"i know what i saw," jiwon said, raising her eyebrows.

"our hands just accidentally touched because we're all sitting so close together," lexi tried to defend.

"the way either of you could move and have more space, though," savanna added.

"never thought i'd get hated on for being considerate," you playfully rolled your eyes, but you didn't shift an inch away from lexi.

chatter: does this mean you'll play games together more often

"if y/n can handle us," kendall said.

"if i survived that night of us playing valorant, i can survive anything," you replied.

for a few minutes, the stream went on normally as more chats were read off and answered.

"'you should lip to lip with y/n,'" lexi read the viewer's message aloud. she paused, looking directly at you, and slowly bit her lower lip before tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "no—the hell? mods, can we handle that?"

"you sure didn't just make that chat up," you said, squinting at her suspiciously.

"now why would i make it up?" lexi rolled her eyes, leaning in closer to your space.

"because you like being annoying."

"oh, am i annoying you?" lexi challenged, turning her entire body toward you and getting right in your face.

expecting her to back up if you called her bluff, you playfully puckered your lips at her. only to be caught completely off guard as lexi quickly leaned the rest of the way forward and stole a kiss right from your lips.

you scrambled backward against the cushions, immediately slapping a hand over your mouth as your eyes went wide. lexi burst out laughing at your sheer panic, clapping her hands together in absolute delight as the stream chat on the monitor went crazy.

"what did y'all just do?" savanna asked, her head snapping over just in time to see the aftermath.

"i gotta go," you said, your voice a pitch higher than usual as you stood up and pointedly looked away from the camera. "nice streaming with y'all, bye chat!"

"oh, we're leaving," lexi said, instantly standing up right alongside you.

"i'm leaving," you corrected.

"and i said we're leaving," lexi stated, her tone leaving absolutely no room for argument as she stepped away from the couches.

"oh—whatever you say," you mumbled. you cast a pleading look back at jiwon and the girls for help, but they were all too busy laughing and teasing to offer a rescue.

you quickly walked out of the open pavilion and steered lexi toward a more secluded area of the venue. you slipped into a room where one of the panel events had ended earlier. the empty chairs were pushed back, and you knew nobody would be coming in here for a while.

"so—"

before you could even finish your sentence, lexi closed the distance. her lips were immediately back on yours, firm and demanding as she stepped into your space, her hands catching your waist and pressing you back against the edge of a heavy wooden table. you quickly followed her lead, your hands sliding up her shoulders to tangle in her hair as you kissed her back.

as the kisses grew deeper and the air in the room got noticeably heavier, you felt things starting to get a little too heated. realizing that you were dangerously close to wanting to take your clothes off right there in an open venue, you reluctantly pulled back and gently rested your hands on her chest.

"so, not that i don't love kissing you, but we should probably stop," you breathed.

"we really should," lexi agreed, her eyes dark and her lips slightly flushed as she rested her forehead against yours.

"pick this back up at my place, though?" you whispered, letting a playful wink slip through.

"take me on a date first," lexi countered, a teasing smirk returning to her face as she stepped back and adjusted her clothes.

"why am i taking you on a date? what if i wanna be treated out?" you questioned, crossing your arms and leaning back against the table.

"because i'm not doing all of that," she laughed.

"can i at least get your number, then?"

"you gotta earn that, baby," lexi said, leaning in one last time to press a quick sweet kiss to your lips before turning towards the exit, leaving you leaning against the table with your head spinning.

"don't take too long, y/n!" lexi called out over her shoulder.

With a groan, she pushed herself upright in her king-sized bed, the black duvet slipping from her waist. She crossed the room and pulled open the floor-to-ceiling curtains, letting the bluish light of early morning flood the bedroom. She slipped into her purple silk robe and stepped out onto the balcony. Her bedroom overlooked the southern grounds of her classical Gothic manor. A vast expanse of emerald lawns stretched beyond the terraces, dotted with ancient oaks and maples just beginning to turn gold with the arrival of autumn. In the distance lay the lake where she'd spent countless summers swimming as a child. A cold breeze brushed against her cheeks. Metropolis was growing colder with autumn's arrival.

Lena loved autumn, especially in Paris. God, she missed Europe. She missed the freedom she'd had there. After four years—and with Lex locked away in a maximum-security prison—she'd naïvely believed Metropolis would stop feeling like a prison built from trauma and terrible memories. How wrong she'd been. With a bitter sigh, she stepped back inside.

Barefoot, she wandered through the silent corridors of the manor toward the kitchen, descending the marble staircase lined with portraits of generations of Luthors who had once called this place home. Now the house belonged only to silence. When Lena was little, her mother used to dream about having a house overflowing with grandchildren—children running through these halls, laughter echoing beneath the high ceilings. She wondered what her mother would think if she could see what had become of their family.

In the kitchen, Lena brewed herself a double espresso before returning upstairs. She wasn't hungry. She had the distinct feeling that if she tried to eat anything, she'd only throw it back up. Her bedroom was unmistakably Victorian. The walls were covered in deep maroon floral wallpaper, while intricately carved dark oak furniture filled the room. On the far side, opposite her bed, stood a sitting area furnished with crimson velvet sofas. She lowered herself onto the Persian rug before the fireplace and lit it with practiced ease.

The warmth slowly filled the room.

Lena hated her life. It was the first thought she woke up with every morning since returning to Metropolis. Not all of it, only parts of it. It was complicated. Before her parents died, she'd been the happiest little girl imaginable. She'd had everything she could ever want: loving parents, an older brother who adored her, a comfortable life, wonderful friends, and the certainty that every wish she made would somehow come true.

After the accident… Those memories became nothing more than dreams. 

She took a sip of coffee and extended her free hand toward the fire, letting the flames tickle her skin while the crackling wood soothed the relentless buzzing inside her skull.

After losing her parents, she'd believed she still had Lex. As long as she had her brother, everything would be okay. God, she'd been so painfully naïve. The accident hadn't been the end of her happiness. It had merely been the beginning of the nightmare. Lex grew colder, more controlling. Then Superman appeared before the world, and Lex became consumed by him—and by every alien and metahuman unfortunate enough to cross his path. Lena watched her brother develop an obsession so unhealthy that it bordered on madness. The man who had once protected her, guided her, and taught her how the world worked gradually stopped seeing her as his little sister. She became a burden. A tool. Someone worth acknowledging only when he needed something from her. She hated her life back then. She hated her brother. Some days she hated herself. 

Every day Lex drifted further away from the man she'd once admired, becoming crueler with each passing month. And every day Lena withdrew further into herself. She had nothing left to look forward to. So she buried herself in her studies. She experimented endlessly. She crammed her mind with so much information that she hoped there'd be no room left for painful memories. She drove her body to exhaustion every single day so that, when night came, she'd collapse into bed too tired to think. It never worked. The memories always caught up with her. She spent three years trapped in that living hell, drowning in depression.

When she finally finished her coffee, the headache had eased slightly. The buzzing remained. She walked into her dressing room.

Makeup came first. She didn't have the energy for her usual flawless look, so she kept it lighter than normal—just enough concealer to hide the exhaustion beneath her eyes and enough foundation to make herself look composed and beautiful. She tied her hair into a sleek bun before slipping into the baby-pink suit she'd prepared the night before. 

After smoothing every crease from the jacket, she carefully fastened the cuffs of her white blouse, making sure the sleeves completely concealed her wrists. No matter how much she moved today nothing would show.

When she was sixteen, she'd discovered that Lex intended to marry her off to the son of one of his business partners the moment she turned eighteen so he could maintain control over her inheritance. After that revelation… After one experiment that went catastrophically wrong… And after the night she had very nearly ended her own life… Lena had finally reached her breaking point.

She was done.

Done with Lex. Done with Metropolis. Done with merely surviving. For the first time in years, she'd wanted to live. Really live. So she'd packed her bags and fled to Europe.

As she slipped on her white heels, her phone buzzed.

Evie Cutie :3

I arrived with the team!

Lena

Okay. You know what to do.

I'll be downstairs in an hour.

Evie Cutie :3

Okey dokey, Boss <3

A doodle sticker of a tiny cat winking over a pair of sunglasses followed. A genuine smile tugged at Lena's lips. Eve was the only good thing Lex had ever left her.

Europe had opened the door to endless possibilities. There, she had been free. Free to become whoever she wanted. Those years had become a journey of self-discovery. She'd remained something of a lone wolf, but she'd finally allowed herself to open her heart to new people and new experiences. For a while… She'd been happy again.

Lena crossed her bedroom toward the wall beside her bed. To anyone else, it was nothing more than floral wallpaper. Her fingertips glided across the embossed pattern until they found three tiny leaves almost impossible to distinguish from the rest. She pressed them. Click. A section of the wall sank inward before sliding silently to the left. A laser scanned her face.

Beep.

The hidden door retracted completely. Lena stepped into her secret laboratory. The room was nearly the same size as her bedroom. This was where she conducted her personal experiments, developed prototypes, and stored the possessions she valued most. She walked toward one particular corner. A whiteboard covered in equations, a corkboard overflowing with photographs, stacks of files, research notes, newspaper clippings. That corner belonged entirely to Supergirl.

When Lena had first learned everything that had happened between Lex and Superman, she'd wanted nothing to do with Metropolis. Her original plan had been to leave LuthorCorp in the hands of someone honorable and disappear. Then she'd learned about Supergirl.

She'd found herself fascinated by both Kryptonians. They possessed unimaginable power—more than anyone else on Earth. Yet they'd never allowed that power to corrupt them. Instead, they'd chosen compassion. They had dedicated themselves to protecting a world that wasn't even their own. Lena wanted to be like them. She wanted to reclaim everything Lex had stolen from her. She wanted to bring light back to the city she'd once loved. She rested one hand on the desk and picked up a photograph of Supergirl. Her thumb gently brushed across Kara's smiling face. Beside it sat the sapphire necklace she'd bought simply because it reminded her of Supergirl's eyes.

"Oh, Kara..." Lena sighed.

She'd never intended to become obsessed with Supergirl. It had begun as innocent research into Kryptonians. Then the research had slowly become about Supergirl herself. Where had she come from? Everyone believed Superman had been Krypton's sole survivor. The more Lena learned about Kara, the more she envied her. She envied her freedom, her strength, her ability to go wherever she wanted, whenever she wanted. Lena wished she had those powers. She wished she could fly far away from every painful memory that haunted her.

Eventually, envy gave way to admiration. Supergirl became one of the reasons Lena had returned to Metropolis. She'd wanted to meet her.

What she hadn't expected was for Supergirl to save her life. Honestly, whoever had tried to kill her deserved both her gratitude and her mockery. Thanks to them, she'd met Supergirl. And they had been spectacularly stupid if they'd genuinely believed a simple car accident would be enough to kill her. It would take far more than that.

Then came the interview with Lois Lane. And Kara Zor-El. What had begun as a harmless crush on Kara only grew stronger every time they crossed paths, intertwining with the fascination she'd already developed for Supergirl. She had never planned on falling for Kara Zor-El.

But now, she would do whatever it took to make Kara hers.

----

Lena descended the grand staircase overlooking the manor's great hall.

The ground floor bustled with employees moving in every direction, preparing for the Luthor Foundation charity gala. Florists hurried past with fresh arrangements, caterers wheeled in trays of food, and decorators made last-minute adjustments beneath the enormous crystal chandeliers.

One employee intercepted her halfway down the stairs, clutching a binder filled with color palettes.

"Miss Luthor, which one do you prefer?"

Lena barely slowed her pace.

"The purple and blue one."

Another staff member appeared almost immediately.

"Miss Luthor, dahlias or peonies?"

"Peonies."

"Gold or silver accents, Miss Luthor?"

"Silver." She answered every question without hesitation, never breaking stride.

The security room was tucked away near the east wing of the manor.

Inside, Gabriel sat in front of a dozen surveillance monitors, typing rapidly. Screens displayed every hallway, entrance, and garden on the estate. The room smelled faintly of machine oil and coffee. Racks of weapons lined one wall, while a large worktable in the center held partially disassembled firearms and electronic equipment.

Lena stepped behind him and rested both hands on his broad shoulders, giving them a firm squeeze.

"How are things looking, mon cher?" (“my dear”) she asked. 

Gabriel glanced up with a grin.

"Tout se passe à merveille, ma belle." (“Everything's going great, my beautiful”). He stood so she could take his chair, then leaned over one of the monitors. "Every camera's online. I installed a few extra ones for tonight. The second floor will stay closed to the guests, and I'll station a couple of my guys on the staircase so nobody gets upstairs, just like you asked." He walked over to the weapons table and casually picked up a pistol. "And if I see anything suspicious..." With practiced ease, he racked the slide before flexing his bicep with an exaggerated grin. "...I'll be ready to deal with it."

Lena laughed, shaking her head.

"Good." She stood again. "I'll see you later so we can go over the final details."

With that, she left the room.

Outside, the crisp autumn air greeted her as she crossed the courtyard toward her black Mustang parked beneath the manor's front steps. Eve noticed her immediately, excused herself from the team arranging the tables and chairs, and hurried over. Lena opened the passenger door for her before sliding behind the wheel. Once the engine roared to life, she glanced sideways.

"Alright, Evie. What's today's damage?" Eve opened her tablet.

"As always, you start the morning with meetings."

"I hate meetings." Lena let out an exaggerated groan.

"I know." Eve continued reading through the schedule. "Then you'll have a couple of hours in your office to work on whatever secret science project you're definitely not supposed to be working on."

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about." Lena smiled innocently.

"Sure you don't." Eve kept scrolling. "At noon you've got the Science and History Congress hosted by the mayor. Then, at five, you're attending the opening ceremony for the new Metropolitan General Hospital."

Lena sighed as she pulled the car out of the driveway. Compared to some of the previous weeks, it wasn't even that busy. It certainly didn't feel that way. Ever since Lex had dumped LuthorCorp in her lap, every month of her life—possibly every year—had already been scheduled down to the minute. She was exhausted just listening to Eve read her own calendar aloud.

----

Lena dropped heavily into the chair behind her desk.

She pressed her fingers against her temples, massaging them hard. The headache had returned with a vengeance. She'd spent the entire morning running on autopilot, barely listening during meetings as the relentless buzzing in her skull drowned out every conversation. With a weary sigh, she let her forehead rest against the cool wood of her desk, hoping the cold might dull the pain. It didn't.

A sharp thud echoed from her balcony.

Lena shot upright. Her hand instinctively darted beneath the desk toward the pistol hidden underneath, but she never drew it.

She relaxed the moment she saw Kara standing outside.

A smile tugged at her lips. She pressed a button beneath the desk, and the balcony doors slid open. Kara stepped inside, wearing her Supergirl suit beneath her familiar brown coat.

God. This woman is going to kill me.

That outfit should've been illegal. Kara looked devastatingly good.

"You know that's not actually a do—" Lena's words died in her throat.

Kara had wrapped her arms tightly around her. For a heartbeat, Lena completely froze. Then instinct took over. She slowly slipped her arms around Kara's shoulders, warmth spreading through her chest.

There was yet another thing Lena hadn't expected when she'd moved to Metropolis. She and Kara had become... close. Well, close by their standards. She'd always assumed they would eventually meet. After all, Supergirl was impossible to avoid in Metropolis. She just hadn't expected Kara to like her. Not when she carried the name Luthor. Not after Lex had nearly killed Superman and Krypto. Yet somehow Kara didn't hate her. If anything, she seemed to genuinely care. 

Lena considered herself incredibly lucky.

Kara was hugging her so tightly that Lena could feel the steady beat of her heart against her own. She wondered if Kara could feel how wildly hers was racing.

"Is... is everything okay?" Lena asked softly, gently running her fingers through Kara's blonde hair. She adored Kara's hair.

Kara pulled away so abruptly it was almost comical.

"Huh?" She blinked. "Oh. Yeah." She rubbed the back of her neck, refusing to meet Lena's eyes. "I was just... passing by."

"Right..." Lena leaned casually against her desk, watching her with quiet curiosity.

Only then did she notice the soot staining Kara's coat. There were fresh tears in the fabric, and she smelled faintly of smoke. She looked like she'd flown straight from a battlefield. An incredibly attractive battlefield.

Kara suddenly began patting down her coat pockets in obvious panic. Lena couldn't help smiling. She liked seeing Kara flustered. The Kryptonian usually carried herself with effortless confidence, so watching her stumble over herself was strangely adorable. After several seconds of frantic searching, Kara finally pulled out her phone. The screen protector was completely shattered. She quickly typed something before awkwardly holding it out.

"Here's my number."

Lena blinked. She accepted the phone, entered the number into her contacts, and saved it without hesitation: 💫 Moonshine 💫. She handed the phone back, still thoroughly confused.

"...If someone is bothering you..."

Lena looked up. The buzzing in her head faded into the background as she focused entirely on Kara.

"...or if you ever need help..." Kara still wouldn't meet her eyes. "Just... call me."

"I'll be fine." Lena offered a small smile.

But Kara shook her head.

"I know a lot of people hate you in this city." Silence settled between them. "You don't have to deal with everything alone."

Something in Lena's chest tightened. Warmth spread through her like sunlight. As much as she wanted to believe Kara's words… She couldn't. Deep down, Lena didn't think she deserved this kind of kindness. Not from Kara, not from anyone. Yet here Kara was —despite having every reason to hate a Luthor— offering her protection.

Offering herself.

God. Lena wanted to kiss her. Instead, she simply smiled.

An explosion suddenly rattled the windows. Both women turned toward the balcony. Outside, Hawkgirl slammed her morning star into some enormous alien creature several streets away.

"I should go," Kara said, already heading for the balcony. She had one foot on the railing before suddenly stopping. “Actually…” She climbed back inside. "One quick question." Lena raised an eyebrow. "Why do you always have that galaxy on your screens?"

She pointed toward the holographic display projected behind Lena's desk. Lena glanced over her shoulder before smiling.

"Oh. That?" She looked back at Kara. "It's my favorite galaxy."

Kara's entire face lit up.

"It's mine too!" The excitement in her voice made Lena laugh. Kara climbed onto the balcony railing with impossible balance.

"Maybe someday..." She flashed Lena one of those brilliant smiles that always made her heart skip. "...I'll take you there."

Before Lena could answer, Kara tipped backward into open air. Lena rushed to the balcony just in time to watch her catch herself, soaring effortlessly into the sky. She laughed quietly. She was still stunned by the entire encounter. 

How she adored that girl.

----

Kara and Kendra landed atop one of the University of Metropolis buildings. They leaned over the edge of the rooftop, taking bites from the lunches they'd picked up on the way.

Below them, the entrance to the university's main building was packed with photographers, reporters, students, politicians, wealthy donors, the mayor's associates, and some of the city's most influential people.

It was the annual Metropolis Science and History Congress.

"So," Kendra said, hands on her hips, "what do you think it'll be this time? An alien? A secret organization trying to assassinate the mayor? Or just some idiot with a gun?"

"I'm hoping for nothing." Kara sighed as she sat on the ledge. "That alien from earlier was enough excitement for one day. I just want to go home."

"God, you're boring." Kendra dropped down beside her, then her hawk-like vision caught movement below. "Oh." A grin spread across her face. "Look who just got here."

Kara followed her gaze. A black Mustang pulled up to the curb. Eve climbed out first, followed by Lena. Kara's heart gave an embarrassingly excited little leap. Lena was wearing one of her signature tailored suits—the kind Kara had developed a completely normal appreciation for. Entirely normal.

The two women headed toward the entrance, chatting quietly.

"Hey, Luthor!" Someone shouted from behind the barricades separating the public from the invited guests. "Fuck you!"

Lena turned just as a paper cup flew through the air. The scalding coffee splashed across her face, neck, and the front of her blazer. She gasped. Kara was already shifting forward to jump. Kendra caught her by the arm.

"Whoa. Where do you think you're going?"

They both watched from above. 

Kara hadn't told anyone about what she'd overheard in the garage the night before. About the cut brake lines. Ever since then, she hadn't been able to stop worrying about Lena. All she wanted was to keep her safe.

Security guards immediately tackled the man responsible and dragged him away as he continued shouting insults. Despite Lena's improving public image, plenty of people in Metropolis still hated the name Luthor.

"Shit." Lena shook coffee from her sleeves with an irritated groan. "Now I have to change." She glanced down at her ruined blazer. "Ugh. I loved this one."

Kara frowned.

Lena seemed far more annoyed about ruining her outfit than she was about having boiling coffee thrown at her. She wasn't even reacting like she'd been burned.

Weird.

Kara quietly filed that observation away in the little mental box she'd somehow dedicated entirely to Lena. Right next to:

She wasn't wearing a bandage only days after a severe car crash.

Her heartbeat is abnormally loud.

Lena and Eve disappeared inside the building.

Kara stood.

"C'mon." She flashed Kendra a mischievous grin before grabbing the front of her suit with one hand and the box of donuts with the other. "We're going to say hi to your crush." Kara took off.

"Eve is not my crush!" Kendra shouted, immediately turning red. "And I can fly by myself!" She squirmed until Kara let go.

"I never said any names." Kara burst out laughing, letting her go.

"Bitch!" Hawkgirl shot into the air after her. "I fucking hate you!" She caught up a second later, breathing harder than she'd ever admit.

"You love me."

They slipped inside through one of the upper balconies before making their way down to the main lobby. Eve was standing off to one side, scrolling through her phone. Kara immediately waved.

"Hi, Eve!"

"Kara!" Eve's face lit up. She hurried over and pulled Kara into a hug. "Oh! Hi, Kendra." Her voice softened noticeably as she hugged Kendra next.

Kara couldn't help noticing that hug lasted considerably longer. When they finally separated, Kendra looked completely flustered. Even with her helmet on, Kara could tell she was blushing.

"Keep it in your pants," Kara whispered.

Kendra elbowed her hard in the ribs.

"Ow!"

"Ladies." A familiar voice made all of them jump. “What a delight to see you here!”

Lena had somehow appeared behind them without making a sound. She'd changed into a black silk blouse, the top two buttons left casually undone. Kara very deliberately focused on Lena's face. She refused to repeat the disaster from the interview.

"We're working today," Kendra explained.

"The pay's pretty good, too," Kara added.

"Oh!" Eve suddenly turned to Kendra. "Hey, Kendra, I wanted to ask you something." Without another word, she gently grabbed Kendra by the wrist and led her toward a quieter corner.

Kara bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing at the utterly lovestruck expression on her friend's face. Then she looked back at Lena. Lena, meanwhile, was staring at Kara's donut with the focused intensity of a predator sizing up its prey.

"Give me a bite." Before Kara could answer, Lena simply snatched the donut out of her hand.

"Hey!" Kara protested, though there wasn't an ounce of real annoyance in her voice. Honestly, if Lena wanted something, Kara would probably give it to her without a second thought. Whatever it was.

"Sorry." Lena smiled sheepishly around a mouthful of pastry. "I haven't eaten anything all day." She took another bite. "Oh my God..." She closed her eyes dramatically. "This tastes like heaven."

Kara's expression softened.

"It's okay." She smiled. "You can keep it."

As Lena continued eating, Kara couldn't help noticing the dark circles hidden beneath layers of expensive makeup. She knew exactly how hard Lena pushed herself. Even though she wasn't spying on her anymore, she'd seen enough. She wished there was something she could do to help.

"Eve!" Lena finished the last bite and dusted the sugar from her fingers. "We should go." She smiled at Kara. "I'll see you around, Moonshine." Then she disappeared into the crowd with Eve.

Kara watched her leave until she was completely out of sight. Kendra returned a moment later with an expression so dreamy it bordered on concerning.

"Eve invited me to a party." She sighed dramatically. "Do you think she likes me?" A pause. "Or am I completely delusional?"

Kara considered it carefully.

"If I'm being honest..." She shrugged. "I have no idea." Kendra's face fell. "She's still dating Jimmy."

"...Yeah." Kendra sighed. Then she looked at Kara with complete seriousness. "If I kill him… will you help me hide the body?"

Kara didn't hesitate.

"Hell yeah."

----

"...and we're honored to have Miss Luthor with us today," the Mayor of Metropolis said as reporters crowded around him.

The moment her name was mentioned, Lena offered the cameras her most polished, dazzling smile. It had been on her face for most of the event. A mask. She'd spent the entire afternoon operating on autopilot, drifting in and out of dissociation She was exhausted. Exhausted by the cameras, by the reporters, by the endless small talk, by people. More than anything, she wanted to go home, lock herself away in her laboratory, and lose herself in her research.

Normally, Lena actually enjoyed public events. Today, however, her migraine was pounding relentlessly behind her eyes, and ever since the coffee had been thrown at her that morning, she'd felt strangely uncomfortable in her own skin.

The mayor finished answering another question. Lena excused herself with one last flawless smile before slipping away into a quieter corner hidden behind one of the marble columns.

Kara was already there. Waiting. The sight of her immediately loosened the knot in Lena's chest. Even if Kara was only there because of work, her presence was comforting.

"This morning," Lena began quietly, "you said you'd help me."

Kara nodded, instantly attentive. Lena watched her shoulders tense, ready for anything.

"Kill me."

Kara blinked.

"What?!"

Lena grabbed both of Kara's forearms with exaggerated desperation.

"Kill me and free me from the torment that is being a CEO." She pressed the back of one hand dramatically against her forehead. "I'm barely twenty. I should be getting drunk in Monaco or dancing in some nightclub." She sighed like the world's most tragic heroine. "Instead, I'm stuck arguing with middle-aged men who think they know better than I do." She began fanning herself dramatically. "Oh, Lord… I'm pretty sure I'm getting gray hairs." She placed a hand over her heart. "I can literally feel them draining the life force out of my body."

Kara burst into laughter. She quickly covered her mouth with one hand, desperately trying not to attract attention, but it was hopeless.

"You're..." she wheezed. "So..." Another laugh escaped her. "Dramatic."

"Me?" Lena gasped theatrically, placing a hand against her chest. "Dramatic?" She gave Kara a light shove on the shoulder. "How dare you!"

That only made Kara laugh harder. The sound filled the quiet corner like sunlight. Lena found herself smiling without even realizing it.

God. She hoped she could make Kara laugh like that every single day.

Unfortunately—

"Ehem." Eve appeared beside them, tablet in hand. "One of the sponsors wants to speak with you." She immediately took Lena gently by the arm.

"They're trying to take me," Lena lamented dramatically. She reached for Kara's hand as Eve continued pulling her away. "Save me, Supergirl." Her voice became that of a damsel in distress. "Save me."

Without missing a beat, Kara threw herself into the performance. She grabbed the edge of the marble column with one hand while stretching the other dramatically toward Lena, as though they were being torn apart at the edge of a cliff.

"I swear it, Princess," she declared in her deepest, most heroic voice. "I shall rescue you from these wicked people."

Lena laughed—a real laugh this time. Still allowing Eve to drag her away, she glanced back over her shoulder one last time. Then she blew Kara a kiss. Kara caught it out of the air with exaggerated care, pressing her closed fist over her heart as though Lena had entrusted her with the world's greatest treasure. Lena couldn't stop smiling. This ridiculous woman. Her theatrics belonged on a Shakespearean stage.

By the time Eve finally pulled her back toward the crowd, Lena could feel warmth creeping into her cheeks. She was blushing.

And somehow —for the first time all day— her headache didn't seem quite so unbearable anymore.

Lena had spent years believing she was made of stone. She'd convinced herself she was incapable of falling in love again. Love was dangerous and a weakness. Love was something that had only ever hurt her.

And yet...

God.

Kara Zor-El had somehow made her fall all over again.

----

Lena and Kara crossed paths again later that afternoon during the grand opening of the new Metropolis General Hospital.

Backstage buzzed with assistants, security, photographers, and city officials rushing from one place to another. Lena stood just behind the curtains, trying —and failing— to steady her breathing. The buzzing in her head had become unbearable. It felt as if someone were drilling straight through her skull. She closed her eyes for a moment.

Just get through the speech.

A warm hand settled gently on her shoulder. Lena turned.

Kara stood far too close, still wearing her Supergirl suit beneath her brown coat. A few loose strands of blonde hair framed her face, and she smiled with that effortless confidence that somehow made everything seem manageable.

"You've got this," Kara whispered.

Lena swallowed.

"Yeah." She nodded to herself. "Okay. I've got this." She hesitated before asking quietly, "How do I look?" She'd changed into a tailored navy-blue suit.

Kara looked her up and down with exaggerated concentration. Then she stepped closer. Without saying a word, she straightened Lena's lapels, smoothed an invisible wrinkle from her shoulder, brushed a speck of lint off her sleeve, and lightly adjusted the collar of her shirt.

Her fingertips lingered for barely a second.

"Perfect."

Lena's heart performed a small, unnecessary somersault.

"Okay."

She took one long breath. Then another. The stage manager counted down with his fingers.

Three.

Two.

One.

Lena stepped through the curtains. The transformation was immediate. The exhausted twenty-year-old disappeared, giving way to  Lena Luthor. Confident, elegant and untouchable. She greeted the audience with a radiant smile as camera flashes exploded around her.

"Good morning, everyone..." The speech came easily. She'd practiced it so many times that the words flowed automatically, even while her migraine threatened to split her head open.

Ten minutes later, she finished to warm applause.

"Thank you all for coming."

She stepped away from the podium and handed the microphone to the mayor. The second she left the spotlight, the smile slipped from her face. She scanned the crowd until she spotted Eve talking to Kendra and Kara inside the hospital lobby. Lena walked over with a quiet sigh.

"You did amazing," Kara said immediately.

Something inside Lena loosened. The pressure in her chest eased. The pressure in her skull did not. At this rate, she was convinced her head would literally split in half.

"Diana..." Kara's voice changed instantly, softer and brighter. Almost excited.

Lena looked up. Her stomach sank. A tall woman—nearly two meters, athletic, impossibly beautiful—had just entered the lobby.

Diana Prince.

Wonder Woman.

"Diana!" Kara practically beamed as she hurried toward her. She wrapped Diana in a tight hug. "I missed you."

"Oh, hi, little troublemaker." Diana laughed, hugging her back just as tightly and lifting her slightly off the ground. "I missed you too."

There was something painfully intimate about the exchange. Not romantic. Just… old and familiar, like they'd known each other forever. A sharp, ugly feeling twisted in Lena's chest.

"Supers really do love black-haired women with blue eyes," Kendra commented casually.

Lena blinked.

Supers.

She talked in plural.

Her mind immediately supplied three names: herself, Diana, Lois Lane. All with dark hair and blue eyes. Wait. Why did she say it in plural?

Eve had already told her Kara wasn't interested in Lois. Which meant… Superman. Superman liked Lois. Or at the very least had a thing for dark-haired women with blue eyes. Except Lois was dating Clark Kent. Which raised an obvious question. Why would Superman willingly spend so much time around the man dating the woman he supposedly liked? Unless...

Either Superman also had a crush on Clark—which, admittedly, wouldn't be impossible considering Clark also had black hair and blue eyes— or...

Lena froze.

Oh my God. Superman is Clark Kent.

The realization landed with startling certainty. She mentally filed it away. She'd verify it later.

But if Kendra's comment was true… Then Kara also had a thing for dark-haired women with blue eyes. Would she…

No. Stop.

"Kara used to have a crush on Wonder Woman when she was eighteen," Kendra added with a grin.

Used to.

Lena's heartbeat slowed. So... not anymore. That meant… She caught herself before she could spiral any further. She was getting ridiculous. She tore her eyes away from Kara and Diana. Immediately, she wished she hadn't.

Across the lobby stood a man surrounded by photographers. Blond hair with emerald-green eyes. A perfectly tailored green suit. William Sachs. Once upon a time, teenage Lena had thought he looked like a prince. Now… Now she mostly wanted to break his face.

She walked toward him with perfect posture and her practiced media smile already in place. She'd relaxed too much around Kara. That had been a mistake. She couldn't afford to get lost in Kara's world when she was still trapped in her own twisted one. 

"Lena, my darling." William spread his arms. "You look beautiful." He hugged her briefly. "I'm so happy you're back."

Lena smiled sweetly for the cameras. Inside, she was imagining several creative ways to commit murder.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" she asked through gritted teeth without letting her smile falter.

William chuckled.

"Gotham got a little overcrowded. Besides, after my father's death, someone has to take over the family business."

"Oh." Lena nodded thoughtfully. "I forgot your father died." She smiled wider. "My condolences. I hope he burns in hell."

William laughed.

"I hope he burns too." Then his expression softened. "I also came because of you. I thought maybe you could use a friend after everything with Lex."

"I don't need your fucking help." She gave a humorless laugh. "Especially after what you did to me."

"Oh, come on, Lena. It was years ago. I had no idea my fathers and Lex were planning to force us into an arranged marriage. If I'd known, I would've told you. I swear." He rested a hand lightly on her shoulder.

She hated how sincere he sounded. She hated even more that part of her wanted to believe him.

"Besides..." William grinned. "I'm the city's golden boy. I'd be great PR." He leaned in just enough to invade her personal space. "Don't you miss the old days? When we were best friends?"

Lena looked into those familiar emerald eyes. She used to love them so much.  Against her better judgment she sighed.

"...Okay. But just for tonight."

William smiled.

"That's my girl." He winked before turning toward the waiting photographers. "Ladies and gentlemen!" He slipped an arm around her waist. "Lena Luthor! Let's give her a round of applause!" The photographers erupted into applause and flashes.

Lena maintained her perfect smile.

“One day,” she murmured without looking at him, "They're going to find you dead under mysterious circumstances, just like your father."

William laughed.

"If you're the killer..." he leaned in. "...that would honestly be a blessing."

"Oh, fuck off." Lena slipped out of his grasp and disappeared into the hospital.

There was still far too much work left to do.

----

Lena stepped into the hospital’s elevator.

Just as the doors were about to close, a hand slipped between them. The doors slid back open, revealing Kara. Lena rolled her eyes. Of all the people she could've run into… She still couldn't get the image of Kara hugging Wonder Woman out of her head.

Kara stepped inside and took her place beside her. Neither of them spoke.

The elevator began its ascent in silence.

Then—

SCREECH.

A sharp metallic groan echoed through the shaft. The elevator lurched violently before grinding to a halt. The overhead lights flickered out, replaced by dim emergency lighting that bathed the cabin in a soft amber glow.

"Shit," Lena muttered. She pressed several buttons in quick succession. Nothing. She sighed before turning toward Kara.

"Can you open it?"

Kara considered the question for a moment. Then she shook her head.

"No."

Lena blinked.

"...What?"

Instead of answering, Kara stepped closer. Instinctively, Lena stepped back. Kara kept walking. One step, then another, until Lena's back met the elevator wall. Kara stopped only inches away. Despite being several centimeters shorter, she somehow made Lena feel impossibly small.

"You need a break." Kara's voice was quiet and her tone gentle. "You've been working nonstop all day." She tilted her head. "...Something tells me it isn't just today." Her hands rose to cup Lena's face. "So relax."

Lena nearly laughed.

Relax?

How exactly was she supposed to relax when Kara had her pinned against an elevator wall? She loved being close to Kara. Just not in a space this small. Not when every corner of her body ached for her touch.  Not while the jealousy she'd been trying to ignore still lingered beneath her skin, urging her to lose control.

Kara reached behind Lena's head.

"What are you—"

She gently loosened the tight bun. The hair tie slipped free. Dark curls tumbled over Lena's shoulders. A few framed her face immediately.

Kara smiled.

"I like you better like this." Her voice was barely above a whisper. Her breath brushed softly against Lena's lips.

Carefully, Kara combed her fingers through the curls, arranging them around her shoulders before gently massaging her scalp with slow, absentminded movements. A quiet sigh escaped Lena. Her eyes fluttered shut. She hadn't realized how desperately she'd needed someone to touch her with simple kindness.

When Kara finally lowered her hands, Lena opened her eyes. They were impossibly close. So close that their breaths mingled.

Lena hesitated. Then, almost timidly, she reached for Kara's hand. Her fingertips brushed against the Kryptonian's fingers before she began absentmindedly tracing the rings Kara wore.

It had been a long day. She was exhausted. Exhausted from pretending, especially around Kara.

Slowly, Lena leaned forward. Kara's breathing caught. She didn't move. Lena paused only a heartbeat away, silently giving Kara every opportunity to pull back. She didn't. So Lena closed the remaining distance. Their lips met in a soft, tentative kiss. Gentle. Almost questioning. Only a few seconds passed before Lena pulled away.

They stared at each other and either of them spoke.

Then whatever fragile restraint had been holding them together finally snapped. Kara surged forward, capturing Lena's lips again with unmistakable urgency, her fingers digging into Lena's waist as she pressed her firmly against the elevator wall. Lena's hands disappeared into Kara's blonde hair, pulling her even closer as she kissed her back just as fiercely, exploring her mouth as though she'd been starving for it for weeks. She gently caught Kara's lower lip between her teeth, drawing a soft gasp from the Kryptonian. Taking advantage of the moment, Lena deepened the kiss, her tongue meeting Kara's.

Kara's lips were impossibly soft, carrying the faint taste of alcohol and something sweet. Lena knew, with terrifying certainty, that she could become addicted to her taste. 

She pulled Kara flush against her until there wasn't a single inch of space left between them. Her hands slid slowly down Kara's back before traveling upward again, her acrylic nails lightly grazing the hard muscles of Kara's biceps. Kara's own hands had slipped beneath Lena's shirt, her warm palms tracing the curve of her waist and the sensitive skin of her sides, drawing an involuntary gasp from Lena's lips.

Much to Lena's disappointment, she eventually had to push Kara away in search of air. They stayed close, breathing heavily against each other's lips, neither of them quite ready to let go. Lena smiled when she noticed her lipstick smudged across Kara's mouth. Kara caught the look and smiled back, just as breathless.

Pressed so closely together, they could feel each other's hearts pounding against their chests, both beating far faster than either of them cared to admit.

"You've got lipstick all over you," she whispered, laughing softly.

Kara grinned.

"So do you."

A metallic screech interrupted them. The elevator jolted before slowly beginning to move again.

"Fuck," Kara muttered.

Lena laughed. She leaned in for one quick peck before gently wiping the lipstick from the corner of Kara's mouth with her thumb. Together, they hurriedly straightened their clothes and smoothed their hair, trying to erase any obvious evidence of what had just happened.

The elevator slowed. Just before the doors slid open, Kara stole one last quick kiss.

The doors parted.

Lena stepped out almost too quickly. She barely registered Kendra standing in the hallway as she hurried past, her pulse pounding so loudly she was convinced everyone around her could hear it.

Oh my God.

She kissed Kara Zor-El.

----

Kendra found Kara sitting on the hallway floor beside the elevator, leaning against the wall with the most ridiculous lovestruck smile she'd ever seen. The second she noticed Kara's smeared lipstick and thoroughly disheveled appearance, her eyes went wide.

"Oh my God." She pointed dramatically. "You got down and dirty with Lena!"

"We just kissed." Kara looked up, still grinning like an idiot.

Kendra let out an ear-piercing squeal.

"You could've left yourselves stuck in there a little longer. I don't know... an hour, maybe?"

"Hey, if I'd stayed any longer, someone would've caught me," Kendra shot back with a shrug. "Besides, you're not having your first time with Lena in an elevator." She smacked Kara lightly on the back of the head. "Show your future wife a little more respect."

Kara's face immediately turned bright red.

"Oh my God. Shut up!"

Kendra only laughed harder.

"I've never seen you smile this much."

"I said shut up."

"You kissed Lena Luthor." she sang. 

"Shut. Up."

"You really kissed Lena."

"I hate you." Kara buried her face in her hands with a groan.

"No, you don't." Kendra stood up, offering her a hand. "You love me." Kara looked up at her, sighed dramatically, then took it. Kendra pulled her to her feet with a smug grin. "Now come on, Romeo. We still have a city to save."

----

Lena paced back and forth across the grand drawing room of the manor while going over the last few details with Eve.

"We should also invite—"

A sharp stab of pain exploded behind her temples. She stopped mid-sentence. The headache she'd woken up with hadn't eased all morning. If anything, it had only gotten worse. The relentless buzzing inside her skull intensified until it drowned out every other sound. A metallic taste flooded her mouth.

Lena froze.

Then she doubled over, seized by a violent coughing fit.

"Lena?" Eve took a step forward. "Lena," Eve gasped, horror filling her voice. "You're bleeding."

Another cough tore through her chest. Lena instinctively covered her mouth with her hand. When she pulled it away it was covered in blood. For a second, Lena simply stared at her trembling hand. Bright crimson stained her pale skin. Her chest tightened.

Without another word, she turned and ran. She barely made it to the bathroom attached to her bedroom before another fit forced her over the sink.

Blood splattered against the porcelain. She kept coughing until there was nothing left. Her breathing came in ragged, painful gasps.

"Oh my God." Eve rushed to her side. "Shit, Lena—do you want me to call someone?"

"I'm okay," Lena managed between breaths, her voice raw. She turned on the faucet, watching the water carry the blood down the drain.

"Bring me my phone."

"Lena—"

"Eve." This time her voice was firm. "Bring me my phone."

Eve hesitated only a second before nodding.

"...Okay." She hurried out of the room.

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

FUCK.

Lena had convinced herself she was getting better. The absolute last thing she needed was for this to happen now. She squeezed her eyes shut as panic threatened to take over. Tears burned at the corners of her eyes.

No.

Not now.

She yanked open one of the bathroom drawers and retrieved a small black vial hidden beneath neatly folded towels. Her hands shook as she uncapped it. She drew the dark liquid into a syringe before rolling up her sleeve. Without hesitation, she pressed the needle into her arm and injected its contents.

The effect was immediate.

The crushing pressure in her chest disappeared. The migraine dissolved almost instantly. And, for the first time all day… Silence. The constant buzzing vanished. Lena let out a slow, trembling breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She dropped the empty vial and syringe into the trash. They landed with a dull clink.

That was the last dose.

A knock sounded at the bathroom door.

"Lena?" Eve stepped inside, holding out her phone. Her expression was still full of worry.

Lena offered her a tired smile.

"I promise, I'm okay." She reached over and gently squeezed Eve's hand. "I'll be fine."

Eve didn't look convinced.

"O-okay..." She forced a small smile. "I'll wait outside."

When the door clicked shut behind her, Lena unlocked her phone. She scrolled through her contacts until she found one name: “Ma chérie 🐾” (“my darling”). Her thumb hovered over it for only a moment before she pressed Call. The line rang twice.

Then a low, velvety voice answered.

"Lena, my sweet girl."

Lena closed her eyes, tears slipping out without permission. 

"I need your help." A pause. "It's urgent."

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A/N: What do you think is going on with Lena? Is she hiding something. Leave your theories in the comments.

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