National City is a city surrounded by mountains. The mountains are often disregarded as the city itself is seen to provide enough entertainment; its skyscrapers dominate the skyline and the stunning shoreline take up the foreground. As such, the paths woven between the peaks were often deserted despite the summit providing spectacular views across the city. Kara knew she could just fly to the top but climbing there felt more appropriate, more human given her companion.
“Kara, I’m really not sure about this,” Lena whined as she followed her up the rocky path, avoiding the branches that were making grabs at her hair. She grimaced at the moisture that was running down her temples and pooling in places she didn’t know were capable of sweating.
“Relax, Lena, it’s gonna be so much fun!” Kara enthused, marching on ahead. Predictably not sweating and her hair still perfect.
“I have a multi-million dollar penthouse apartment. I’m still not sure why I’d voluntarily sleep outside,” Lena said through gritted teeth.
“Oh, you know,” Kara said over her shoulder, “get some time away, reconnect with nature,”
“You’re pseudo self-help nonsense is yet to convince me,” Lena retorted, her jaw still clenched.
“Well perhaps the enormous pile of snacks I’ve packed will convince you,” Kara said, still not slowing down.
“I would literally kill for a s’more right now,” Lena said, her mouth watering at the prospect of any form of sustenance.
“Let’s not joke about killing,” Kara said seriously, “And there’ll be no s’mores until we get there.”
“Come on!” Lena moaned, coming to a standstill. “You’ve got heat vision - which you kept secret for years I might add - it would take seconds.”
Kara turned to stare down the petulant figure, “I refuse to be guilt tripped. Let’s go,” and she spun dramatically on the spot to head back up the mountain.
“Speaking of your not-so-secret powers,” Lena called after her, still not moving, “it would be so much quicker if, I don’t know, we could fly to the top.”
“We could,” Kara called back, “But that would be very much not in the spirit of things.”
“Spoil sport,” Lena pouted.
“We’re almost at the top and when we’re there, I’ll put up the tent, toast the marshmallows, everything,” Kara said, turning to walk backwards so she could face Lena, “you just need to take a few more steps.”
“Fine. For the s’mores,” and Lena reluctantly fell into step behind her. As she walked, she couldn’t help but marvel at their surroundings. The path led them uphill through a storybook-esque forest. She caught glimpses of National City spread out below them through the trees but even the breath-taking glances of the sparkling city between didn’t compare with the hesitant joy she felt at being able to get away. Things had been weird, way more than weird, between her and Kara for far too long; there were many things that were best not dwelt on involving her maniacal brother and many almost-end-of-world situations. This camping trip - proposed by Kara - was their chance to test their friendship’s still slightly shaky reconstructed foundations and whilst Lena put on a show of reluctance, she was thrilled at the opportunity to spend time with her former best friend and to facilitate this reconciliation.
They hadn’t really talked about all that had happened or fully addressed the distrust that had sprung up between them. After they had paired up to save the world (not for the first time), Kara had rekindled their friendship with puppy-like enthusiasm which Lena had whole-heartedly embraced. Kara’s commitment to their reconnection seemed over-zealous, even forced at points but Lena was hoping that in time it would give way to the sincerity and depth of friendship that they’d shared before. She refused to allow herself to entertain the idea that this camping trip could be anything more. Kara’s cutesy enthusiasm didn’t scream anything other than a platonic camping trip. Lena had experienced the whole spectrum of betrayal throughout her life but nothing had prepared her for the devastation that Kara’s secrecy had caused. Her heart was already hardened but this series of events rendered it as inflexible as stone but if anyone could persuade her to give them a second chance, it was Kara Danvers. In the soul searching that had followed the near-end of the world, Lena had started to see things in a new light: she got to just be friends with Kara, without the glitter and jazz hands of Supergirl. Kara could just be her when they were together and perhaps being in that position, it was a privilege. And then when she’d finally seen Kara transition between her journalist form and Supergirl, she’d begun to think that perhaps she’d been deliberately obtuse. Who would, in all honesty, be fooled by those glasses?
The path levelled out at long last and opened up into an expansive plateau. “Wow,” Lena exclaimed, her eyes widening, “this spot is incredible,” she exhaled as she stopped and looked out across the city and the clear blue ocean beyond.
“Isn’t it?” Kara grinned back at her, excitedly grabbing her arm. “I came here when I first moved to National City and I’ve been wanting to come back for the longest time. I’m so glad I get to share it with you.” She led her over to a conveniently placed flat rock, “Now you sit here on this rock and I’ll set up camp.”
Lena settled herself on the smooth rock that Kara had directed her to, brushing sweaty strands away from her forehead and watched as Kara started to unpack. With a flourish, she spread all the parts of the tent on the ground and then just stood there, the crinkle prominent on her forehead. It turned out that Kara’s superpowers did not extend to construction, even of tents, as after twenty minutes, all she’d managed to do was nearly suffocate herself under the canvas and she seemed on the verge of tears.
Lena could bear it no longer, “Kara, this is painful,” she said standing up. “Please. Let me help you.”
“No, no. I can do it,” Kara said insistently, reaching for the tent pegs before dropping them pathetically back on the ground.
“Maybe,” Lena, trying to suppress her amusement, “But I’d like to get my s’more some time this century and besides, I suspect my knowledge of engineering far surpasses yours.”
“Fine,” Kara said stubbornly, still holding the tent pole she’d failed to assemble, “you sort the tent, I’ll do the cooking.”
“You might want to give me a bit of a head start on the tent before you start heat vision-ing marshmallows,” Lena said, taking the tent pole from her friend.
“Oh no, I’m not using heat vision,” Kara said, heading off towards the trees, “We’re going old school.”
“Ugh,” Lena rolled her eyes and turned to the tent but smiled to herself when Kara was out of sight.
In time, the tent was assembled and Kara had a small fire going. She hoped Lena hadn’t seen her lower her glasses to give the fire a bit of a boost. Lena wandered over to Kara, enjoying the idyllic image of Kara crouched by the burgeoning flames, and flopped down onto the blanket next to her. “Ok. I concede. This was a good idea,” she said accepting the stick with a marshmallow that Kara offered her.
“Told you it’d be fun,” Kara smirked, “So you’re ready for a s’more?” she asked.
“Oh, I’ve been ready for a s’more since you suggested this ridiculous outing,” Lena said holding her marshmallow over the flames.
“Ridiculous? You said it was a good idea a second ago.”
“This view is a good idea. S’mores are a good idea,” Lena listed off, “but climbing a mountain when you can fly…”
“I wanted to do this properly,” Kara said quietly, “make the most of our time together.”
“I guess we’ve got a lot of time to make up for,” Lena said, focusing on her gently smouldering marshmallow.
“That we do,” Kara murmured, “Have I told you how glad I am we figured things out?”
“Not in so many words.”
“Well, it’s very glad,” Kara said, turning her attention away from her marshmallow, “Very, very glad. A couple of months ago I never could have imagined ever being in the same room as you again let alone us snuggled up roasting marshmallows.”
“It’s funny how saving the world can change your perspective,” Lena mused.
“You know, if that whole thing with Lex and Leviathan means I get to be your friend again, I think it was worth it.”
“Those are big words, Miss Danvers,” Lena said, raising an eyebrow.
“Well, I mean them,” Kara said, cautiously looking at Lena, “I’m so glad I got you back.”
“I’m not sure you were ever going to lose me. Not really,” Lena replied, smiling shyly at Kara, “Even when things got really bad, I had this nagging sense that I had to make it up with you someday. You’re my best friend.”
“Really?” Kara said, her face exploding into a grin. “’Cos I thought I’d lost you for good and I had no idea how I was going to manage it… Honestly, it was tearing me apart. I was so angry at you because, well, you did lie to me but then I guess I lied to you and for way longer. I knew how much you trusted me and the whole time, I was playing you. Even if it wasn’t on purpose. But when you told me, at the fortress of solitude, that you knew. I don’t think I’d ever seen pain like it when you finally confronted me. And I’m not sure I’d felt pain like it knowing I was the cause of all that. I guess, what I’m trying to say is that everything was so messy and broken and then Lex came back and things just got worse. You weren’t there and I wasn’t there to support you. And everyone thought you were the villain and I knew that you never wanted to be the villain and then I started to believe it, even though I really didn’t want to. Then you gave me that book and I knew that, you could be, you still were my Lena. And then you turned up in my apartment and I was scared and angry but really, all I wanted to do was hug you.,” Kara stopped at last, catching her breath.
“Really?” was all Lena managed to say as she absorbed Kara’s monologue.
“Yeah. Losing you…,” Kara said slowly, “It was like losing Mon-El all over again.”
“Losing me was like losing your boyfriend?” Lena asked cautiously.
“Yeah. I cared for you so much and, and I was the one who ruined it all.”
“You were protecting me. I can see that now,” Lena said quietly, “The amount of times Supergirl’s friends nearly got killed. I mean Alex and that giant tank of water. I can see why you wouldn’t want a repeat of that. With me... But yeah, it hurt. It hurt a lot,” she continued, staring intensely at the fire, “And it hurt so much convincing you into thinking everything was fine as well. I wasn’t out for revenge but then again, maybe I was. I always wanted to do the right thing and in that moment, that felt like the right thing. The ends justifying the means and all that,” she looked at Kara, smiling slightly, “And I guess it’s nice, in retrospect, knowing that I was the person you just wanted to be normal with. The one you trusted to only be Kara with. I mean I was friends with you way before I knew you could fly. Now I’m just sticking around for the perks,” she laughed, elbowing Kara playfully.
“Thank you for your honesty,” Kara said, also laughing, “But you have to admit, even before the big reveal, you still got pulled into all of Supergirl’s shenanigans. How can forget all those times with planes,” she grinned, “But you’re right, it was so good to have a friend I could just be Kara with. I didn’t have to prove myself, I could just be normal.”
“Even when you were just Kara Danvers to me, you were always extraordinary to me. You may be Supergirl, but I’ll always prefer my Kara,” Lena said, so quietly it was almost inaudible.
“Oh. Lena,” Kara whispered, matching Lena’s volume and blinking back tears, “I think you’ll find you’re the extraordinary one. You do such amazing stuff all the time and you don’t even have super powers.”
“Stop it,” Lena said, batting her away playfully.
“I mean it Lena, you’re incredible,” Kara said with sincerity, “You have so much good in you even though the world’s spent your whole life telling you there’s no good in a Luthor. You’ve turned the name around all by yourself. And even without that, you’re still amazing.”
Lena felt tears welling in her eyes, “Kara. You have no idea what that means to me and knowing you - even including the amount of times I’ve helped to save the world - is the greatest thing I’ve done.”
“Do you really mean that?” Kara said, now also blinking back tears.
“Every word,” Lena said, turning to face her, “Kara, you really are the greatest person I know.”
And as Kara set down her marshmallow stick to hug Lena, she found her face being caught by Lena’s cool hands and their lips met. The shock of this contact made Kara pull back.
“Sorry, I’m so sorry,” Lena said hurriedly.
“No, no, no, no, don’t apologise,” Kara said insistently, “I’m just surprised.”
“You are?” Lena asked, a flash of panic passing across her face.
Kara paused, considering the scenario carefully, “I guess not,” she admitted at last.
“No?”
“We could always try again?” Kara suggested tentatively.
“Yes please,” Lena grinned, already reaching up to cup Kara’s face.
“Mind your nose,” Kara grinned and leaned in to meet her.
Their kisses were gentle at first, almost exploratory as they familiarised themselves with each other from this new point of view. Kara had her hand at the nape of Lena’s neck, pulling her deeper into her. Their kisses became less measured and more passionate as Lena’s tongue tentatively stroked Kara’s bottom lip causing her to take a sharp intake of breath and opening her mouth to allow their tongues to meet. Lena had her hand in Kara’s hair and had managed to loosen the messy bun so her hair ran over and down her shoulders like an out of control waterfall. Her hand was caught amongst it as she held Kara’s head close to hers.
“Lena,” Kara moaned as Lena started to kiss across her jawline and arriving at the soft skin where her jaw met her earlobe. She didn’t stop there but carried on kissing her way down Kara’s neck encouraged by the deepening of Kara’s breathing and the quickening of her pulse. She paused to look up at Kara whose eyes were closed, her head lolling backwards, lost completely in these new sensations.
“You’re so beautiful,” Lena whispered, bewitched by Kara’s stunning vulnerability.
The sound of Lena’s voice broke the spell that had apparently been cast over Kara and she leant her head forwards, resting her foreheard on Lena’s, “Not as beautiful as you,” she smiled back, her clear blue eyes staring deep into Lena’s.
“I didn’t know…” Lena murmured, taking advantage of the break.
“What? That you were beautiful?”
“No,” Lena breathed in slowly, “that you, that you felt the same.”
“Neither did I… Not until you kissed me. Then it was like I’d always known.”
“I’m so relieved. I was really worried I’d messed everything up again.”
“You could never do that, Lena. I won’t let that happen. I just can’t believe I didn’t see it before.”
“What? That I’m crazy about you?” Lena asked, slightly incredulous.
“Yes,” Kara said, smiling bashfully, “And just how crazy I was about you.”
Lena took a breath, looking down, steeling herself before looking back into those eyes, “I love you, Kara.”
“I love you, Lena,” Kara responded immediately.
“Really?”
“Always,” and then Kara kissed her again, reaching her arms around her. Lena matched the intensity of the kiss and ran her hands up and down Kara’s back until they caught on the hem of her top. The feel of Kara’s skin - so warm and alive - took her by surprise and she carefully reached her hand up inside Kara’s shirt, her palm flat against her back, anxious to feel as much of her as she could. Kara, in response, reached her leg over Lena’s lap so that she was straddling her. Lena reached further up Kara’s shirt and leant back, bringing Kara with her so their bodies were now flat against each other. Kara’s weight was solid yet unoppressive as she continued to run her hands across Kara’s back. This time it was the waistband of Kara’s jeans she met and, emboldened by Kara’s presence on top of her, she allowed her hand to reach down and explore.
Kara’s hand moved across Lena’s head and traced her hairline down the side of her face to her collar bone and she delicately planted a kiss on the well-defined ridge. She returned her lips to Lena’s as her hand continued its way down. It grazed the side of Lena’s breast and even that touch was enough for Lena to arch her back at the thrill of that sensation. Kara didn’t linger there for long and her hand continued downwards until it too reached the hem of Lena’s shirt and she stopped. Lena broke off the kiss, “it’s ok,” she murmured and pulled her back in and Kara slowly moved her hand up and under Lena’s shirt and felt the toned flesh of her stomach. Lena started as Kara’s hand tickled her but Kara didn’t stop until her hand met the underwire of her bra. She paused again and Lena once more broke off the kiss to nod wordlessly. Kara’s hand crept over her breat cupping it gently, her fingers grazing the bare flesh above the line of her bra. Lena sighed loudly and moved her hands round to Kara’s front and began hurriedly unbuttoning her shirt. Kara sat up, biting her lip coyly and ripped it open. Instead of revealing the ‘S’ of her Supergirl outfit, there was her body: a toned stomach and perfect breasts in a pale blue bra.
Lena paused taking in the sight before her, “For a moment, I thought I was going to see your supersuit,” she said breathlessly.
“Not today. Today I’m just Kara. But I am going to take these off,” she whispered back, setting her glasses on the nearby rock.
“And you’re all mine,” Lena grinned mischievously and leaned back in to kiss her again. Kara surprised her by leaning back and removing herself from Lena’s lap, taking her hand and leading her towards the tent. She paused to kiss her and remove more items of clothing before fumbling with the tent flap. It gave at last and they fell through the opening landing on top of the separate sleeping bags that Lena had laid out earlier, the separateness of the sleeping arrangements completely disregarded. The neglected camp fire outside had been reduced to greying smoulders, a trail of shirts and boots leading from there to the tent.
***
They both smiled sleepily at each other as they woke, both almost blinded by the happiness they felt at the sight of one another. “How does breakfast sound?” Kara said, stroking Lena’s hair.
“It depends, who’s responsible for breakfast? Kara or Supergirl?” Lena replied with a wry smile.
“Well, Kara packed pancake mix but may have forgotten the eggs so she was thinking of asking Supergirl to, I don’t know, find something more exciting,” she shrugged.
“You do know that I know Kara and Supergirl are the same person,” Lena said raising an eyebrow.
“Yeah… but… it’s Kara that you really like,” Kara said shyly.
“I would like Kara even more if she let Supergirl get us breakfast.”
“Fine. Because it’s you,” and she grinned and rolled over and literally flew out of the tent, her suit materialising around her.
Lena sat up, pulling the sleeping bag around her, still smiling. She stumbled out of the tent and picked up the clothes that lay scattered around them. Kara’s shirt lay by the deceased camp fire and Lena slipped it on. Kara’s scent was intermingled with the smoke of the fire which was offset by the clear morning sun that lit the campsite. She’d only just sat back on her rock when a whooshing noise announced her girlfriend’s return.
“Are you wearing my shirt?” Kara, or Supergirl, asked landing neatly on the ground behind her.
“What can I say? I missed you,” Lena said and hugged the shirt to her.
“Awww, so cute,” Kara grinned and pulled Lena into a hug.
“Wait, where’s the food?” Lena asked suspiciously.
“They’re making it fresh so I thought I’d fly back while I waited.”
“That’s so pathetic…” Lena grinned.
“I don’t care, I just wanted to spend a bit more time with you but now,” she kissed Lena briefly on the lips, “I must go and get your breakfast.”
Lena sat down on the picnic blanket, straightening it out and brushing off remnants of graham crackers. In the time it took her to do this, Kara flew to National City, collected their order and returned. She dropped the bag of food next to Lena.
“Here you go you ladyship,” she curtseyed, “now, I’m going to change and I guess I’ll have to wear your shirt as mine appears to have gone missing,” she teased and headed off to the tent as Lena set out the food.