Forget the ways we're broken
Chapter 1
Moving to National City was supposed to be Lena's chance at an escape from the life her family had planned out for her. She'd been dreaming of this opportunity as long as she could remember, but should've known not to build her hopes up. Ever since she'd been adopted by the Luthor's, she'd quickly come to realise that things rarely went to plan, not when it came to her choices at least.
After the death of their father, it hadn't taken long for Lex to press the self-destruct button and almost bring the entire company down with him. Thanks to him, Lena now found herself about to start university in National City, with her adoptive mother for company. Lillian seeing Lena's long-awaited freedom as the perfect opportunity to avoid the heat and scrutiny the family had been under in Metropolis and using it to set up a new branch of LuthorCorp, one that her mother was planning to head up personally.
Lena had argued and resisted, but there wasn't really any way to stop Lillian Luthor once she'd made a decision. So, instead of spending her last days of summer in Metropolis, saying goodbye to the few people she actually liked, she was already in National City and being dragged along to every social event or location where her mother felt a Luthor needed to be seen.
"It's good optics," Lillian insisted, but Lena knew she was mainly there so that her mother didn't look alone, which she definitely was. No Lex, No Lionel. All Lillian had left was Lena now and Lena hated it.
As far as she could tell, the only good thing in the city was the club. Lillian, wanting to be at the heart of society life in National City, set up a base there. Claiming it was the best way to meet potential investors and get a real insight into the people that wielded influence and power. Lena tuned out after a half hour lesson as to why this was all important and accepted her fate as best she could, mostly by spending her afternoons reading by the pool. She'd found the perfect spot where she could avoid the glare of the late summer sun and for the first week of their stay, she had the place mostly to herself, but with the weekend came a different crowd.
Lena doubted how exclusive this club actually was the second her alone time got rudely interrupted by two guys, who looked about her age, taking a little too much interest in her presence. The pair appeared to be putting on a bit of a show, jumping in and out of the water and talking a little too loudly for it not to be for Lena's benefit. Despite their frequent attempts to get her attention, Lena kept her head down, well-practiced in playing disinterested. She let out a breath of relief when two women joined them. The boyish displays calmed to a more general chatter that Lena could happily mask with music.
Hoping her afternoon was almost going to be bearable, she jumped out of her skin when another loud cheer from the raucous group drew her attention. "Idiots," she muttered to
herself, watching the group waving and chanting as a new addition joined them.
"Incoming," a blur of blonde hair shouted as she raced past Lena, tucking her knees to her chest and bombing into the pool. The resulting splash of water hitting Lena's bare legs and making her shriek in surprise at how cold it felt against her warm skin.
"Idiots!" She repeated a little more audibly this time as she glared at the swirl of water that had engulfed her assailant.
"Sorry!" the boy with a wide smile called out, waving his hand wildly, trying to get Lena's attention for the fifteenth time. She ignored him again, dipping her head and hiding her eyes behind the rim of her hat, as she reached for a dry towel. Determined she wanted nothing to do with any of them until another scream made her peek another look, only to see the blonde girl, that had just caused such a splash, emerging from under the water, laughing and looking far too pleased with herself. Lena tutted, about to look away, when she caught the way the brown-haired boy said something to the blonde and pointed in her direction. Two sets of eyes were suddenly on her and she felt powerless to not watch as the blonde went from looking confused, to mortified and then in a surprise move, was exiting the pool in one fluid motion, before striding straight towards Lena.
"I'm so sorry," the blonde rushed out, the water still dripping from her body as she crouched down besides where Lena was lying. Lena let her eyes wonder for just a second, glad the blonde seemed to have no idea of the way Lena's breath shuddered as she faltered on the blondes toned stomach. "We get a little wild after a practice and oh," the girl glanced down at where Lena was trying to towel herself dry, "I got you soaking wet? I honestly didn't see you there. Gosh, sorry, I was just," A series of hand movements followed, interspersed with words, "...and then...water and...can I get you a towel?" The blonde's cheeks were pinking up as she flustered over her explanation and Lena thought she might have found it endearing if she wasn't already annoyed at how her day was going.
"It helps to breathe," Lena said curtly.
"Sorry?" The blonde's forehead crumpled into a frown, one that Lena quickly told herself was not cute.
"If you take a breath and think about the words you want to say?" She explained, much to the other woman's bemusement. "I find it can make it a lot easier to get your message across. You might want to try it sometime?" Lena gave up towelling her legs dry, feeling a little self- conscious under the other woman's gaze.
"Right," the blonde looked back up, obviously a little bewildered by Lena's icy tone, but quickly offering a smile and an outstretched hand. "I'm Kara," she said, appearing to be waiting for Lena to take her hand.
"Lena," Lena didn't move an inch, after a pause Kara withdrew her arm.
"Nice to meet you," Kara grinned unperturbed. "Although less so for you, seeing as the first thing I did to you is..." Kara glanced down to Lena's legs again, almost looking disappointed they were now completely covered by the towel. The blonde rubbed the back of her neck
nervously, taking a moment before speaking again. Slow and collected as if she was doing her best to adhere to Lena's earlier advice, "I'm sorry that I splashed you."
"Maybe follow the poolside rules in future?" Lena pointed at the sign next to them. A big red line through the image of a person dive bombing into the water.
"Oh, yeah those," Kara nodded and then shrugged as if she didn't care at all. "The lifeguard is pretty cool, so we get to let loose, but..." She paused, making meaningful eye contact with Lena, "I'll be sure to check that no-one else is poolside, next time I jump."
"Next time," Lena shook her head, unable to suppress a little chuckle. "So, you enjoy a blatant disregard for the rules, Kara?"
Kara's eyes lit up as she spoke, leaning in conspiratorially, "I always think rules are meant to be broken or at least bent a little, so long as it's not hurting anybody, don't you?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Lena countered easily before biting down on her lower lip, quite happy to play along with whatever game this was, pretty certain she'd win and enjoying the way her own assuredness seemed to ruffle Kara, again.
"You want to join us?" Kara motioned over her shoulder, to the group still messing around in the water.
"Not really," Lena picked her book back up and returned to the page she'd been on, thankful when Kara seemed to get the message and began to back away.
"See you around then, Lena?" Lena looked up briefly and regretted it, the blue eyes that were watching her closely, lit up with mirth as if Kara knew something she didn't and she really didn't like how that made her feel. Kara turned away and walked back to the pool. Lowering herself in, slowly this time. A pointed look back towards Lena, before the boy with brown hair and the wide grin, swam closer and whispered something in her ear. Lena lifted her book higher and spent the next half an hour doing her best not to look over at the water, no matter how loud the group got, before she finally thought it was safe to make an exit without drawing any further attention to herself.
"Thank god," Lena let out a breath of relief at the sight of Sam a couple of weeks later. It had been too long since she'd seen her friend. The days since they'd hung out in Metropolis, fading in Lena's memory with every wasted minute she'd spent as her mother's pawn in National City.
"Struggling in the big city?" Sam teased as she changed, ready to join Lena by the pool.
"This is not a big city and right now you are the only good thing in this one coffee shop monstrosity of a place."
"Take it you're happy I ended my vacation early?"
"As happy as Lena gets," Lillian appeared, already dressed for the tennis match she'd not stopped talking about all week. She smiled warmly at Sam, in a way she never did for Lena, "It's lovely that you could join us, dear. Maybe you can teach my daughter to enjoy the last days of youth. She's been a monster all summer, it's been tedious."
Sam looked at Lena, the sympathy evident in her eyes and Lena was even more grateful her only friend was here. It always helped to have a buffer between her and Lillian and Sam was ridiculously good at it.
"Any news about Lex?" Sam asked Lena, after Lillian finished telling Sam about all her plans for the LuthorCorp expansion.
"None, but he's probably hiding on a luxury yacht somewhere?" Lena did her best to appear nonchalant, even though she knew Sam would see through it.
"You've had no contact at all?" Sam looked genuinely surprised.
"Nope, he walked out that morning and he's not been in touch since. Not with me at least." "You think she's heard from him?" Sam glanced over her shoulder to where Lillian was.
"I'd bet my inheritance on it, but if he has, she's kept it quiet," Lena shrugged. "The press were all over us in Metropolis, she's probably worried I'd let something slip or you know, hand him into the cops myself."
"That I'd like to see," Sam laughed but then turned a little more serious, "you think he'll get away with it?"
"Most likely. He's a white man worth billions. He's only hiding so he can buy time to work out how to get himself out of the mess he's made. Although, it's actually nice to know he can't touch the company for now. There might even be something for me to work with when I graduate."
"Let's hope so," Sam nudged her playfully, "I know I'm going to be harassing you for a job when you oust Lillian and begin taking over the world."
"What you can't imagine mother working side by side with me?" Lena laughed. They both knew that it was never going to be harmonious. "And I can safely say that I've no plans for taking over the world, it's more my brothers thing and look how that worked out?"
"God I've missed you, Luthor," Sam chuckled, pulling her into another hug. "How's it been here? Better?"
"Marginally. Mother's busy and the press aren't as blood-thirsty. I have some slim hope that I can keep a low-profile at NCU and have some kind of normal life, so long as Lex doesn't continue his quest for world domination or go to prison. Either being a distinct possibility right now."
"Until that happens, you promise me you're not going to be all study study study. Because college life is so much more than that and Lena?" Sam held her gaze for a moment, nodding
as she spoke, "you really need to have some fun." "I have fun," Lena said a little too defensively.
"Hmm, you'd better believe I'm not going to let you spend the next four years in the library."
"I won't," Lena mumbled. She'd great plans for a lot of hours that she could spend alone and away from the spotlight and she knew not to share any of them with Sam.
"And are you going to make an effort to fit in?" Sam studied her sceptically.
"You sound like Lillian," Lena scoffed, "And No," she folded her arms across her chest stubbornly, causing Sam to bark out a laugh.
"Perfect, they'll all love you then."
"Fuck you, Sam."
"You wish," Sam teased.
"I do not—" Lena was cut off by the locker room door swinging open and crashing against the wall.
"Sorry, hey, would you get off me!" A bustle of limbs hurtled towards them. Two women tangled together in some kind of wrestling manoeuvre that had Lena jumping up quickly and getting out of the way. She glanced at Sam, her face a mixture of amusement and intrigue at the display in front of them.
Lena wasn't enjoying the show quite as much, she took one more look and knew exactly who had interrupted them. "Kara," Lena snapped, but was duly ignored by the bundle of limbs that continued to wrestle. "Kara," She tried again, raising her voice and this time slamming an empty locker door shut to garner her attention.
"Lena!" Kara looked up from where her head was locked in place by her wrestling partners arm, a ridiculous smile on her face that Lena fought to not mirror. She could only watch, dumfounded as Kara tried to free herself, but was met with steely resistance. "Alex, let me go."
"No chance, loser," the red-headed partner refused to relinquish her hold.
Kara's eyes briefly locked with Lena's, the piercing blue mixed with that same mirth she'd had by the pool and then she did something Lena didn't expect. She winked and it made Lena feel a fuzzy heat that she didn't want to describe or ever acknowledge and mostly hoped that Sam hadn't picked up anything, because she'd never live it down. In a flash, Kara twisted her body and her partner was on her back, on the floor, half winded.
"You okay?" Sam lunged forward in concern, tending to the coughing woman.
Lena's eyes met Kara's again, noticing the blondes triumphant grin as she stood up straight, hands resting firmly on her hips, clearly proud with herself for that display. "Good to see you again, Lena."
"I can't say the same," Lena pursed her lips tight, glancing to where Sam was tending to Kara's defeated opponent. Unable to hide her curiosity at who it was that Kara had just wrestled to the ground, something sitting uneasy at the pit of her stomach when she remembered she'd seen her with Kara before.
"Ow, that hurts more than one of my sisters trademark headlocks," Kara had the audacity to stick out her bottom lip in a pout, one that Lena only narrowed her eyes at, because no way was she going to be sucked in by this woman's ridiculousness, even if she did let out a small breath at the realisation that the redhead was Kara's sister.
"You can take it," Lena quirked an eyebrow, not missing the way Kara studied her closely in return. Her eyes a little sparkly and her cheeks a little pink.
"Yeah, I can," Kara's pout was quickly replaced by a knowing smirk that irked Lena far more that it should. Something about the way Kara could just flip a switch from cute to confident had her unnerved and she found herself becoming increasingly annoyed about having to share air with the other woman.
"Alex Danvers," the redhead cut into their stare off, getting up from the floor, introducing herself to Sam and Lena at the same time as she dusted herself down.
"I'm Sam, the grumpy one over there is Lena."
"Luthor?" Alex said pointedly as she gave Lena the once over. Lena hated the heat that rose to her cheeks, almost as much as she hated herself for checking to see how Kara would react to that piece of information. Kara didn't flinch, but she was still watching Lena intently, something in her eyes that Lena couldn't quite place.
"Yeah, she's a Luthor, heard it all before, blah blah," Sam tried to break the bristling tension. "But whatever you think, Lena's not like her broth—"
"Don't," Lena cut Sam off abruptly, her eyes beseeching with Sam not to explain anything. "It's nice to meet you Alex, but Sam and I need to be somewhere that isn't here."
"We do?" Sam queried, before realising her mistake. "We do!" She said with more certainty when Lena glared back at her.
"Don't let me and my sister keep you then, but maybe see you around?" Alex asked, her question clearly directed at Sam and in that moment, Lena was all too aware that her presence in the room would go unnoticed if it wasn't for the fact that Kara was still watching her closely.
"See you around," Sam blushed under Alex's heavy gaze and Lena cursed her weak friend for betraying her and actually looking like she was interested in seeing a lot more of Alex Danvers, because no way was that going to be a good thing for Lena.
"See you soon," Kara said, just above a whisper, only just loud enough for Lena to hear as she brushed past her on her way out of the locker room. Lena looked back, slightly startled at the soft words. She nodded at Kara, despite herself.
"The blondes cute," Sam wasn't even trying to be subtle as she watched the two sisters racing each other up and down the pool the following week.
"Hadn't noticed," Lena deliberately didn't look over.
"The biceps? Those abs?" Sam gasped in false shock, "how could you not see those?"
"Sounds as if you like her?"
"Alex is more my type, but Keira?"
"Kara," Lena quickly corrected and already knew her mistake before she saw the smirk on Sam's face.
"Yeah, definitely not paying any attention..." Sam laughed. "I said cute, what I meant was hot and you know only last week I was saying you deserve some fun, so why not?"
"I'm not interested," Lena let out a long-defeated sigh, already knowing that Sam wasn't going to drop it.
"You don't have to lie to me, it's been forever since you had your heartbroken," Sam pressed.
"Please, Sam?" Lena pleaded. "Kara's...well, I'm not blind, but I don't even want to think about it. One minute she's a bumbling mess, the next cocky and confident, it's so frustrating and she's a total enigma." Lena didn't miss how Sam nodded along enthusiastically, and Lena knew her best friend would try and talk her into it if she didn't cut off that idea instantly. "But...." She continued pointedly, "she's into sports and is loud and definitely not my type. I don't need the hassle of starting anything. Not now, not here."
"Oh, but you do," Sam gave her one of those don't argue with me looks, that Lena always argued with. "and as you said, she's not your usual type."
"Toxic? emotionally unavailable?" Lena deadpanned. Sam knew she'd not exactly had the healthiest relationships in the past. "And really I don't think she's gay at all. If anything, she's dating the lifeguard. They're always hanging out."
"I think you're off on the not gay thing," Sam looked over to the side of the pool and Lena followed her path, stuttering for a second at the sight of Kara laughing and throwing her head back.
"You said that last time and look how that turned out?"
"Try being friends? See where it leads because she's at least curious from the way she's been looking longingly over at you."
"Longingly?" Lena rolled her eyes at that. She'd seen Kara look over a few times, but definitely wasn't going to read into it, unlike Sam obviously was.
"Why would I lie? and why not? You definitely need the distraction," Sam said pointedly. They both knew it had been a while since Lena had had any form of distraction, as Sam so eloquently put it.
"I'm serious, Sam. Not her and not here. This is a fresh start for me," Lena said again. There was no way she was going to mess around with a girl like Kara Danvers. Nope, she definitely didn't need that kind of distraction in her life. Her thoughts were interrupted by Kara exiting the pool, all toned muscles and damp hair dripping water down her smooth skin, "besides, she's actually really annoying." Lena grumbled mostly to herself. Annoyed she wasn't quite managing to ignore Kara in the way she'd planned and Sam really wasn't helping at all.
"Uh huh...real annoying," Sam looked at her smugly.
"I thought having you here was going to be fun," Lena huffed, turning her attention back to her book and doing her best to ignore everyone around her and definitely not watching as Kara lifted her water bottle to her mouth, taking a long, slow drink before nonchalantly wiping the spilled drops from her chin.
"Thirsty work," Sam chuckled to herself.
"Hey!" Lena complained when Sam pulled the book from her hands not half an hour later.
"Maybe we could join in? It'd save you having to pretend you're not looking over every five seconds," Sam suggested quietly, but Lena picked up the mild irritation in her tone.
"What?"
"You keep sighing," Sam pushed.
"I do not."
"Fine I get it, you don't want anything to do with her. Maybe tell your eyes that," Sam raised her arms in exasperation.
"You know that every single communication I get from NCU has something about that group in it?" she pointed towards the joyful occupants of the pool. "They're treated like gods on campus and I want to know why no one," she glared accusingly at Sam, "told me that I'm going to a sports college!"
"I think it's pretty obvious from the prospectus," Sam rolled her eyes at Lena, knowing full well she'd probably not looked that closely because her focus would have been on the lab facilities, libraries, business school and a chance at working with one of the most celebrated
professors in the country. "The Tigers are a hot ticket and Nationals are up for grabs with those two," she pointed to where the Danvers sisters were sitting at the edge of the pool talking quietly and occasionally glancing over, "they're like this dream combination or something, know each other's game inside out. It's a big year for us."
"Us?" Lena's eyes widened with that slip.
"What? There's nothing wrong with a bit of school spirit?" Sam said in all seriousness and Lena had another bad feeling about how their year was going to pan out.
"Since when did you even like sports? I've known you forever, the closest you came to liking anything remotely active was soccer and..."
"And," Sam countered. "I got Ruby from that failed romance. Sport's good for you, it's beautiful and cruel in the same breath, a bit like you."
"Thanks," Lena chuckled, "and I'll admit, Ruby is the upside, but really you don't have to fake an interest in the NCU Tigers just because you think Alex Danvers is hot."
"I'm not faking and yes she's hot, but at least I can say it. Maybe you could accept you like Kara?" she nudged Lena's side.
"I don't," Lena shoved back. "The sooner this summer is over, the better. Wasting weekends watching them goof around has been torture and all because my mother refuses to come here alone."
"Liar! Lillian wasn't even here when I called you last time, but you were," Sam accused. "Fine, I like to relax, sue me—" the sudden shadow that crept up her body, made her look up.
"Hey," Kara was smiling down at her. "Any chance you two want to make up the numbers in a game of water polo?"
"Absolutely not," Lena replied briskly at the same time as Sam said, "we'd love to!"
"Oh, come on, Lena? You can have fun sometimes..." Kara pressed, a teasing tone that was too friendly for Lena's liking.
"Yeah, Lena..." Sam egged her on, clearly enjoying the way Lena was hating every moment. "You go," she glared at a rather too amused Sam. "I'm happy right here."
Sam shrugged and began to head to the pool, but Kara didn't follow. Instead she took Sam's place on her lounger, "I'll sit out, you play. Even numbers," Kara explained when Sam turned back to her in confusion. Sam failed to hide the ridiculous smile on her face and if she wasn't voluntarily getting into the water, Lena might have pushed her.
She willed herself not to say anything, but she could feel Kara's eyes on her and knew she was waiting to ask something, "Well?" Lena slowly turned to look at Kara fully.
"Sorry?" Kara's brow furrowed in confusion.
"I can tell you want to ask something; you keep fidgeting with your fingers."
"I..." Kara quickly pulled her hands apart, dropping her head a little before looking back up and meeting Lena's eye, "it's just...I wanted to know if you were coming to the end of summer party? It's like a whole big thing, there's all this food that I don't know quite why half the members never eat any of it, but it's—" Lena must have been looking at her with as much surprise as she felt because Kara stopped suddenly. "I forgot to do the whole breathe thing," she berated herself, but her eyes were back on Lena and there was a hopeful look in them that Lena definitely needed to squash. "Will you come to the summer party?" She asked more succinctly.
For a second Lena just looked at the woman opposite her. Not sure if she was being asked out on a date or if Kara was just being friendly? Knowing she couldn't entertain either option, she curtly replied, "I've plans."
"Oh, sure. No problem, yep," Kara was smiling still, but not quite as brightly.
"At the children's hospital, the Luthor Foundation are sponsors," Lena clarified, not sure why she felt that she owed Kara any kind of explanation but unable to stop herself. "Part of the job," she gestured to herself, "the whole Luthor thing. Sometimes we like to do something worthwhile and good natured," Kara's bright smile was back and Lena quickly regretted sharing her personal business, because the smile was infectious and she was powerless not to reciprocate.
"Wow," Kara looked ridiculously impressed and Lena waved off the attention quickly, hoping the blush to her cheeks wasn't evident. She wasn't one for praise, she barely got any from her family, so truly wasn't used to it.
"It's nothing special."
"But it is," Kara argued. "You believe in something, something important and you act on it. It matters and I wish more people cared and gave back. This world would be a lot better for it."
Lena wasn't sure what to say to that, she'd actually fought to get LuthorCorp to focus on issues close to her own heart. The children's foundation being the one she cared the most about. As Kara looked at her, eyes full of awe and wonder, all Lena could manage to say was a bashful, "thank you."
"The Tigers do a few outreach things, maybe we could—"
"I should go," Lena cut Kara off abruptly, this wasn't what she needed to be doing. Kara might be loud and annoying and into sports but she also seemed to be sweet and kind. And now she was also looking at Lena like she could be too. Except, Lena lived in the real world. One where Luthor's made cut-throat decisions and destroyed happiness without caring. One where her brother had almost killed someone for shining the spotlight onto every aspect of what LuthorCorp and the Luthor's did. Lena was a part of a world where she made enemies before she'd walked in a room, just because of her last name. If Kara had any idea of the
truth, Lena was certain she'd not be looking at her like she mattered, "Can you tell Sam I'll call her later?"
"Sure," Kara moved to get up too, a little frown forming that she tried to cover with a smile and for a second Lena felt bad that she seemed disappointed. "I'll tell her. See you next week?" The hopefulness that returned to her voice catching Lena off guard.
"You should get back to your friends," she said softer than she intended, unable to use her usual barbed tone. "Goodbye, Kara," she added, already knowing she'd not be there the following week, she had commitments to keep and distractions to resist. She could feel those blue eyes watching her as she walked back to the changing rooms, but didn't look back once, not allowing herself to even think about what turning around would make her feel. Certain that once term started, it'd be a lot easier to avoid anything and everything to do with Kara Danvers.
Chapter 2
The first day of classes had Lena up and eager to get moving. Burning off her nervous energy with an early morning yoga session, before setting out across campus, she almost had a spring in her step but remembered to conceal her excitement in case someone thought she was approachable. She quickly fired off a text to Sam, in hope they could meet for lunch or at least a coffee. Her head down, she didn't see the rugby ball hurtling towards her face, until a shout startled her. She looked up in confusion at the exact moment a body came hurtling into her side, arms wrapping around her middle and unceremoniously rolling her to the ground. The air ripped from her lungs as she landed on her back, her assailant beneath her, possibly cushioning the fall, but all Lena could think of was freeing herself from the strong grip that had her locked in place. Her instincts finally kicked in and she elbowed her attacker hard in the ribs. She heard the resulting huff, but still couldn't quite free herself as the arms squeezed tighter.
"Get off me," she wriggled, finally feeling the grip loosen, she tried to roll away and get to her feet, but felt a hand tug at her elbow.
"That was close," a voice she'd spent the last three weeks forgetting, made her turn to see that, of course, Kara Danvers was the immovable object that had pulled her to the ground.
"You," Lena growled, feeling the anger rise in her chest.
Kara tilted her head curiously, before letting go of her hold, "You didn't forget me then?"
"Why is this happening?" Lena really wondered what she'd done to deserve this start to her first morning, quickly getting to her feet, only to have Kara beat her to it, reaching out a hand to steady Lena, one that she quickly slapped away.
"Lena? hey, it's me, Kar—" Kara, mistaking Lena's anger for panic, was now firmly resting her hands on her shoulders, breathing slowly in demonstration as she spoke, "just take a few breaths. It's ok, you're okay."
"The hell is wrong with you?" Lena tried to step back, but Kara's grip was as solid as the washboard stomach Lena hadn't forgotten about. "Get. Your. Hands. Off. Me," Lena said slowly and clearly, her eyes boring into Kara's confused ones, that suddenly went wide in alarm.
"Sorry," Kara stepped back slowly, her hands raised in some show of defeat, "I'm backing off, it's okay. I couldn't catch it...the...uh...the ball was going to hit you," Kara muttered, her eyes flicking to the rugby ball on the floor as if it was the guilty party in all this.
"That ball," Lena pointed at the source of their problem. "And whose ball is it?" She stepped back into Kara's space, pressing a finger into Kara's chest. Noticing the blonde was practically made of steel, but still took a pace backwards at Lena's weak prod.
"Um..." Kara went a deep shade of red, looking plenty guilty.
