Supercorp One Shots

Checkmate (Smile)

Author's Note: Inspired (obviously) by the various S2 E12 'Luthors' chess-related scenes... enjoy!

"Damn it!" Kara hissed, throwing her hands up in joke-despair.

Lena had beat her, yet again, in a game of chess. They'd been playing for a few hours now, but neither of them realised that.

"What is that now? 10-0?" Lena asked, a smile on her face. The same smile which had been there almost the entire night; well, since everyone else had left. Before that, it had been a different smile. The one she wore now was brighter, warmer, and, if Kara didn't know any better, she might say it was more loving.

"Uh, more like 10-1." Kara said, and Lena let out a small chuckle, "I beat you once."

"Yes, but only because I let you. That pout of yours has remarkable powers." Lena commented, watching Kara begin to replace the pieces, stopping for a moment to adjust her glasses.

"Well, I don't know about 'remarkable powers'." She muttered, and Lena felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She unlocked it, and Kara watched as that smile which seemed like it'd be permanent, falter for a moment.

"What is it?" She asked, that last pawn hovering just above it's place as her own face turned into one of concern. Sure, she could've just used her x-ray vision and seen the other side of the screen but not only would that mean having to take off her glasses which would probably not be a fantastic idea, it would also mean invading the privacy of her best friend, and she didn't want to do that.

Lena hummed a non-response, turning her head up to face Kara but not taking her eyes from the screen, "Oh, it's... nothing." she mumbled, having realised what Kara had asked. She locked her phone, put it face down on the table (and not back in her pocket, Kara noted) and looked back up at Kara, another smile plastered across her face. It wasn't that warm, bright smile though; It didn't quite reach her eyes; It was more like the one she'd worn through the rest of Game Night.

"Are we playing again?" Lena asked, gesturing with her eyes to the black and white pieces sitting between them both.

"I mean, unless you don't want to. I don't mind if we do something else. I-" Kara said hurriedly, putting the pawn down and nervously drawing her hands back, fiddling with them on the edge of the table.

"Kara." Lena chuckled again, returning almost immediately to the lighter version of herself she had been before her phone rudely  interrupted, "It's fine, we can play again."

"How'd you get so good at this anyway?" Kara asked, and Lena's jaw clenched momentarily.

"I... It's a Luthor thing." She said. Her tone was almost toxic, but there was something else to it as well. It was the tone of someone who wanted to be heard, but wouldn't, no... couldn't  ask for it.

"Lena," Kara began, reaching over and putting her hand atop the other woman's. She was going to say something else, but she wasn't quite sure how to put it into words, and actions speak louder anyway, right?

"That first night, when my father brought me into the Luthor household, Lex and Lillian were playing chess. Well, she was teaching him. The first thing Lex and I did together was play. He taught me, and..." Lena's voice trailed off, and when Kara looked up she saw an undeniable shimmer of tears into Lena's eyes. She blinked, and the tears were gone, but Kara had seen them. A small, sad smile took their place.

"We don't have to play anymore." Kara offered, and removed her hand from Lena's. The brunette raised her eyes and they connected with Kara's, and she nodded softly.

...

The next thing Lena's mind consciously processed was the way Kara's arm shifted a little so it sat more comfortably around her waist.

Kara suggested they move to the light grey sofa, and had managed to convince Lena to cuddle up beside her (though she didn't take much convincing). They'd fallen into a position similar to that which they had when Kara had comforted Lena after the whole nanobot-situation, and Kara put some show on the TV. Neither of them were paying much attention to it, but they didn't dare admit it.

At some point, Kara had moved so she laid on the light grey sofa, her head on the armrest and feet on the other, bringing Lena down with her to lie on top. Lena's head rest on Kara's chest, and she could hear her heartbeat and feel her rhythmic breathing as clearly as Kara could hear hers. Kara's arms wrapped loosely around her waist and lay on her stomach, and Lena's own hands rested on them. They're legs were semi-entwined.

Lena found herself thinking she never wanted to get up, and so did Kara, but yet again they didn't dare admit it. They didn't dare lose what they already had. They didn't dare lose each other. Even if this 'friendship' they had was torture for them both.

Kara, seeming to hesitate at first, brought a hand up to fiddle with Lena's hair. Lena, entirely unintentionally, let out a quiet moan in response to the touch.

"Lena?" Kara asked, and the sound was a deep hum in Lena's ears.

"Yeah?" Lena moved a little so she could look up into Kara's steel-blue eyes.

"Will- Are-..." The blonde paused, rethinking her statement as she thought about how she should word it, "Can. Can  you stay, tonight?"

"Will Are Can I stay tonight?" Lena said with a little laugh, and Kara felt her cheeks warm. She readjusted her glasses and looked down at the CEO who in this moment looked like anything but. Her hair was down, her make-up washed off since the others had left, her outfit not one designed to strike fear into her business opponent's hearts or to emphasize the level of power she obtained (though it wasn't exactly sweatpants and a loose-fitting t-shirt like Kara had changed into), yet Kara was still a little intimidated. It was a good kind of intimidation, though. It felt good. Strangely good.

"Um... yeah?" Kara said, but it sounded like a question itself.

"Of course." Lena nodded, and Kara smiled before going back to stroking Lena's hair, and Lena went back to thinking how much she never wanted to get up, and the TV kept playing that show that neither of them were truly watching, and the night turned into dawn.

Author's Note: I may be using this as part of my full Supercorp fic coming soon hence why there are some points not fully explained... (aka the text, what happened at game night, stuff like that) so I guess you could see this as a preview? Let me know what you think.