See How They Shine
Title: See How They Shine
Rating: PG
Paring: Kara/Lee
The planetarium is her favorite spot in the city, has been for as long as Kara can remember. And not because she has a thing for overly enthused tourists or unenthused schoolteachers, as one particularly puerile coworker suggested. She comes here to try and loose herself. Lately it’s been working; she thinks it might have something to do with the company.
The chair beside her squeaks as he takes his seat. They haven’t officially spoken, but like her, he’s been here every Sunday morning since December. And sitting in the dark surrounded by stars and him, she’s finally at peace.
***
“We have to stop this,” he tells her quietly. “I know what you’re going to say, but…” He can’t look at her; she’s dazzling. She’s the sun and he needs to get this out before she burns him.
“Look, it was fine for a while, just you, me, the stars,” he gestures to the enveloping blackness. The heavens spin around them, but even in the dark he’s hesitant to turn her way. “Except now it’s starting to affect my work.” She makes a small noise, he doesn’t know whether it’s a protest something else, but he can see her lips parting from the corner of his eye so he barrels on. He must finish this.
“I’m distracted, irritable… don’t even get me started on my social life. My brother keeps asking me who this girl is that’s got me in knots and I don’t know what to tell him! The best part of my week is coming here,” his hand sweeps out again, encompassing the space enfolding them. “So… this has to end.” At last he risks a glance her way. She’s looking at him with an expression of… well he can’t exactly tell what she’s looking at him with, it’s too dark, but her silence suggests that this was a bad idea.
He keeps going.
“I guess what I’m saying is… My name’s Lee.” He sticks his hand out awkwardly over the barrier of their armrests. “And I’d like to take you out some time, somewhere other than the planetarium, preferably somewhere with better lighting.”
For a long moment there is nothing but silence and his hand stretched between them. Shadows of other mid-morning patrons shuffle past his peripherals reminding him that they aren’t quit alone and she stares at him with that same unreadable expression. But there’s a light in her eyes and a soft curl to her mouth that gives him hope. They’re about the only things he can see clearly in the darkness of the theatre.
With a click the room is illuminated with light from projections of billions upon billions of stars. Lee blinks in shock, his eyes flicking away from her to take in his surroundings. For a moment he’d forgotten where he was.
And then she laughs. Well, snorts would be the more accurate term, but either way he’d fairly certain it’s the best thing he’s heard all day, even if it is followed by a particularly passionate shushing sound from three rows back. At least she hasn’t left yet, or called security, that’s something.
“Kara,” she whispers, taking his hand. A jolt shocks up his arm, jumping from her skin to his as she tugs him forward to speak in his ear. “And you’re an idiot.”
It’s his turn to stare now. Only, where she had been enigmatic and possibly a little bit devastating, Lee is certain that he looks like some sort of fish gasping for breath. He clears his throat and glances down at their still joined hands. “Uh… is that a yes?”
The shushing sound returns louder than before. At least Lee musters up the decency to look embarrassed. Kara however, rolls her eyes and snorts again. “Oh shut it, the presentation hasn’t even started.” When she turns back her bottom lip is stuck between her teeth and her eyes are gleaming.
“So is that a yes?” He asks again, quieter this time.
“No.” She shrugs nonchalantly, her thumb gently brushing over the back of his hand. “You didn’t ask a question.”
He chuckles, suddenly grateful for the darkness. “True,” he nods, dropping her hand with a small twinge of regret. “Well, Kara,” he draws out her name, rolling it off his tongue and finding he liked the way it sounded. “Would you like to have dinner with me?”
The speakers in the theatre fizzle to life as the smooth baritone of the Sunday morning presenter introduces himself. Kara takes his hand once more as the stars around them light up, showing the room the Kepler-11 planetary system. Her breath in his ear has his skin shivering.
“How ‘bout lunch?”
Rating: PG
Paring: Kara/Lee
The planetarium is her favorite spot in the city, has been for as long as Kara can remember. And not because she has a thing for overly enthused tourists or unenthused schoolteachers, as one particularly puerile coworker suggested. She comes here to try and loose herself. Lately it’s been working; she thinks it might have something to do with the company.
The chair beside her squeaks as he takes his seat. They haven’t officially spoken, but like her, he’s been here every Sunday morning since December. And sitting in the dark surrounded by stars and him, she’s finally at peace.
***
“We have to stop this,” he tells her quietly. “I know what you’re going to say, but…” He can’t look at her; she’s dazzling. She’s the sun and he needs to get this out before she burns him.
“Look, it was fine for a while, just you, me, the stars,” he gestures to the enveloping blackness. The heavens spin around them, but even in the dark he’s hesitant to turn her way. “Except now it’s starting to affect my work.” She makes a small noise, he doesn’t know whether it’s a protest something else, but he can see her lips parting from the corner of his eye so he barrels on. He must finish this.
“I’m distracted, irritable… don’t even get me started on my social life. My brother keeps asking me who this girl is that’s got me in knots and I don’t know what to tell him! The best part of my week is coming here,” his hand sweeps out again, encompassing the space enfolding them. “So… this has to end.” At last he risks a glance her way. She’s looking at him with an expression of… well he can’t exactly tell what she’s looking at him with, it’s too dark, but her silence suggests that this was a bad idea.
He keeps going.
“I guess what I’m saying is… My name’s Lee.” He sticks his hand out awkwardly over the barrier of their armrests. “And I’d like to take you out some time, somewhere other than the planetarium, preferably somewhere with better lighting.”
For a long moment there is nothing but silence and his hand stretched between them. Shadows of other mid-morning patrons shuffle past his peripherals reminding him that they aren’t quit alone and she stares at him with that same unreadable expression. But there’s a light in her eyes and a soft curl to her mouth that gives him hope. They’re about the only things he can see clearly in the darkness of the theatre.
With a click the room is illuminated with light from projections of billions upon billions of stars. Lee blinks in shock, his eyes flicking away from her to take in his surroundings. For a moment he’d forgotten where he was.
And then she laughs. Well, snorts would be the more accurate term, but either way he’d fairly certain it’s the best thing he’s heard all day, even if it is followed by a particularly passionate shushing sound from three rows back. At least she hasn’t left yet, or called security, that’s something.
“Kara,” she whispers, taking his hand. A jolt shocks up his arm, jumping from her skin to his as she tugs him forward to speak in his ear. “And you’re an idiot.”
It’s his turn to stare now. Only, where she had been enigmatic and possibly a little bit devastating, Lee is certain that he looks like some sort of fish gasping for breath. He clears his throat and glances down at their still joined hands. “Uh… is that a yes?”
The shushing sound returns louder than before. At least Lee musters up the decency to look embarrassed. Kara however, rolls her eyes and snorts again. “Oh shut it, the presentation hasn’t even started.” When she turns back her bottom lip is stuck between her teeth and her eyes are gleaming.
“So is that a yes?” He asks again, quieter this time.
“No.” She shrugs nonchalantly, her thumb gently brushing over the back of his hand. “You didn’t ask a question.”
He chuckles, suddenly grateful for the darkness. “True,” he nods, dropping her hand with a small twinge of regret. “Well, Kara,” he draws out her name, rolling it off his tongue and finding he liked the way it sounded. “Would you like to have dinner with me?”
The speakers in the theatre fizzle to life as the smooth baritone of the Sunday morning presenter introduces himself. Kara takes his hand once more as the stars around them light up, showing the room the Kepler-11 planetary system. Her breath in his ear has his skin shivering.
“How ‘bout lunch?”