Lena Luthor just wants to do the science (quantized) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2017-06-01 16:03:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, asami sato, lena luthor |
Who: Asami Sato and Lena Luthor
When: Tuesday, 5/23, afternoon
Where: Future Industries, then Seabirds Kitchen in Costa Mesa
What: Two potential friends eat some kale.
Warnings: Dorkiness
Status: Complete
Lena crossed her legs again, letting out another sigh. She was sure she was making the receptionist curious at this point, but while she excelled at sitting quietly when necessary, she was just a little bit nervous. It wasn’t that she didn’t spend time around people. She wasn’t even really awkward, per se. She just… didn’t always fare well in social interactions, and honestly? She was really hoping for a friend.
As much as Lena didn’t mind that she lived a primarily solitary life, the lack of any real friends was not by choice. She knew that it was mostly to do with her being a complete workaholic that spent her free time researching theoretical technologies, but she couldn’t help but wonder: Was it maybe just… her? She hoped not. As much as she’d like a few friends, she also wasn’t willing to change. She liked who she was.
Which was why she was hoping to turn this thing with Asami (read: a flirtationship built over several tech conferences), a fellow workaholic, into a real friendship. That Asami was willing to give it a try too was, at the very least, a step in the right direction. They’d see where this went.
Lena wasn't the only one with few friends by choice. Every time Asami made a friend, or got romantic with someone, they left. Sometimes it was her fault for overworking or pining for Korra. Sometimes they just relocated or moved, but it didn't make Asami feel any more like a social failure. So she'd understand Lena on that level. At least she had Helena.
Asami could make an entrance. She came out of the elevator, her business skirt and shirt both a flattering shade of red and her hair hanging loosely down her back. It was a running joke at Future Industries that her hair was always perfect even after an afternoon at R&D and she made efforts to keep that rumor going.
She spotted Lena and tossed some of her hair back from her shoulder, "Either you're a little early, or I'm running a little late. I hope no one gave you any trouble."
Lena’s eyebrow arched as she saw Asami emerge from the elevator, taking note of how gorgeous the woman managed to look, halfway through a day of running a company. Asami was always objectively gorgeous - Lena had learned that long ago - but that didn’t mean it wasn’t entirely unfair that she managed to stay so put together. And her hair... Lena had Thoughts. Thoughts that she would not be sharing.
“I’m always a little early.” She said smoothly, standing to meet the other woman. See? She could be composed. Most of the time. “And no, your staff was perfectly polite.” After her purse from beside the chair, she stood back up, smiling calmly at Asami. “Shall we go?”
"I should have remembered. It's been too long." She hesitated, then gave Lena a hug. After her dreams especially, she'd gotten to be a touchier person, at least with those who didn't object. Besides, Lena was beautiful, with stunning eyes and other assets aside from her brilliant brain.
"I'm ready to go if you are. My car or yours? I don't actually know where we're going but I'm sure I could find it."
Lena accepted the hug with a bit of surprise, feeling herself blush slightly. She herself wasn’t much of a hugger, but she wasn’t about to say no to her almost-maybe friend. Especially since Asami was right - it had been awhile.
Laughing a bit at Asami’s question, she shook her head, pulling back from the hug and gently guiding Asami towards the door that led to her (perfectly legally) parked car. “No, no. It was my idea, so I’ll drive. You can take care of it next time.” With that, she led them out the doors and down the block and a half to her car, a very sensible Nissan. Nothing fancy, but she was proud of it.
Once she’d gotten in and buckled up, she waited until Asami had done the same before pulling out into traffic.
“So,” she started, trying to muster up something besides just small talk, “what have you been building lately?”
For Lena, it was simple: When in doubt, stick to the stuff you know.
"I'll just have to show my baby off next time," Asami joked, following Lena. She didn't typically walk through this part of the parking lot, but she didn't mind the walk either. And the Nissan was cute. Asami wondered how much she could increase its fuel efficiency while also increasing the power.
This probably wasn't an experiment with someone's car friendship just yet, though.
Getting comfortable in the seat, Asami glanced over at her. "Well, besides my two top secret projects, I've been spending a lot of time working on a powered glider suit with wings. I actually did a test flight a few months ago, but there's some room for ... improvement in materials."
Lena just shook her head, not acknowledging Asami’s comment otherwise. Of course she’d want to drive one of her cars - she made them. Lena could admit she was a little jealous. It’d been awhile since she put together a car, and she was eager to get a chance to do it again. That said, she was much too proud to admit this to Asami. This was all a little too new.
“...Is this a ploy to get me to come to Future Industries again? Because let me tell you, it’s working.” She said with a laugh, making left turn onto the highway. Don’t get her wrong, Stark was on the cutting edge of technology, but she had gotten a look at one of the more secretive projects, and while it was very cool… power glider suits.
She’d been at SI for almost two years now, and while she enjoyed herself, she hadn’t designed anything that really spoke to her in awhile. She couldn’t help but be tempted by what Asami was saying.
Asami's favorite was actually older than the two of them combined and then some. A lovingly cared for gas-guzzler that didn't really fit her company's green image.
She laughed. "You asked and I answered, but if you want to take it that way, it would be a lot easier to see you more than once in a blue moon."
Tossing her hair and winking, she added, "But I could be convinced to show you what I was working on this weekend."
Rolling her eyes good naturedly, Lena decided not to verbally admit that Asami had a point. Instead, she decided to focus on pushing down the slight blush that threatened to return at Asami’s comment, that she so helpfully finished off with a wink. This was not the time.
“I refuse to beg,” Lena said, voice even and quiet, “Luthors don’t beg. My mother would cross state lines just to tell me what a disgrace I’ve become. However, I will say that I can show you the black body field generator that I’ve been building in my spare time, should you need convincing to show me yours.” Hopefully not, seeing as Lena had put all her cards on the table already.
Pulling into the restaurant’s parking lot, she put her car in park, waiting for Asami’s answer. “Well?”
"My father is in jail, she might just cross state lines to accuse you of consorting with criminal elements." Asami's relationship with her dad was complicated, made the more so by what she'd dreamed of. While his anti-bender bigotry didn't really have something to compare to in the real world, he'd had a lot to say when she'd come home with a girlfriend.
That bombshell though, was a hell of a bombshell and Asami did a literal double-take. "Black body... really? In your spare time? That's way more amazing than my rocket bike!"
“Please don’t give her more ammunition. That’s the last thing she needs.” Lena said, trying not to wince at the fact that bringing up her mother had prompted Asami to bring up her father. She didn’t mean to open old wounds. She knew how parents could disappoint you, but she hadn’t experienced to that degree. Hopefully, she never would.
Lena barked at a laugh at Asami’s incredulous question. “Yes, really.” Honestly, the enthusiasm of Asami’s positive response surprised her - she knew it was a big deal, but after years of working on it alone in her apartment, she was beginning to think that it was just cool to her. “It’s taken half a lifetime, but I think it’s safe to say it’s finally operational. Now it’s just deciding what to do with it.” She could, of course, turn it over to the higher ups at SI, but then it would be theirs. The whole reason she made sure she was off the clock when she worked on it was so no one could hold claim to it but her.
“A rocket bike, though,” she started, smile coy and just slightly smug. “That’s cool, too.”
"Ten years of hard work finally paying off? You must be so excited!" Asami was also excited, just at the possibilities. "You might be able to start your own business with that."
Asami didn't consider it some kind of contest. She had been more or less offering some kind of mutual understanding that parents could be awful. Granted, Lillian Luthor wasn't in jail or anything, but still.
"I'm building two. One for the land speed record, and the second for an orbital attempt." Because why not dream big? She grinned back, feeling a little embarrassed. It sounded stupid next to what Lena was working on.
Unable to stop her traitorous circulatory system, Lena lowered her head as she started blushing once again. Okay, so Asami was this person that was becoming a friend. That was true. But she was also a titan of industry and one of the sharpest minds in their shared field. That kind of praise from her? It was no small matter. Lena couldn’t help but be affected.
“I’m excited beyond words, truly, but I don’t think I’m built to go out on my own. My brother’s the one with the dreams of having his own business. As much as I’d love the freedom of having the time and funds to do whatever I wanted, I don’t think I could ever be in charge. It’s too much of a juggling act. I just like to build.” She really did. She was pretty sure that if that was all she had to do in her life, she’d be happy.
Lena’s eyebrows rose at Asami’s declaration. “The orbital record? Really? Wow. What do your specs look like so far? Have you come up with a general design, or is all still theoretical? What are you thinking in terms of fuel? Something light, I’m assuming?” She didn’t mean to nerd all over Asami, but she couldn’t help it. Throwing around ideas for new technology was her idea of fun.
"You could consider hiring someone to do the business side," Asami suggested. It was something she considered. Even with people to help her out. But Asami liked to retain control. "Just make sure you retain full ownership."
She didn't know why, but Lena's reaction invoked a strong sense of protectiveness in her. And she didn't at all mind the nerding out. "The basic design is ready for testing. I was planning on just the land speed record, but while I was talking to my friend I decided I wanted to make the rocket bike actually go into space. I have an unusual fuel source that's light weight an powerful. It's similar to what's powering my glider suit. Right now it's a question of materials strong enough and that can be sealed well enough in a vacuum."
“Oh, don’t worry. I have no plans to sign over anything related to it. I have several patents already pending related to the design and development of the prototype.” Lena was a little inexperienced when it came to dealing with corporations and business, but she was a woman that did her homework. She knew just what she needed to do.
Asami wasn’t wrong; letting someone run the business side of a company where Lena essentially got to do what she wanted did sound like a pretty perfect arrangement. The problem was, though, finding someone she trusted to run the business. Lex was busy with his own start up, and she didn’t like the idea of merging the two, especially since it meant she’d likely find her way back in his shadow again. Besides him, though? She had no idea who she’d ask. It was something to think about.
Lena nodded as Asami spoke, already piecing together a vague idea of how something like what she was proposing would work. “I can think of a few things that I would try if I were you, but you’ve likely already tried them. I’ll jot them down though, just in case. As long as you promise to keep me briefed on the progress, of course.”
That was good to hear. Lena wasn’t stupid by any means but Asami had nearly made that mistake once herself and she never wanted to see someone so blindingly brilliant do the same thing. “That even goes for FI. I know it’s important to have your own projects.”
She flashed that megawatt smile of hers again. “I’ll happily take your notes. Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes can see something I’ve missed.”
Lena greatly appreciated the fact that Asami was serious that she should keep ownership of her invention. It was comforting to know that not everyone in their industry was so focused on profits that it didn’t matter who they stepped on in the process. That was a rarity. Of course, Asami had proven time and time again that she was just that. A rarity.
“Excellent,” she said, returning Asami’s contagious smile and making a mental note to grab a napkin at the restaurant.
...The restaurant they were currently sitting outside of, and had been for awhile. Had they really been that caught up? Wow. She hadn’t had a conversation that easy since she last saw Lex, which had been a while. It was a nice feeling. “Well,” she said, the smile she already possessed turning sheepish as she looked at Asami, “I suppose we should go inside?”
“It’s a good thing I’m in charge and can take a nice long lunch break if I need to,” Asami replied. She got out of the car, tossing her hair free as she stretched. The Nissan might be a little cramped for her, but she hadn’t wanted to mess with Lena’s seat. That just seemed kind of impolite. And if it was Asami’s car she’d feel nervous about someone messing with the dials too.
She watched Lena get out of the car with an easy smile.
“Lucky you. I, thankfully, never take anything resembling a lunch break, so my supervisor was so happy I decided to do more than wolf down a salad at my desk that he told me to take the afternoon. I have no plans to do so, but I at least have a little time to spare.” She said as Asami met her in front of the car and they made their way into the restaurant.
Before long, they’d been seated and given their drink orders, and Lena had to once again figure out something to say. Picking up the menu, she smiled over at Asami before averting her eyes to the words in front of her. “I hope you don’t mind vegan. It’s very good, I promise.”
In her Dreams, Asami had once taken three months off to follow the Avatar around the world. Granted, she’d had the excuse of ‘showing of the latest airship’ to drum up publicity, but her motivations had been anything but professional. By then she’d had people she could trust who could keep the business running.
Hopefully she’d have that kind of thing going in the waking world, too. “I don’t mind vegan.”
Asami wasn’t super picky, but she filed that information away for later.
Lena nodded, glad to hear it. She supposed that was a question that she should have asked before choosing the restaurant, but that’d require her remembering to keep others in mind, when she was so used to being by herself. Clearly, there was a learning curve involved in socialization.
“So I suppose that this is where we talk about ourselves, as opposed to our work.” Lena said, placing her menu back on the table as she made her decision. “So, Asami Sato,” she said, trying for a confident smirk, “tell me something I don’t know.”
"I think you know how hard it is to separate ourselves from our work," Asami teased. Lena seemed even more of a workaholic than Asami was.
After giving the menu a quick once over and choosing a salad, she smirked back. Some of the juicier bits were public knowledge, like the scandal with her father, her dating habits, the race track. But she did have something. "I used to street race. Late at night. I regularly clocked the boys."
Lena laughed, having to agree that any sort of compartmentalizing when it came to work and the rest of her life was extremely difficult to the point of almost being impossible for her. But that wasn’t to say that she didn’t like a challenge.
Cocking a brow, Lena’s smile widened. “I have to say, that doesn’t surprise me. Don’t get me wrong - it’s very, very cool - but you, taking the boys to school in illegal street racing? That is absolutely a very Asami Sato thing to do.”
"I'd sometimes take the custom Satoelectric car I put together, and I'd still win. It usually needed a recharge after a race, but that's neither here nor there," Asami boasted, eyes glinting. "It's not as fun to drive as an old fashioned GT-500, but it was really fun seeing the looks on their faces."
“I don’t doubt it. I imagine their hubris added to the satisfaction you got when winning, as well.” Lena took a sip of her drink, placing the glass back on the table before resting her chin on one arm. “Speaking of cars, I have to ask: Approximately how many have you built from scratch?”
"I'll tell you, if you share something about yourself." Asami wasn't going to let Lena get away with not talking about herself too. She was genuinely curious about Lena.
She leaned back and grinned.
Lena lifted her head from her arm, cocking it to the side as she thought. “Okay. I can do that.” Probably. She knew getting into this topic what was coming, but even so, she really did hate talking about herself. It was her own fault, though. She’d just have to deal with it.
“I invented my first device when I was six,” she started, smiling at the memory. “It was a massive internal battery with a built-in cooling system. It was for a robot I’d built. My brother and I did battle bots and the battery we’d bought was external and kept overheating. I’ve perfected and used that design in four different machines since then.”
"Six?" Lena really was brilliant, and Asami counted herself lucky to know her. "I tinkered a lot and took things apart but I didn't invent anything until I was ten."
That battery design sounded brilliant. "That's amazing. And the design still holds up? Now I really need to hire you, we always need better battery designs for the electric division."
Asami then held up four fingers. "To answer your question. Four cars. Three for work, one for fun. Five if you count the sixty-nine Cobra I restored. I've also really wanted to restore an old plane. Something like a Mustang, Zero or Spitfire."
They honestly looked like they'd be the most fun to fly. Asami tucked some hair behind her ears. "It might be fun to do it with a friend."
“Yes it does, for the most part. With some heavy modifications.” The shock in Asami’s voice at the knowledge that Lena had only been six had the dual purpose of both surprising and embarrassing her. She knew she was a genius - she’d known since she was four, in fact - but she knew that Asami was too. That someone so brilliant thought similar things about her? It bothered her, oddly. She didn’t know what to do with it.
Pushing that feeling aside, Lena instead decided to turn her attention to Asami’s revelation, and ignore her own completely.
“I can’t even imagine that. I mean, the one car I built was with my brother’s help, and it ran, but it was still mostly a hunk of junk. Satomobiles are top of the line. That’s amazing. You’re pretty talented, do you know that?” Lena said honestly.
With another sip of her drink, her eyebrows rose, imagining getting her hands on a plane. “I think you’re right. Did you have a friend in mind?”
"Thanks." Asami's cheeks colored. She knew what she was good at, but it was slightly embarrassing to get complimented by another genius. Also, pretty validating. In her dreams she had her fingers in everything, which was probably why she'd diversified Future Industries and spent a lot of time on various projects and products.
"It would have to be someone blindingly intelligent, and very good with her hands."
Lena shook her head. “I see no reason for you to thank me when I’m just telling the truth.” She said smoothly, smiling at the blush that decorated Asami’s cheeks. It was pretty cute, if she were honest.
Sputtering a little at Asami’s words - she’d processed them mid-drink, of course - she rose both eyebrows at the implications. Damn Lex for infecting her with his dirty mind. “I-uh. Well, I may know a person that meets those qualifications. I’m assuming you’re looking for someone that wouldn’t mind getting said hands dirty?”
“What's a little dirty between friends?” Okay Asami, that was bad. She covered up by taking a drink of conveniently timed water.
Oh, boy. Lena, while certainly not opposed to a little flirting (up until today, that was most of their interactions had consisted of, after all), had not properly prepared herself for this particular line of conversation. It was her turn to turn red, it seemed.
But far be it from her to back down, now that the gauntlet had been thrown.
“Good fun, if you ask me.” She said with a smirk, once she’d recovered. “And if that’s the kind of fun you’re offering? Sign me up.”
There was flirting and then there was this. Asami had issued a challenge and she had to follow through. It wasn't like it was unpleasant. “Then I'll have to find a frame and get our hands dirty.”
Her mind wasn't imagining the kind of things they could get up to in a cockpit.
Lena smiled, biting her lip as her traitorous mind began to wander. Maybe this wasn’t the safest line of conversation they could be exploring, but she had to admit: She was having fun.
She was silent for a moment, contemplating her next move. Just as she opened her mouth to reply, though, the waiter finally - and rudely, if you ask her - showed up to take their orders. She managed to get through her own without laughing at the absurdity of their current situation, but couldn’t help the few chuckles that came out as Asami placed hers.
“Okay,” she started, once they were alone again, “I’m sorry. Where were we?”
Asami covered up her own embarrassment well enough, hiding her mouth behind her hand, which didn't really cover her blush. She ordered and waited for Lena to order while wondering at herself.
“We were just discussing getting our hands all over a sexy plane’s fuselage.”
Lena just nodded seriously, as if their conversation wasn’t getting increasingly ridiculous in its overtly sexual nature. “That’s right. That oily, oily fuselage.” The snort of laughter that accompanied her comment was involuntarily.
A laugh escaped Asami’s lips too, and she lowered her head as a giggle-fit threatened to take hold. “And making that engine purr.”
“I’m glad I have no friends that will want to know what we talked about today.” Lena said, smiling widely at Asami, oddly taken in by her laughter. “I think this is going to have to remain between you and I.”
“Airplanes and inventions,” Asami replied. “Not a lie. If there is any other kind of meaning, that can stay between us.”
If they wanted that to mean something. Asami was gunshy, and it would be easy enough to just keep flirting lightly. Her eyes dipped to Lena’s hands, “I'm serious about the airplane.”
That probably didn't help either.
Lena shrugged with one shoulder, entirely fine with Asami’s assessment of the situation. “That’s very true. Now, though, we just sound like nerds.” Which was also very true.
Clearing her throat, Lena nodded, suddenly having no idea what to do with her hands. “I gathered. So am I.”
“Nerd is one way to describe us,” Asami assured her. Her eyes had lit up at the idea of working on the plane, and now she had a good excuse to look for one that could be restored.
“It’s settled then. I’ll locate something we can restore, and we’ll have to set aside a day every week to work on it! I always did want to get to know you better.”
Lena was quiet for a moment, a little embarrassed at Asami’s confession. It wasn’t that she didn’t feel the same - she too wanted to get to know Asami better - and it certainly wasn’t that she didn’t like the idea of taking on such a project. In fact, it was more that she did. She hadn’t exactly grown up thinking that she was the best company, or the type of person that people would really want to get to know. It was a little on the pitiful side, but she was pretty excited that someone, without prompting, had said that they really wanted to get to know Lena.
“I’m in if you are.” She said finally, taking a drink of water and absently wishing that it was scotch.
“I think this will be a lot of fun.” Asami always did have a problem of getting too excitedly forward with new people. Maybe that was why so many friendships - and relationships - had crashed and burned. She bit her lip to prevent herself from saying anything more, and prayed for the salad to arrive.