(ง'̀-'́)ง (hairbender) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2017-06-17 17:13:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, asami sato, lena luthor |
I was supposed to show you an airplane, right?
Who: Asami and Lena Luthor
What: A friendly dinner is actually a date
When: Early June
Where: A restaurant and then FI
Status: complete
Rating: PG-13 for heavy flirting
Let it never be said that Asami didn’t go all out. Outside of the workshop, her idea of a casual date dress was formal for a lot of people. It had been drilled into her from a young age that she had to appear and act a certain way. She actually enjoyed it (it had let her feel closer to her mom), but sometimes.
She could go a little overboard, but she really did love dressing up.
She showed up at Lena’s in her red cobra, her make-up and hair on point and her dress just this side of slinky.
It hadn’t been easy for Lena to figure out what direction to go in for the night. As she’d begun preparing for just a fun night with a friend a few days ago, it occurred to her suddenly that maybe she had it wrong. What if this wasn’t just a fun night? What if this was a date? That particularly terrifying thought had led into a frankly insane round of singing that she was not at all proud of, and would not be mentioning to anyone.
It seemed a little ridiculous to assume that it was a date, considering that neither one of them had mentioned it being such. But, at the same time, she doubted Asami would deny that things had gotten… more-than-friendly during their lunch a few weeks ago. Maybe it was ridiculous to assume that it wasn’t a date?
After a full day of back and forth, Lena eventually decided to calm down and play it neutral. A simple dress wouldn’t make it clear either way, and she could either let Asami set the tone, or let them decide for themselves during the event in question. It sounded simplest.
When she opened her door that late Friday afternoon and saw what Asami was wearing though, she suddenly felt silly for being confused. Considering that dress? It was definitely a date.
“Hi,” she said finally, after a few moments of silence. If her greeting was a little breathless, she doubted that anyone would blame her.
"Hey!" Asami grinned at her, feeling suddenly nervous and... assumey. That was a word. She insisted upon it. She ducked her head. "You look really good. I'm ... probably overdressed, aren't I. I do that. Sometimes. A lot of the time."
“No!” Lena exclaimed, shaking her head vigorously. “You’re not overdressed.” But how did she explain ‘I intentionally dressed this way to avoid looking stupid because I didn’t know if this was a date or not’ without looking like a complete idiot? “I just wanted to wear something I didn’t care about as much, just in case we started on the plane today.” Never let it be said that Lena Luthor couldn’t think on her feet.
Deciding to get this show on the road, she grabbed her clutch from the table next to her door before stepping out of it and locking it behind her. Now that she knew it was a date, she felt the nervous energy start to bubble and turn into something like genuine excitement.
That only increased when she saw the Cobra. Was she hungry, or was that flip her belly something else? “Well that certainly puts my poor Nissan to shame.”
"We'll try to avoid ruining that dress," Asami said, her eyes moving after Lena. She wet her lips, and followed after her to her car. "I realized I was spending money on everyone but myself, so I decided to get myself something nice. I've had her for a couple of years now. She's as fun as she looks."
It wasn't just pride in her baby. Asami was picking up on Lena's excitement and she didn't know if it was just the car or not. Her heart started thundering in her chest.
Should she get the door? Who got the door? Asami had already started to open it for Lena when that question occurred to her.
Lena would really appreciate not getting her dress ruined, but she also was not above working on the plane in it. She’d done worse.
She had to stop herself from practically salivating over the car; from popping the hood and taking a look at the engine and dreaming about making something similar. Instead, she turned to Asami. “So, what are her specs? Does she live up to Sato standards?”
As she walked toward the car, she was genuinely surprised when Asami pulled the door open for her, confirming once and for all that this was definitely a date. Well, then. She’d just enjoy herself.
“Oh, she lives up to my standards. 428 cubic inch V8, with 360 horsepower." Asami closed the door, sauntering around the front of the car before getting into the driver’s seat. She looked momentarily nervous, before she tried to pretend to be confident. “I hope you’re starving. And hold on to your butt.”
The engine roared and they took off like a shot.
Although Lena liked and appreciated the mechanics of cars and what it took to build a good one, she couldn’t say she was as much of a speed demon as Asami. In fact, though she didn’t mind driving, she didn’t love it. She appreciated smooth ride more than your average person, but riding with Asami? Whoa.
“And how many tickets have you gotten?” She said, laughing as they stopped at a red light. “And, for the record, I think my butt is three blocks back.”
“How many tickets? Yes.” Asami glanced at her and grinned. “Should we go back. It would be a shame to lose such a fine work of art.”
That was too much. Was that too much? Asami couldn’t help herself.
Lena rolled her eyes at Asami’s response, ignoring the blush that crept up into her cheeks. That was way too corny for her to even reply to, let alone to get embarrassed about.
“Just drive, Sato.” She said, laugh clear in her voice. “I’m hungry.”’
“If you insist, Ms Luthor.”
Asami had chosen a vegan place out of respect for Lena. It wasn’t super expensive (by Asami’s standards anyway), but it wasn’t a casual cafe either. She found a parking spot, and shut the engine down. “Now, I know you want a look under the hood, but this is a first date.” She paused. “Right?”
Lena didn’t hesitate. “Right.” Sure, she was still nervous about it, but it was abundantly clear that it was the reality. Lena wasn’t much in the business of ignoring reality because it made her more comfortable.
A surge of affection took hold in her chest as she saw the restaurant that they were sitting outside of, a known vegan hotspot. She hadn’t been there yet - hadn’t found a reason to justify spending the cash when she had no one to share the meal with - but this seemed like the perfect place for a first date: quiet and intimate. Asami was pulling out all of the stops, and Lena had to admit it: She was swooning a little.
“And I was sure I was the only vegan engineer in SoCal. Was I wrong?”
“I’m not,” Asami admitted. She smiled at her, and put a hand on her knee for a little bit of playful dramatic, “But you’re worth the sacrifice.”
It wasn’t much of a sacrifice, it wasn’t like vegan food was bad or lacked flavor.
Lena’s eyes followed Asami’s hand as it landed on her knee, feeling her cheeks get warm again. Was this really her life? To be endlessly charmed by her probably-more-than-a-friend on what was definitely a date, to the point that her cheeks became permanently red? Maybe she was being a little dramatic, now.
Finally gathering herself, Lena took Asami’s hand as it rested on her knee, putting on a very earnest, “Your magnanimity is greatly appreciated.”
Lena's touch sent a little jolt through Asami that she wasn't expecting, and her cheeks started to match Lena's. "I ... well. I'm always up for trying new things. You'll never get me to give up some things, but we'll see how it goes."
“Yeah.” Lena said, charmed and suddenly a little breathless after seeing the effect that their contact was having on Asami. “We’ll see.”
She knew that they really needed to get out of the car. It would have been one thing if they were actually having a conversation, but they were literally just sitting, holding hands. It was a little ridiculous, and they should definitely go continue on with the date.
But Lena was a little taken at the moment by how much she really liked this woman in front of her, and she wasn’t sure that she could be the one relied on to make the first move out of the car. Normally, she was decisive and forward, entirely willing to do the necessary thing. But right now? She wasn’t. She really, really wasn’t.
Asami remembered her joke to Helena, about it probably being a good idea to not pounce on Lena while in the engine block of a P-51. She couldn't remember why that was a bad idea.
"I've been meaning to ask you," Asami said. She wasn't inclined to move either, feeling like there was a moment here that could be spoiled. "Besides mechanical things, what else do you like? Music and movies, books, that kind of thing."
“Um,” Lena started eloquently, suddenly forgetting everything she’d ever heard, seen or read. This was getting irritating now - she knew she was normally smoother than this. “In terms of music, I’m a fan of classics - soul especially. Al Green was always on when I was working as a kid. To this day, when I’m stuck on something, I’ll throw on Let’s Stay Together, and things will start to flow again.
“Which is ironic, considering that I absolutely loathe romantic comedies. I’m much more of an action girl - don’t get me started on the Mad Max series. I could wax poetic for hours, Asami. Hours.” She chuckled at herself then, absently tucking a piece of hair behind her ear with her free hand. “And books. Well, I am currently making my way through as many books on Quantum Field Theory as I can gobble up. I just find it so fascinating. But, if you must know, my favorite novel is Jane Eyre. It feels like a cliche, but I can’t help who I am.”
She finished with a duck of her head, unfamiliar with revealing so much of herself at once. But she refused to dwell in the sudden surge of shyness, instead ready to move on to a more interesting topic than herself. “What about you? I know there’s more to Asami Sato than fast cars and oddly perfect hair.”
Asami nodded, her smile widening the more Lena spoke. Soul music. She made another mental note in the rapidly growing Lena Luthor File.
It was only natural that it would somehow circle back around to work, but she'd allow it (and understood it). "I've only ever seen Fury Road."
But how could she not? Cars and action and Furiosa. "And I've read Jane Eyre. Most of the classics because my dad put me in one of those uptight girls only boarding schools." Which were a lot less uptight than advertised.
She touched her hair with her free hand. "With music, my playlists are kind of... all over the place. But when I really need to get down and work I'll put on electronica. But I grew up on classic rock, and I've recently developed a taste for those old big brass bands."
And then there was her dirty little secret. "And... promise you'll never tell anyone this. But I'm really into jPop and kPop. But you have to keep that a secret, forever."
“Oh, we’re watching it.” It was decided. “It’s magnificent and every person should experience the entire series. If you can get over Mel Gibson. Sometimes you just have to tune him out.” But the movies were still worth seeing. Especially the 80s-tastic costumes and hair, which eventually, of course, led to the absolute gem that was Fury Road.
Lena nodded as they moved on to music. “I can appreciate a good classic rock playlist. And my dad was into Big Band music - I definitely don’t dislike it.”
At the announcement of Asami’s big, dark secret, Lena couldn’t help it, she snickered. “I’m sorry, that was not a reaction to the quality of the music, I just wasn’t expecting that from you. All I’ve ever seen of JPop and KPop was a little too… energetic for me. Maybe you can show me some of it that you like sometime?” She said, smiling hopefully. “And, I promise. Your secret’s safe with me.”
"I have a projector," Asami told her, a wicked grin on her face. Might as well go all out, right? "That I never actually get to use."
She could thank her dreams for the big band music. And ... "And jazz, how could I forget jazz?"
Lena's reaction to the kpop went about as expected, and Asami elbowed her, yet somehow without letting go o her hand. "I can show you a few videos and you'll start to understand. But I have a small advantage in that I speak both languages."
“I look forward to our inevitable movie night, then.” Lena says with a smile, feeling light and fluttery at the idea of making plans with Asami. It felt like they were slowly turning this first date into several more, and she really liked the idea of that.
Lena was impressed, but not surprised, at Asami’s mastery of the two languages. She had never been the type that took up languages easily, and though she did speak more than one, she was always impressed by those that spoke multiple languages. “Really? Well, I guess you’ll just have to teach me, too.”
"It sounds exciting. Have you ever seen Pacific Rim?" If Lena liked Fury Road, she might like Pacific Rim. Maybe they could build their own giant robot.
"My father is Japanese, so I had a little bit of a head start there." She leaned in close, her eyelids at half mast and an almost come hither expression on her face. "But I'd happily give you lessons in my native tongue."
“Yes, I have. I think I still have sketches of the Jaeger that I was designing after I saw the movie.” Lena said, a little embarrassed. “I’ve always had a soft spot for robots.” After her brother introduced her to battle bots, it was all over. Designing them would always be her first love.
“I-” Lena started, only to stop as Asami drew closer to her. As much as she intellectually knew that this was a date, it wasn’t until that moment that she really realized that the feelings she was having for Asami didn’t have to go unacknowledged anymore. It didn’t take any further thought - at that moment, Lena closed the shrinking distance between them, softly kissing the woman in front of her.
Designing a robot honestly sounded like a lot of fun. Automatons were not exactly her dream-self's pervue, but she'd thought about ideas like that. In this world, she could make them a reality.
So lost in thought about the potential projects they could work on that Asami had forgotten about the other project they were working on. Namely their date. Lena's lips were an unexpected but welcome softness against her own and her eyes fluttered shut. She didn't pull away, and instead leaned into it.
It was a rare moment that found Lena not thinking. Her brain was constantly on the move - contemplating the complexities of the life she lived, coming up with new and better ways to do necessary things, and, generally, overthinking any and every social interaction that she had.
So the moment that she’d decided to just give in and kiss Asami was a rare one indeed. One that was fleeting, destined to be a short one as her natural tendency to overthink began to kick up again, causing her to doubt her decision.
And then Asami leaned in.
Lena’s hand came up to cup Asami’s cheek as she kissed her thoroughly, revelling in the feeling. It’d been so long since she’d even really hugged or held hands with anyone, let alone kissed them. That she was now, and it was with someone that understood her so well, that she had real feelings for? That meant something. First date etiquette be damned.
It made Asami want to giggle, and she grinned into the kiss. There was energy in Lena's kiss that Asami responded to eagerly. There'd always been this underlying tension between them in the few times they'd met before their lunch and it was a bit like a dam breaking.
Asami just prayed this wouldn't end up being a mistake. She was good at making mistakes.
The feel of Asami’s lips against her was addictive, and Lena found a hard time letting go of such a feeling. Still, the crick in her back from leaning over the console (and, naturally, the need to breathe), told her that even this very, very good thing had to end.
She pulled away with notable effort, resting her forehead against Asami’s as she caught her breath.
“I would like to say, for the record,” Lena stated, eyes fluttering shut, “that I do not regret that.”
Inhaling deeply, Asami opened her mouth to respond in kind, only to giggle a little uncontrollably. When she had control of that she breathed out, “That was amazing.”
She’d just had her heart shattered, what, two months ago? Yet here she was, and she had no regrets. Maybe good things happened for a reason - she’d have hated to have connected with Lena while she was with someone.
Asami’s fingers rubbed into Lena’s hair before she could stop herself. “Didn’t we have plans?”
“Hmm?” Lena said, entirely distracted by the feeling of fingers running through her hair. That should not have felt as good as it did. She was clearly farther gone than she thought.
Soon, though, Asami’s words registered. “Sure, yes. We did have plans. We should probably go in.” She said, making no move to get out of the car.
It was with great reluctance that Asami pulled away. She tossed her hair back in an attempt to play it cool, then got out of the car. There was a refreshingly needed cool breeze and she reigned in her feelings as she leaned against her car door. Lena was brilliant and had amazing lips and she was doomed. “I’m suddenly really thirsty.”
Lena straightened herself out as Asami exited the car, flopping back against the seat for a moment to catch her breath. Fanning herself with her hand, she finally got out of the car as well, circling it to meet her date.
“Really? Strangely, so am I.” She said with a smirk, offering her hand out to Asami as they made their way into the restaurant.
For a moment Asami thought Lena had intentions of pressing against her and making out on the car. And for a moment, Asami would have been okay with that. Or maybe it was just a fantasy. Either way, that didn’t happen, and she breathed again, taking Lena’s hand as they walked. “Hopefully we don’t get too distracted when I show you the plane.”
Lena laughed, suddenly feeling the lightness of all the nervousness she’d carried into the date leaving her. A good make out session worked wonders, it seemed. “I’ll try to control myself,” she said, knowing that if their focus was really on the plane, she’d likely do just fine resisting the temptation. She was pretty good at focusing on the task at hand, above all else. But the truth was that she likely wasn’t going to want to. “I’ll try my best to resist you.”
As they walked into the restaurant, Lena found herself content with just this: the bantering back and forth, the being close to each other. How was this just their first date? And if she already felt like this, how screwed was she going to be on date two? Date five?
She shook her head, trying to focus on the moment. Best to just see how it went.
"...I'll have to try my best to make myself irresistible," Asami countered, her thumb rolling in a soft pattern over Lena's hand. It felt really natural, and if she was being truthful with herself, it hadn't felt this natural with Kit or Buffy. Really the only other person it had was a dream girl she'd accepted she'd never see.
Lena, for the nth time that night, blushed at what Asami was implying. She had no objection at all to that. She definitely wasn’t the one that led the way out of the car, after all.
“Well, you won’t have to do much trying there,” she said boldly, winking at Asami and fighting the urge to use their linked hands to pull her closer. Instead, she sunk into the calming feeling that overcame her at the soft patterns being drawn on her hand, and led the way to the restaurant.
They were shown to their seats, and Asami slipped the man a little extra cash for the good seats. There were benefits to having money, and he looked like he could use a little extra money anyway. Leaving a big tip was something that Asami enjoyed.
Of course, to sit, she’d have to let go of Lena’s hand in order to sit, and her skin buzzed a little once contact was broken. “Have you made any breakthroughs in your project yet?”
Start with something safe, and she knew they could both talk shop for hours.
Resting her arms on the table, Lena felt herself lean in towards Asami almost without realizing it. She didn’t fight the impulse; if they couldn’t hold hands, then they could at least be somewhat close.
Ugh. She hated herself for how much better that thought made her feel.
“On my black body field generator?” She asked, eyes lighting up at the prospect of talking about her pet project. “Somewhat. It’s odd, but I’m struggling to choose a broader application to it than creating an electromagnetic black hole in the middle of the city. Don’t get me wrong - I can think of a thousand things than it can do - but they’re secondary to my original idea, and therefore require very specific tinkering.” It was odd, really. The idea for the generator - the first of its kind - just came to her one day with no real context. That’s not usually how her ideas for inventions work -- there’s usually a problem she wants to solve. But not in this case.
But that was beside the point. She had the generator; now she had to decide what to do with it.
“Any ideas for a fellow inventor?”
Asami couldn't help it, she nudged one heeled foot against Lena's, just to see her reaction. "Yes!"
What practical uses it might have were certainly a consideration. "There's also research. There's so much we don't know about physics, especially with black holes. A safe, stable one would be welcome by many scientists. Even just the generator itself is huge."
She did think of one idea, and it might be applicable to some of her own work. "If it affects gravity and mass, what if the field can be used to improve acceleration and maneuverability in aircraft? Either to dampen g-forces or to make it lighter so that it goes faster on less energy?"
Asami was just pulling ideas from thin air, and she didn't fully know what Lena's generator was capable of, but brainstorming was fun and sometimes good concepts could come from it. "Or if it's self-sustaining could it generate power?"
“It is self sustaining, but at the expense of everything else.” Lena started, falling into the rabbit hole that was quantum mechanics. “You see, a black body is ideal in that it absorbs all electromagnetic radiation and emits it as thermal radiation in a perfect spectrum. The generator mimics this activity by matching the level of electromagnetic energy of a certain object and then absorbing it, thus rendering the object inert. So, while I could in theory use the generator to create significant amounts of energy, it’s likely that it would require the input of significant amounts of energy to do so.” Even as she spoke, though, the wheels in her head were already turning.
“With a few adjustments, though, it could likely be used to selectively choose what energy it absorbs, thus redistributing the energy in a more efficient way. That’s an interesting thought.” Lena said honestly, already taking mental notes on what such a phenomenon would require. “Then, of course, it’s not so much a black body anymore, but that’s neither here nor there.”
The waitress arrived at that moment, looking extremely confused and grateful she’d finally caught Lena’s attention. Okay, so she might have gotten a little carried away.
After their drink orders had been taken, Lena turned her attention back to Asami. “What about you? How’s that rocket bike coming?”
Lena’s science speak was making Asami give her some heart eyes. She really was brilliant and she thought their intelligence was complimentary. Lena could get carried away any time.
“I'm wondering if it might be applicable to some of my designs…”
She smiled at Lena, “Engine test was successful, I have more wind tunnel tests schedules for next week.”
Lena smiled at the thought of their powers combining. “It very well could be. You should come check it out sometime.” And if ‘checking it out’ involved making out on Lena’s couch while the generator sat on the table, then so be it.
“That’s it? I practically give a lecture on quantum mechanics and all I get from you is ’engine test was successful’? I refuse to accept that.”
Asami laughed, leaning forward on her elbows. The table was small enough that it left very little space between them and her foot nudged Lena’s again, “Thrust to weight ratio is off the charts. I should be able to hit 800 mph on the ground. I’m experimenting with light alloys, trying to find the right kind of combination that’s strong while still being light. Since I want to make a variation with wings, capable of lift and reaching orbit it needs to be able to withstand re-entry too, but I’m thinking it will need to be a heavily modified design at the very least. I have a special power supply that’s lightweight as well, but I’m having difficulty duplicating it.”
The fact that it was magic crystals from her ex-girlfriend probably didn’t need to be mentioned.
“Much better.” Lena said smoothly, smirk fixed in place as she felt a subtle nudge against her foot. Two could play at that game.
Clearing her throat, she slipped her foot from its heel and lightly ran it down Asami’s shin one time, before slipping her heel back on and retreating to her side of the table. Check.
“That sounds more than just successful to me. That sounds phenomenal,” she said, completely sincere in her enthusiasm. “I’d love to help you with the alloy, but my concern is usually “will this blow up” rather than “can I make it fly”, so. I don’t know how much help I’d be. As for the fuel, what are you using? Maybe I can help you duplicate it.”
A breath caught in Asami's throat, and she stuttered once and fell silent.
Checkmate. Breathlessly, Asami answered, "I'll keep you up to date on the alloys, as for the power supply, it's a form of energy that's kind of new. I'll show you it at the shop, because I barely understand it myself. It's almost magical."
At least most of Helena's technology was understandable. But magic? How could she? It was still science, she believed that, but she was still putting together how it all worked. "Which reminds me, I'm making something for a friend based on some technology she showed me. Basically a holographic photo album."
Lena almost laughed at Asami’s reaction to her move, grinning widely even as she paid close attention to what the other woman had to say. “I'd love that. Thank you for keeping me involved. I know you don't have to.” And that was the truth. But as far as she was concerned, the more excuses she could find to be around this woman, the better.
“That sounds impressive. How’s it coming along?” Lena stopped herself from throwing a barrage of questions at Asami the way she wanted to, deciding, for once in her life, to play it cool.
Two could play that game, and Asami upped the stakes when she put her hand over Lena's on the table, and trailed her fingers along her wrist.
"I want to." Asami was genuinely earnest in that. "I only know one person who I consider a friend that can even keep up with me and I can't monopolize all her time. Besides, she's married. It's an... open marriage but that was starting to get weird."
Still, it have given Asami some very new and very interesting experiences. But that wasn't what she'd been looking for. She realized she was being very honest about this and was a little surprised at herself. But she supposed Lena should know that had been a thing too.
"It's done. I reverse engineered some special technology and miniaturized it. I snuck some pictures of her and her daughter and that's going to be my gift to her."
It was a little unfair, as far as Lena was concerned, to do that and then drop a bomb in the middle of the conversation. Her attention was clearly fractured - the skin on her wrist felt like it was on fire - and now she had to think well enough to formulate a response? So unfair.
“Um… what?” She said finally, as the pieces began to fall into place. She blinked once, then twice. Being the third wheel in an open marriage was… very strange, and definitely not her cup of tea, but it was most importantly Asami’s business. That she was sharing it meant something, and though Lena had to admit that it made her a little uncomfortable when she thought about it, the little spike of affection that welled up in her definitely didn't. “I mean, yes. I can definitely see how that'd get weird.”
Shifting her focus back to the hologram, Lena visualized it, finding the whole idea exciting. “You have to let me see it before you give it to her.”
Asami's fingers lingered on Lena's wrist, and she stroked around to the sensitive inner skin. Her face was burning, and she wasn't sure if she felt ashamed or not. She supposed it depended on how Lena reacted to it.
When Lena didn't outright reject her, Asami let out a relieved breath. "I will. Maybe you'll have a few suggestions on how to improve it. I have a certain aesthetic to my designs too. Very... steampunkish."
The gentle caresses to her forearm felt to Lena like she’d stuck a fork in an electrical socket, sending small, frequent shocks up her arm and through her body. At first, she considered retaliation. The reaction that she’d received from her last move was well worth the effort, after all. But there was a difference, here. While she’d run her foot up Asami’s calf solely to get a reaction out of her, this felt almost more intimate; more personal. Despite the shocks, the movement had an almost calming effect. She’d never felt this before, and she wanted to enjoy it while it lasted.
So, instead of retaliating, Lena simply enjoyed it, trying to the remember the last time she’d been touched like this. Or, for that matter, the last time she’d felt like this. She wasn’t sure she had.
Zoning back into the conversation, Lena laughed lightly. “I’ve noticed. It’s kind of your trademark.”
It was rather difficult to keep her mind focused on other things. There was depth to Lena's eyes, and her skin was soft and warm. At least Asami was usually able to focus on work-related type things. It was just harder than usual right now.
"So are you saying I'm old fashioned or are you saying I just have style?”
Lena shrugged, considering the question and finding that she really didn’t care to honestly answer. “Which do you prefer? Because I’m kind of in the mood to say what you want to hear.” She didn’t mean for her tone to be sultry or seductive, but it did come out deeper than normal. Asami’s continued caressing was to blame, she was sure.
That actually threw Asami off. Not in any bad way, but Lena’s voice did thing to her insides. She took a breath. “I like the idea of having style. It certainly makes my stuff unique.”
Asami was suddenly conflicted on if she wanted Lena to be a dreamer. On the one hand, she wouldn’t sound insane. On the other hand, Dreaming could be traumatic for some people. But how else could she explain some of her style without referencing another life?
“Well, it’s that already.” Lena said, thinking of how easy it was to tell if a certain technology came from Future Industries. Sure, the style gave it away, but even without that there weren’t many companies doing the things Asami was, and there were certainly none doing them better. “But if you think that having a style could add to your brand recognition, then I think that’s a very good thing.”
"Retro is kind of in. Though I think I'm moving away from steampunk and more into diesalpunk, which might be fun. Lots of chrome and curves." Except for the airship design, all that gold trim and the jade-colored windows. She loved it.
When she got around to producing an entire line of airships to compete with cargo and passanger hauling, she was going to keep that aesthetic.
“I’ve never even heard of dieselpunk, but I’m assuming it’s a variation on what you’re already doing?” Lena asked, trying to picture in her mind what kind of things dieselpunk might entail. “I don’t know, I’ve gotten so used to the steampunk, I don’t know if I can take the change.” She said, a small smirk on her face making it clear she was joking.
"Know how everyone thought the future would look like in the 40s and 50s? Lots of fins on everything, chrome, and so on." A bit like Fallout, to be honest.
Asami batted her eyes at Lena, "If you can't keep up, honey, you're going to be left in the dust."
“Oh, I don’t know about that.” Lena said, placing her elbow on the table and leaning her head on her arm, smiling coquettishly at Asami. “I mean, you wouldn’t leave me behind, would you?”
“I’ll just reach out,” Asami said, moving her hand to Lena’s cheek. “And make sure you can keep up.” She finished that by trailing her fingers along Lena’s jaw before she pulled away.
This was fun and it was also going to kill her.
Lena’s heart sank a little with the loss of contact to her wrist, it was true, but when that hand relocated to her face? She couldn’t remember how to breathe properly, the desire to kiss the woman across from her was so strong. Unconsciously, her head followed Asami’s hand ever so slightly as it pulled back, undoubtedly giving away just how affected she was by the action.
Clearing her throat, she sat back fully in her chair, trying to gather herself from that checkmate. “I’m suddenly not very hungry.”
Asami wondered if she needed to tone the flirting down, but the way Lena was reacting to her was a bit like a drug, and it gave her a high. She responded with an airy, “Oh?”
Not for food, anyway was implied, but Lena didn’t see the need to be that blatant. Asami knew what she meant. “No, I’m now very anxious to see this plane.” Or to get back in the car.
“Why don’t we get a salad to go?” Asami suggested. She’d leave a big tip for their trouble, but she was suddenly eager to get out of here too. Likely for the same reasons, which made her pulse race and her stomach get butterflies.
“They call you a genius for a reason.” Lena said, flagging down the waitress as she walked by. She made her decision quickly, placing her order as she slipped of a shoe again, this time using her toes to tickle down Asami’s ankle continuously. Her gaze, though, remained innocent as she watched the other woman attempt to order.
Asami stumbled over the order three times before she got it out, and when she looked at Lena her eyes were smoldering. She suddenly didn’t know if they’d even make it to Future Industries. And that was an exciting thought.
The few minutes it took for the food to be made and delivered to them felt like an eternity. They were both unusually quiet verbally, but Lena swore she could have an entire conversation with Asami via their eye contact alone. A conversation that they really shouldn’t be having in public.
When the food finally came, Lena worked quickly, putting her shoes back on and rising from the table. Seeing Asami taking care of the bill, she made a beeline towards the door, knowing Asami would follow her lead.
Asami dropped a wad of cash on the table to cover both the meal and a tip, then followed Lena as quickly as she could without looking like she was in a hurry. No need to draw attention to herself, as it was there was always the danger of paparazzi. She’d gotten good at dodging them, though. At least she thought so.
She caught up to her and slid her hand along Lena’s back.
Asami’s hand on her back spurred Lena on, and she picked up the pace as they closed the short distance to the car. When they arrived, Lena turned, leaning on the car as she pulled Asami to her and closed the distance between them.
This kiss was nowhere near tentative, as she let out everything she’d been feeling in the restaurant against the lips of the woman in front of her. She kissed her deeply and without regard for where they were, delighting in the feeling. She could stay here forever.
This was probably going to end up in the tabloids. Asami didn't particularly care right now, with the feel of Lena between her and the car sending jolts through her body.
She cupped Lena's face with one hand, letting herself drown in taste of Lena's lips. Her other hand rested Lena's waist, fingers twitching with need.
Asami realized she was really, seriously screwed.
At the feel of the hands on her waist, Lena pulled Asami even closer, scooting one leg between hers as she ran her own hands through the other woman’s perfect hair.
It was still light out, which meant that they should really move this thing somewhere else. It was a thought that only vaguely passed through Lena’s mind, but it was enough to have her pull away slightly, taking a moment to catch her breath. “Can you open the car?” She didn’t know if they’d ever make it out of the parking lot, but at least the car would offer a modicum of protection.
Asami groaned. And it was an embarrassingly loud and lewd groan as she reached around to get the door open. And she then tried to get Lena in and close the door to put some measure of a barrier between them before she did something that might actually get them arrested.
Lena breathed heavily as she landed, by some miracle, in the passenger’s seat of the car, surprised when she heard the door click behind her and saw Asami still standing outside of it. She blinked in confusion, her mental faculties slowly returning to her at the separation. Her body still thrummed and her temperature was still elevated, but it wasn’t with the urgent need that it had been seconds ago.
Okay. This was fine. She probably needed to cool down, anyway.
Sure, when she’d asked for Asami to open the car, she more meant for them to slide into the backseat together, but this was probably better. It was just before the dinner rush, after all.
Asami took a moment to catch her breath, then tossed her hair over her shoulder which miraculously fixed it from how mussed it was getting. She stepped around the car, walking stiffly. Once inside she fired up the AC at full power.
She glanced at Lena and winced, reaching over to clean some lipstick from Lena’s face with her thumb. “I was supposed to show you an airplane, right?”
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this on around someone. And she was loving the effect she had on Lena.
“I vaguely remember that, yes.” Lena said, only slightly joking. The fog that had been clearing from her mind had thickened back up at the feel of Asami’s hand on her face, and she was trying to remember why exactly they’d stopped what they were doing. The blast of the AC, the effects of which finally hit her as Asami backed away, made quick word of her addled brain, though.
A thought suddenly occurred to her at that moment. “Wait a second.” She said, looking around the car and seeing no bags from the restaurant. “Did we walk off without our salads?”
Asami glanced at their laps, then looked into the back seat, and then she started laughing and couldn’t make herself stop.
Lena’s eyebrows rose, surprised at how quickly Asami had devolved into laughter. Unsurprisingly, though, it didn’t take much longer for her to join in, unable to help herself. Asami’s giggles were contagious and she soon found herself sucked in just as much, unable to breathe for a completely different reason than before.
“I’m going to get so hungry later.” She managed through her chuckles. “But stop. We have to stop. I want to see the plane.”
"I'm going to be starving too," Asami admitted, unable to tear her eyes from Lena's lips. She shifted the car into gear, and managed, barely, to focus on the road. "But we can order something delivered."
R&D was a large field with several buildings, miles away from the corporate office. There was an airfield, several hangers, and a race track. It wasn't the race track that was open to the public - it was purely for test driving vehicles. The airship was parked on the ground on a hill overlooking the airfield.
The main building had several labs and an adjacent hangar for larger projects, and it was this one that Asami parked in front of.
A shiver ran through her at the obvious meaning of Asami’s words, and she licked her lips involuntarily before turning to look straight ahead. They weren’t ever going to leave this parking lot if they didn’t start focusing on getting on the road. “Delivered. Sure.”
The ride over was quiet, giving her further time to refocus herself and calm herself down. When they pulled up to airfield, Lena couldn’t help but be beyond impressed. SI had one as well, but she didn’t work there, and had only seen it in passing. To see all that Asami was doing to further her company up close was… inspiring. And wildly attractive.
Stepping out of the car, Lena noticed the airship up on the hill. She’d heard of it before, but it was another thing seeing it. The size of the thing alone was mesmerizing. “This place is magnificent.”
“Hideously expensive,” Asami admitted. “But I inherited a lot of stake in the company, and bought out a few of my father’s old holdouts. It’ll pay for itself in a few years, and the publicity for other projects only raises brand awareness. And if you’ll notice, most of the team here are women.”
Some girls too, on internships. Asami took Lena’s hand once they were out of the car, and led her on a quick tour. Technically Lena was competition, so there were areas she skipped over. But the workshop itself was fine, as was the hangar where they’d work on the Mustang.
Which was in decent condition airframe wise, but that was about it.
The affection that welled in her when Asami took her hand was potent, and she couldn’t help the smile that broke out on her face. She paid close attention during the tour, she really did, but every once in awhile, she couldn’t help but return her gaze to their joined hands. Just for a glance, to make sure they were still clasped.
Just as she was about to make a comment on a few projects she’d heard rumors of, but hadn’t seen, they crossed the threshold of the hangar holding their plane. It wasn’t much to look at, truthfully, but she definitely saw the potential.
Lena’s smile widened. “This is going to be fun.”
“Yeah, it is.” Asami leaned her shoulder against Lena’s, and then her head. For the first time in a long time she was happy, and it felt like emotionally, things were looking up. She was so touch starved that this entire day had been a whirlwind. And she was excited to be caught up in it.