#either the like classic streetlight logo

[drakey-wakey]

thinking hard ab making myself a streetlight patch

[beaglesinbowties]

8, Kalex

8. In the dark kiss

Part of this universe of the band/Gone Home AU Cherry and I will never write.

“How are you doing tonight?” Lucy’s voice crackles just slightly over the mic. She grins as the crowd cheers. There’s sweat on her face from the lights and the several songs they’ve already performed, but she looks like she’s in her element.

Kara smiles, invigorated by the crowd just as much as the band. They’re her friends, after all, and she’s always thrilled to see them perform. Alex had offered her a chair just off-stage, but Kara couldn’t bear the thought of sitting there. This is going to be one of their last performances all together, and Kara doesn’t want to be anywhere else but the front row, pressed against the wood of the stage as she watches Alex--and the rest of her friends--pour their souls into their music.

“This next song is a special rendition of a classic. My dear friend, and honestly a-fucking-mazing guitarist-slash-singer, is going to be taking the lead on this one,” Lucy steps back and gestures to her right.

Alex grins brightly at the crowd, her left hand comfortably cradling the neck of her guitar as she tugs her free hand through her sweaty hair.

Kara’s heart feels like it skips a beat. Alex is a natural on stage in her dark ripped jeans and ragged white shirt with the hand painted band logo “Super Grrls” in bright red.

“I know you’re all here for some kick-ass music, but I hope you don’t mind if we slow things down just for a minute.” Alex glances down toward Kara as she finishes speaking, offering Kara a wink.

Kara bites the inside of her cheek.

Alex begins strumming her guitar, the lights dimming until she’s alone in the spotlight.

The familiar tune makes Kara freeze, her stomach fluttering as the fingertips of her right hand flutter over the wrist of her left. The night she’d gotten the tattoo, she and Alex had found themselves alone together on the hood of Alex’s beat up old Toyota, staring up at the stars as this song had played over the radio.

It had been the night that Alex had told she was joining the Army.

“You with the sad eyes, don’t be discouraged...”

Alex abruptly shifts her weight, moving so that she’s staring intently at Kara as she sings.

“I see your true colors, and that’s why I love you. So don’t be afraid...”

Kara lips part, unable to look away. There is no doubt in her mind that Alex is singing to her.

The rest of the song passes in a haze, Kara’s mind flooding with too many thoughts. She shouldn’t be here, should never have been here--her parents think she’s off at some study group Kara had stopped going to only weeks after meeting Alex.

Alex, who’s nothing like anyone else in Kara’s world, who smiles that special crooked smile just for her.

Alex, who’s going to be leaving soon.

She’s pulled from her reverie when Lucy is suddenly speaking again, cheesing it up to the crowd as she declares that the band will be back after a short break.

The world stills around Kara, her heart pounding like crazy because she can feel Alex still looking at her, knows that Alex is going to hop off the stage at any moment and Kara isn’t ready to face that look.

The friendly crowd becomes a cloying mass, and Kara knows she needs to leave. Now.

“Sorry, sorry,” she blurts out as she turns to begin awkwardly forcing herself through the crowd.

She can hear the cries of “Kara!” just behind her, but she can’t stop.

The rickety wooden double doors part easily under the force of her sweating palms, and for that first fresh gust of air, Kara can breathe.

The doors swing shut with too much force, and Kara startles at the loud sound.

“Kara,” comes her name again, a soft whisper nearly lost in the cool breeze.

She clenches her fists at her sides, body shaking as she realizes that this, these feelings, aren’t something she can escape.

Kara can feel the warmth of Alex’s hand as it hovers over her shoulder. She expects it to land at any moment, to forcefully turn her so Alex can ask why--but instead, the warmth retreats and disappears.

Kara turns anyway.

Alex’s head is turned away, her hands tucked into her back pockets and her short hair hiding her features. “Sorry,” she mumbles in a low, rough voice.

And Kara, who’s never seen Alex as anything other than utterly than confident, is stunned.

“I’ll, uh,” Alex gestures awkwardly behind herself and combs a hand through her hair.

“Wait,” Kara intones as she reaches out to grasp Alex’s wrist. She stares down at it and bites her lip, marveling at how delicate it feels under her fingertips.

Alex stops but doesn’t say anything. Kara wishes, just briefly, that the streetlight several feet away wasn’t out because it’s hard to read Alex’s expression in the sparse moonlight.

But then her eyes adjust a little more, and she can see the slow, crooked grin that she adores forming on Alex’s face.

Kara doesn’t think about her father and mother, about the perfect life they already have all planned out for her as she steps forward and Alex’s hands settle on her hips.

The first brush of Alex’s mouth against hers is a revelation, all the times they’ve been alone with an air of something she’d never been able to define suddenly making sense. Then she can’t think about that either because Alex’s mouth is hot and intoxicating and it doesn’t seem like they can ever get close enough.

By the time the kiss--kisses--stop, Alex is pressed back up against the wall with Kara’s hands in her hair.

Kara sighs and closes her eyes, her head drooping to settle in the space between Alex’s neck and shoulder.

Alex’s arms are wrapped low and snug around her waist, pulling her minutely closer as they catch their breath.

In the moments when reality creeps in and threaten to overwhelm her with the certainty of a future she’s not sure she’s ever wanted, Kara only knows one thing.

She needs this. She needs Alex.