You pressed record, and from your seat you had the most breathtaking angle of the fiancés dancing around the ballroom, their smiles radiant.
'You're running out of time.' A gentle whisper from your left startled you from your daze.
'Lee we've been over this.' You huffed.
'I just want you to be happy.' She smiled sadly, the pity radiating off of her in waves of hurt.
'And her being happy is enough. Even if it's not with me.' You had resigned yourself to the fate of watching from afar years ago.
Two years had passed since Mon-el walked into the DEO and swept Kara off her feet, right in front of your nose.
It had stung, it still stings, but you had been too cowardly to say a word, too scared to lose the one woman you lived for.
'But-'
'Enough. Please. This is hard enough as it is. Watching Kara with someone else is killing me inside, but she chose him, not me.' Your voice cracked, and the control you had been desperately holding onto all night was threatening to slip dangerously.
'Okay. Just hear me out one more time. You're running out of time. The wedding is in a month. If you think this rehearsal dinner is hard, imagine the actual day. I mean for fuck sake you're filming the woman you love get married. If you don't say something now, you'll lose your chance forever.' Lena had given you this pep talk too many times to count, and every-time it chipped away at your heart, until you struggled to breath with the force of her words.
You knew she was right, every single time, but the fear you held outweighed any of the motivation the words could give you.
'Excuse me.' You stood, trying and failing to not cry before you reached the bathroom doors.
You held your head in your hands, letting shaking sobs silently rack your frame.
Your fingernails dug into your scalp, and you, not for the first time, berated yourself for falling for your best friend.
But how could you not? She was gorgeous, inside and out, her personality as bright as the soft, blonde waves of her hair.
You were doomed the moment you met her.
You checked your phone, and noticing 30 minutes had passed, scrambled to make yourself presentable.
It didn't work, but it would have to do, and you held your head high as you wandered out of the bathroom.
That was until you noticed none of the guests were present anymore.
The only person in the room was Kara, had back towards you.
You walked cautiously, confused as to where everyone had disappeared to.
Your eyes landed on your camera, gripped tightly by a shaky hand, and your heart stopped.
fuck
She was watching the video you had taken of her and Mon-el dancing, and in the silence of no audience, the volume was turned to full, and your voice was clear as day.
'...she chose him, not me.'
The rush of blood in your ears cancelled out Lena's speech, your heart beating increasingly faster.
'Kara.' You whispered shakily.
Time for damage control.
She whipped around, as if she had been caught watching something she shouldn't be. Her eyes were red rimmed and glassy, and you winced, prepared to be shouted at.
'What- I...I told everyone to go home.' She muttered, dazed.
'Kara.' You repeated, not sure what to say. Not sure what she was going to say.
'I told, Rao I told Mon-el...' She trailed off, her frantic eyes finally meeting yours.
The world stopped for a millisecond, and the ground underneath you felt extremely unsteady, and your heart was still racing, but her eyes.
Her eyes told you something you hoped and dreamed and prayed for.
'What did you tell Mon-el?' You asked gently, taking a faulty, hesitant step forward.
'I told him I couldn't marry him. I- I told him I couldn't marry him.' She was staring at you, eyes searching and desperate, as if you were water in a desert and she was thirsty.
'Kara you're weddings in a month.' You're eyebrows furrowed in worry.
'Not anymore.' She laughed.
'Look I'm sorry about what I said in the video. You were never meant to hear it. Let's just pretend it never happened.' You said softly, eyes darting between hers.
She laughed again, sounding borderline hysterical.
'I didn't think you were an option.' She took your hand in her free one, squeezing roughly.
'What?' You were the searching one now, your brain whirling and heart soaring in panic.
'You said I chose him. But that's not true. He chose me. And I didn't think I had any other options.' She spoke in a hushed tone, as though someone might come barging in and shatter the moment you had created.
'I didn't think you wanted me as an option.' You replied in a whisper.
'I've always wanted you as an option. And I would always, always chose you.' She put the camera on the table and brushed a stray hair from your face.
'Really?' Your mind was scrambling and you felt like you could finally breath, after so long.
'Really.' She looked down at your intertwined hands.
'Mon-el-'
'I broke the engagement off. As soon as I heard that video, I couldn't of gone back. I couldn't have married him, knowing the one person I actually wanted to marry loves me back.' Kara pressed her forehead to yours and your breath shuddered.
'I love you Kara. I have loved you for years, and I will love you for years. It's always been you for me.' You confessed, eyes closing at her watery, disbelieving laugh.
'I love you too. I will always love you.' She leant forward, and your breaths mingled.
One word crossed your mind as your lips touched hers.
Finally.
—-
You grumbled as you tugged at boxes, muttering about your misfortune.
'Of course she wants to find her old trophies, cause that's what you do on a free Sunday afternoon.' You huffed, your back hurting from all the movement.
You opened a box, expecting to see some tatty old medals, but right at the top, a camera sat.
You sat down in the loft with a thud, fingers brushing then forgotten device.
You powered it on, surprised the battery hadn't run out.
You scrolled back, finding the video you had taken all those years ago.
Laughing now at yours and Lena's conversation, you scrolled to the next one, one you hadn't seen before.
It was zoomed in at first, and all you could make out was some wooden ceiling.
But a second later, your breath caught in your throat.
There on the little screen, you and your wife, both dressed in white, dancing around the floor.
Kara's smile was blinding, the biggest one you had ever seen on her face, yours matching. Her eyes were glued to yours, and even from the distance and the hazy camera lens, you could see clear as day the adoration her gaze held.
Your thumb flicked backwards to the video before, the video of her and Mon-el, almost identical to the one you had just watched.
But you watched now, and realised that spark wasn't there. Mon-el was looking at her like she hung the moon and stars, but she was looking at him like he was safe, and steady, not like she was in love with him.
You grinned, hopping down from the loft, camera in hand.
'Babe you have no idea what I just found.' You bounded down the hallway, finding Kara, kissing her, then her baby bump, before plopping next to her on the sofa.
'You're gonna enjoy this.'
Poor Mon-el.
