Two Steps Back
I said, Hey! You! Get off of my cloud
Don't hang around 'cause two's a crowd
On my cloud, baby
The telephone is ringing
I say, "Hi, it's me. Who is it there on the line?"
A voice says, "Hi, hello, how are you?"
Well, I guess I'm doin' fine
(S)he says, "It's three a.m., there's too much noise
Don't you people ever wanna go to bed?
Just 'cause you feel so good, do you have
To drive me out of my head?"
Get Off My Cloud / The Rolling Stones
For some reason Winn doesn’t get the hint that you’re not interested in him, but it’s been three months of watching him trying and failing to flirt with you, so you finally agree to go out with him. One date, which you made it clear time and time again isn’t actually a date, just two friends going out to enjoy an evening together.
He seems to accept that that’s the best he’ll ever get and when seven o’clock rolls around your doorbell rings right on cue, even though you know he’d gotten there about seven minutes early and shuffled around uncertainly outside your door.
(Courtesy of Clark letting you know that there was a man at the door, despite how often you’d told him time and again that he shouldn’t be using his powers, not even something as harmless as x-ray vision)
With one last hug for Clark and strict instructions not to leave the house or let anyone in, you leave, securing the door firmly behind you.
When you ask Winn where you’re going for the evening he just smiles secretly so you let him lead you to whatever place he has planned with little annoyance, surprises are great anyways.
Turns out that as far as date planners go, Winn is actually really great at it. He’d taken you to the park where some dog costume contest was happening, and then afterwards to a little Chinese restaurant that you’re pretty sure sells the best pot stickers in the world. You’re enjoying yourself for the first time in a long time, and you’re grateful for the night out. You almost feel bad for the longing looks Winn keeps sending your way, but really you don’t see him as anything more than a friend.
Winn drops you off at your apartment, giving you a quick hug before he jumps back in his car and drives away. You stumble into your apartment, a little surprised all the lights are off, and you’re ready to collapse on the couch and watch some SVU re-runs when you trip over a bag you’re sure isn’t yours, and when you let yourself fall on to the couch, it’s not the cushion you fall on, but instead its a warm body that bolts upright and tangles itself with yours.
“What the hell!” you scramble off the couch, moving quickly to turn the lights on when you realize the grunt of pain was not from Clark.
“Kara get off me, I’m trying to sleep.” Cat Grant is sitting upright, her usually immaculate curls in disarray, from sleep or being awakened suddenly you’re not sure, but that’s the least surprising thing about her.
“Miss Grant?” maybe you’re hallucinating, that makes more sense than your ex-boss sitting on your living room couch wearing nothing but a long t-shirt you’re pretty sure is yours.
“Hmmhm” Cat sways to the side before collapsing back onto your couch and closing her eyes, “be a dear and turn the lights off will you?”
“Miss Grant, not to be rude or anything, but why are you in my house?” You cross your arms, standing in front of a half asleep Cat and trying to look intimidating, but from her half-closed eyes and sleepy mumbles you’re not doing a good job.
“Clark let me in” she says, pulling her blanket higher up on herself and letting out a contented sigh.
“Clark?” your confusion escalates further and you look around for your cousin who is no where to be seen, “Clark!” and it’s louder this time, less a question and more a command, hoping to ask him why in Rao;s name he’d let a stranger (at least to him) in the house even after you’d explicitly told him not to.
“Shh he’s sleeping” mumbles Cat, “Can we do this tomorrow Keira? I’m really tired.”
“M-Miss Grant, you just – and Clark he – and why, why are you here?” you’re not exactly sure where to start first, still buzzing from your night out with Winn and thoroughly confused at the sight before you.
“Kiera,” Cat’s voice is sharper than before, and you stand ram-rod straight automatically, “he let me in because I asked him to, and I’m here because I didn’t know where else to go.”
“What about your house?” you ask, arms crossed indignantly across your chest.
“Don’t have one.”
“A hotel?”
“No money,” Cat’s voice is softer now, and she sounds an awful lot like she’s on the verge of tears.
“Oh.” It makes sense, all of her stuff had been confiscated and her accounts frozen. You’re torn between making her leave and letting her stay, but you don’t have a choice, not really. It’s not like you can just toss her out on the street, besides, her breathing has evened out and her heartbeat steadied, she’s half asleep.
“Fine you can stay,” you huff out, a little less annoyed than before and now just pitying her, “but tomorrow we’ll figure something out for you okay?”
“Mhmm sure Kara,” Cat mumbles again, her words all tumbling together.
Sighing, you turn away and trudge to your room. One of your drawers looks messy, well, messier than usual, and you suspect Cat had something to do with it. Changing out of your clothes to get ready for bed proves to be frustrating when you realize that the last time you saw the shirt you’re currently looking for, was when Cat was wearing it to sleep. You sigh again, making a mental note to have a talk with Cat about personal boundaries, among other things tomorrow morning.
Tugging on a different shirt to sleep in, and with a quick peek into Clark’s bedroom to make sure he’s safe and sound, you fall on your bed, exhausted from the day and only slightly dreading the day to come.
You groan and push your face into your pillow when you realize that quitting Cat Grant may just be the hardest thing you’ve ever done while working for her.