A Dance Made for Two
Dizzy in the head and I'm feeling blue
The things you've said, well, maybe they're true
I'm gettin' funny dreams again and again
I know what it means, but
Can't explain I Can't Explain / The Who
You wake up warm and comfortable, someone’s arms wrapped around you and a warm body pressed into yours from behind. Sighing contentedly, you snuggle closer and you’re on the brink of sleeping again when you freeze.
There’s a soft puff of breath in your ear and you have no idea who it could possibly be. No way it’s Clark. Once he realized he could literally punch any monsters under his bed or his closet into space, he stopped sneaking into your room in the middle of the night.
Definitely not Winn either. You like him but not like that, just as a friend.
The person behind you mumbles and pulls you closer. You’d recognize that voice anywhere.
Cat Grant. Somehow in your bed. Spooning you. Maybe it’s a dream, some weird, weird dream. It’s the only possible explanation. But then you remember that Cat was definitely in your house last night and last you saw of her she was sleeping on your couch.
You can’t help but scream and pull away from her, clawing rather frantically at the sheets that have tangled themselves around your legs.
Cat springs away from you, sitting up, her hair a tangled mess. Somehow she manages a glare with sleep-bleary eyes.
“Kiera why are you screaming? Can’t you see I’m trying to sleep?”
“What in Rao’s name are you doing in my bed, Cat?” you stand up, straighten your shirt out, trying to look a little more put together than you really are, like Cat didn’t just give you a mini heart attack.
“The couch was uncomfortable, it was like sleeping on boulders lumped together, and then stuffed into a knapsack” Cat yawns and stretches out like her namesake.
“Kara!” a voice from the doorway stops you from going off on a rant.
“What is it Kal- Clark?” You don’t look away from Cat, choosing to glare at her, but she looks unaffected.
“We’re going to be late for school” a soft whine creeps into Clark’s voice and it serves to jump-start you into motion.
“Sorry Miss Grant, I have to go.” you rush around the room as an amused Cat watches from her perch on the bed. Shuffling around through your closet for paint-free clothes, you throw on a cardigan and a skirt before giving Clark a large bowl of cereal.
He looks at you like a kicked puppy, but you’re really running late and don’t have enough time to make him a real breakfast, at least not without cheating and using your powers, and you are definitely not doing that with Cat in the house.
Which reminds you, Cat is probably still in your bed. Leaving a confused Clark in the kitchen, you run at a slightly faster-than-human speed back into your bedroom.
Cat is stretched out on your bed, covers pulled up high and your pillow pressed into her chest. There’s a sleepy grin on her face and a golden strand of hair lit up by the open blinds momentarily distracts you.
Clearing your throat, you stare at her, simultaneously hoping she wakes up but also that she doesn’t hear you.
“Hmmm?” Cat makes a sound low in the back of her throat and you figure that’s the best you’ll get out of her at the moment.
“I’m taking Clark to school and then going to work. When I come back, you and I are going to… have a talk, about all this, okay?” for some reason you feel nervous, like somehow you’re intruding on Cat and not the other way around, but she does have a tendency of making everyone feel like that so you shove down the feeling for later.
Cat curls in on herself and makes a non-committal grunting sound. Well, at least that means she’s heard you, or that’s what you try to convince yourself of anyway as you shut the door to your bedroom and head back out to Clark.
“Is Cat going to live with us now?” Clark asks as you usher him out of the door and out the apartment.
“No, definitely not.” You bundle Clark into a hug as the bus pulls up to the sidewalk, “I should be home at five, but if I run late there’s money in the jar and the takeout menu’s are behind the toaster.”
“What about Cat?” Clark’s nose wrinkles adorably in confusion, and you can’t help but give it a playful flick.
“I doubt she’ll want to eat take-out from down the street, but if she asks, just get her whatever she wants,” you give him another quick hug as he nods, “ and of course, absolutely no using your powers okay?”
“Course not” Clark rolls his eyes good-naturedly and climbs on the bus, waving at you as it drives by.
A quick glance at your watch shows you have less than ten minutes to trek across the city to get to L-Corp, and as much as you tell yourself you should never use your powers, especially not where people can see you, you opt to fly there.
Landing in a dingy alley, you fix your hair and clothes and rush into the building, two hot lattes in your hand.
“Kara!” Winn greets you as you step into the office, a smile on his face as always.
“What’s up Winn? Lena in yet?” you ask, setting your bag down on your desk before looking over in the direction of Lena’s office.
“Just got in.” Winn replies, a confused tilt to his head as he looks at the cups in your hands, “you know you don’t have to bring her coffee like you did for Miss Grant, right Kara?”
“I know,” you shrug, “old habits die hard. Besides, Lena and I happen to share the same taste in coffee and when I got mine I thought, ‘why not?’ “
“Right” Winn looks like he’s about to say something else when a voice calls out your name. “Speak of the devil and she shall appear.”
You throw a playful glare at Winn before making your way over to Lena’s office.
“Miss Luthor,” you place the coffee on the edge of her desk and she smiles at you, quirking an eyebrow in question, “stopped by for coffee and thought you could use some. What can I do for you?”
“Always so considerate Kara.” Lena takes a hearty sip of the warm liquid, “and remember what we talked about?”
“Right, sorry Mi- Lena,” you clear your throat, “how can I help?”
Lena gives a soft laugh and takes another sip of her coffee before fixing her captivating eyes on you, “how did the budget meeting with marketing go yesterday?”
“Oh! Right.” You juggle the folders in your hands before setting the appropriate one on her desk, “L-Corp has officially been fully rebranded and the budget for the market department has been approved by both the board and by marketing.”
Lena hums in appreciation, her eyes skimming the papers you’ve presented her quickly before she looks up at you again. She smiles at you, but her eyes are guarded, and you wonder if you’ve made a mistake.
“Is something wrong?” you ask, fidgeting with your glasses and looking between Lena and the papers in confusion.
“No! Not at all, these are perfect as always, thank you Kara. However, I do have a small favor to ask of you.”
“Of course Lena, anything.”
“Tonight I am holding a re-branding party if you will.“
“Everything has already been set up Lena don’t w-“
“Kara,” she stops you with a raised hand, “I trust that everything is ready to go. I do however must ask a favor of you. And before you reply, you must know your answer won’t endanger your job.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t understand,” you trail off, uncertain as to what Lena is referring to. Surely it must have something to do with the party she’s hosting, but you’ve double checked that everything was set up and accounted for, and had even coordinated with Lena’s other assistant to make sure.
“Kara.” There’s something in Lena’s voice that makes you stop mid internal ramble, “What I am asking is, if you’d go to the party. With me.”
“Yeah, of course. I have most of the guests memorized already and I think I know a few from Cat’s last party and-“ You’re already making mental notes on guests and making sure it all runs smoothly when Lena give an exasperated sigh.
“Kara, I mean as my date, not as my assistant.”
“Oh.” That was the last thing you were expecting and it brings you up short. Lena’s looking at you with a shy smile on her face, head tilted slightly to side, her eyes a little guarded but with an expectant glimmer.
She clears her throat slightly and that’s when you realize when you have yet to answer her.
“Yeah!” you practically scream when you finally reply, wincing internally, but Lena doesn’t even flinch, if anything her smile gets wider, “I’d love to go with you Lena.”
“Excellent” Lena is still smiling at you, and you think there’s a hint of pink on her cheeks before a loud ring startles you both, “Sorry Kara, I have to get that. I’ll message you with the details, yeah?”
“Right, yes.” You nod a little overenthusiastically, fumbling to push your glasses back in place, “I’m gonna go-” you gesture vaguely in the direction behind you as Lena answers her phone. She gives you a small smile again and you return it before practically skipping back to your desk.
“So?” Winn asks the second you sit down.
“So what?” you reply, your eyes already skimming the stacks of papers in front of you, already making mental notes of things that need to be done for the day, and another mental note to find an something appropriate to wear to the party.
“So what did Lena want, and why are you grinning like a fool!”
“I’m not grinning! I’m just, smiling! I do, that you know.”
“Oh my God, Kara.” Winn rolls his eyes, “can you just tell me already?”
You laugh good-naturedly, biting your lip slightly as you turn around to face him. “She asked me to go to the party with her.”
“I thought you were already going to the party?”
“As her date.”
“Oh” Winn freezes, mouth stuck in an ‘o’ shape that makes him look like confused fish for a second, and you laugh. He rolls his eyes and seems to shake himself, “I mean I guess that makes sense, you’re her assistant and as far as I can tell, her only friend. Besides it’s not like she likes you or anything, right?”
“Jealous Winn?” you grin, throwing a crumpled piece of paper in his direction.
“No!” he huffs indignantly, “just wondering.” There’s a moment of quiet, interrupted only by the steady clicking of keyboards and the scratching of pens against paper before he speaks up again, “do you like her?”
“Yeah, of course, she’s my friend.” Your answer is immediate.
“Kara” a soft whine creeps into the edge of Winn’s voice, “come on I’m serious!”
“So am I” you reply, choosing to focus on the task in front of you and not the intense stare that you’re sure Winn is sending your way.
“Oh my God you’re a lesbian,” Winn sounds like he just made a great discovery, “that’s why you’re not into me!”
“What?” you squeak out, “I’m not gay!”
“Are you sure?”
“Winn, yes I’m sure, dear Rao” you huff, “can we talk about this later?”
“Yeah, sorry, sorry!” Winn says, turning back to the screen in front of him, “have you decided on what to wear?”
“Winn,” you try to sound upset, but it’s hard to when you still have the memory of Lena freaking Luthor shyly asking you to be her date. “No, I haven’t okay. But I’m sure if I ask Cat she’ll probably help me out. She owes me anyway.”
“Cat?” Winn stops typing, turning in his seat so fast he rolls forward, “as in Cat Grant?”
“Crap.”