Chapter Text
The sudden ringing and vibration of Alex Danvers’ cell phone caused everything on her desk to shake. Her pen holder rattled, the six or seven items in it banging around as well. Sighing, Alex lifted the phone, being greeted by a picture of her and Kara from a few summers ago, holding ice cream and smiling.
“Hello,” she said in a slightly exhausted tone.
“Are you on your way?” Kara asked. In the background, Alex could hear a voice and some banging around and quickly checked her watch.
“Will you believe me if I say yes?” she asked in return, putting the phone between her ear and shoulder as she tried to get her papers organized.
“No.” Kara replied quickly. “Are you going to go?”
Alex let out a sigh and pondered. The place she was debating going was to one of the singles cooking class that Kara and Lucy had bought her for her birthday. Kara had been defending the present for months and had finally wore Alex down into agreeing to one class, except now she’d lost all track of time and completely forgot that the agreed upon class was tonight.
“I can fly you there if you want,” Kara offered, knowing the silence was her sister trying to find an excuse to get out of this.
“And how am I supposed to get to my car after the class?” Alex asked, already anticipating Kara’s response.
“I can leave it out front for you.” Her sister said, just as Alex had predicted. “Give it a chance. It’s a really good class, and it is a great way for you to meet someone.”
“I read your article, Kara,” Alex said with a little laugh. “I don’t need you to fly me. I’m leaving the DEO right now, okay?”
“Okay! Come over after cause I’ll want to hear all about it!” There was that excitement in Kara’s voice that secured the fact that Alex would be dragging herself to this singles cooking class.
Hanging up, Alex gathered the last of her things and hurried from her office, giving quick goodnights to the various agents she passed as she made her way out to her car. Double checking the address and time of the class, Alex knew if she went just a bit over and ignored some stop signs, she could make it in time.
For the past three years, Alex’s life had become all about handling Kara as Supergirl. While her sister was known as the savior of the city, Alex had been doing her best to make sure Kara was able to be Supergirl and Kara. It had consumed so much of her life that it was almost as though Alex had been frozen in time, no break for herself.
Within the last year, Alex had finally started to let go of managing every aspect of Kara’s life. For the longest time, she had been convinced that Kara was in love with James and had been encouraging her sister to just go after him and make the move but instead was completely blindsided with Kara began dating James’ ex, Lucy Lane.
Part of Alex felt like an idiot for never realizing Kara’s sexuality and the other part of her was thrust into absolute chaos. Dating women had never occurred to Alex. She had inexplicable flutters in her gut for girls throughout high school and college, but had always thought that it was just jealousy. Watching Kara find such happiness with Lucy, such a peace she never thought she could attain, Alex began questioning things of her own. Her only touch of romance since Kara’s appearance as Supergirl had been with Maxwell Lord and that had been staged. Hell, during their entire single date, Alex had been hoping it would end quickly.
She had attributed her hatred of Lord as to why that date had been so terrible, but in the last few months, Alex had realized it was more than that. She didn’t connect to men, didn’t feel for them the way she felt for any of the few women who crossed her life. It had taken her almost 30 years to realize that the part of her that had felt incomplete and broken wasn’t either of those. She had simply been looking in the wrong place to complete herself.
Arriving at the community center where the classes took place, Alex checked her phone one last time and let out a sigh. One class was the promise to Kara. Exiting her car, Alex walked briskly into the building, checking the signs to find her way to the kitchen classroom. It took her just a minute to navigate her way around slipped in right as the teacher made her way to the front of class. Not wanting to attract any attention to herself, Alex took the first open place at the very back.
“Cutting it close,” came a woman’s voice from Alex’s right.
Turning to the voice, Alex felt her breath catch in her chest. She was greeted by a warm face with deep chocolate eyes and long, dark hair. Since coming to her own realization about her sexuality, Alex had taken starting noticing the beauty of women and appreciating it in a way she hadn’t realized she was allowed to, but this one blew them all away.
“Uh…” Alex stumbled, her mouth slightly agape as she studied the woman’s face carefully. A nervous laugh escaped her throat as she tried to jumpstart her brain into working. “Work,” she finally managed to choke out.
It elicited a laugh from the woman who was now busy gathering her hair out of her face. At the front of the class the instructor was talking but it sounded like white noise to Alex. She had never been caught so off guard by a person before.
“Guess we’re partners, then,” the woman said, turning to Alex and smiling.
Shaking her head, Alex blinked a few times, trying to collect herself. This was a new thing too as normally Alex was a hyper focused individual who never missed a single details.
“I’m Maggie, Maggie Sawyer.” The woman introduced herself, offering a hand to Alex.
Taking it, feeling a jolt shoot through her whole body as she did, Alex offered a smile in return, attempting to ignore the feeling that was now buzzing all over her body.
“Alex Danvers.”
“So Alex Danvers, why are you in this singles cooking class?” Maggie asked. There was something infectious about how light and airy Maggie’s voice was. She was busy at their station, organizing things and following along to the instructions from the teacher.
Time felt stuck to Alex as she couldn’t concentrate on anything the teacher said and was locked on watching this beautiful woman, and she’d feel guilty if she’d manage to take a second and realize she was barely helping. Nothing Maggie was doing was out of the ordinary, but she had truly taken over Alex’s entire focus with filling pots of water and setting out knives.
“My sister,” Alex finally said, shaking her head a little and taking a deep breath. She wasn’t the girl who turned foolish and silly just because of a person and she wasn’t going to start right now. “She and her girlfriend got me the classes for my birthday. Sad, huh?”
Maggie laughed, her head shaking a little and as her smile grew, Alex noticed her dimples. She could actually feel her knees shake a bit at that.
“My new squad got me the classes as a welcome to National City gift, so I can’t judge,” Maggie replied, tilting her just enough to flash another smile towards Alex. In her mind, Alex made a mental note that Maggie had been entirely unfazed at the mention of Kara and Lucy.
“New squad?” Alex questioned, suspecting some kind of law enforcement or firefighting. Maggie had the slender build that put her in shape for a physically demanding job. Not that she’d noticed.
“Yeah. I’m a detective for NCPD. New woman on the squad, what better gift than singles cooking lesson. What about you?”
“Special Agent, FBI.”
That caught Maggie’s ear and she turned her head, her eyebrow arched, almost impressed with Alex and it caused the other woman to feel as if her stomach was flipping. It didn’t get past Alex either that she and Maggie had similar careers. Of course, Alex had to lie about the nature of the DEO off the bat. In fact, Alex realized there was quite a bit she’d have to lie to Maggie about if they were even to be friends.
The teacher continued to give instructions and Alex and Maggie fell into a comfortable, silent routine. They took turns stirring the pasta, cutting vegetables and simmering a sauce.
Maggie, for someone who had come to this class to prove to her squad she could take the hazing, was actually fairly skilled in the kitchen. It had been a hobby she picked up back in high school after taking a creative foods class because the girl she liked was in it. There was something about cooking that calmed and centered Maggie.
With absolute ease, Maggie perfectly julienning the carrots for the salad that they were to prepare. The way Maggie worked the knife had Alex completely hooked on her. She only broke away to pour them both a glass of wine.
“Cheers to adult cooking,” Maggie said with a laugh before she clinked her glass against Alex’s. The teacher began wandering around, commenting here and there on the various partners’ cooking. Maggie was a complete natural and Alex simply let her take the lead, having three too many smoke detectors replaced in the past year herself, and a comfortable silence fell between them.
The longer the silence went on, the more questions Alex thought up in her mind for Maggie. There was so much she wanted to know about the other woman. It was more than just a friendly curiosity, Alex knew that, knew she was interested in Maggie in that way, and while such a way of thinking could send her on a crash course for disaster, she just wanted to know all she could.
“So, why National City? Especially as a cop. I’m sure you’ve heard about the superhero around here that helps out,” Alex finally asked as the two women had finished every step and were only waiting for their meal to now finish cooking.
Maggie chuckled and took a drink of her almost finished wine. Superheroes were truly the new normal of the world. It was a different world being a cop now, as there was always someone with powers or abilities saving the day and inevitably somehow making things worse. It was a sensitive subject for her in general.
“Superheroes can’t do it all,” Maggie finally said with a shrug, her eyes making their way back to Alex. There was something inherently safe and appealing about Alex that was dragging Maggie in. The actual cooking lessons were not something Maggie was in need of but she’d have to send her squad thank you flowers if whatever this spark she was feeling between herself and Alex worked out.
Alex tilted her head a little, this wryly smile on her lips at Maggie’s response. “Maybe not all of it but they are pretty impressive. Especially Supergirl. Might be cool to work with a superhero.”
“Been there, done that,” Maggie said with a laugh before she caught herself. Her insides twisted uncomfortably at the thought and quip. Perhaps she wasn’t as ready to joke about that as she thought. Taking a big gulp and finishing off her wine, Maggie turned back to the stove and checked the pasta and sauce.
“Think it’s ready now,” Maggie said, setting the empty glass down and flicking all the switches off the stove. Alex set her on glass down, not quite missing the sudden change in Maggie’s mood and her quick pivot off the subject.
Moving to Maggie’s side, Alex accidentally brushed against the other woman’s arm as she reached for a towel. That jolt shot through her body again and she instantly looked to Maggie, their eyes locking as they questioned without words if the other felt that. Smiling shyly, a light red tint flooded Alex’s cheeks as she looked down and away from Maggie.
The two women worked quietly, draining the pasta before plating it. Maggie took charge with the sauce, pouring generous servings onto the pasta. Within minutes the dish was finished and their teacher was praising the presentation and taste.
Handing a fork over to Alex, Maggie’s dimples appeared once again as her lips spread into a smile. “Bon appetit.”
At the same time, the two dug into the plate, taking a forkful of their creation and took a bite. The rich tomato mixed well whatever sauce Maggie had created and Alex felt it melt in her mouth.
“This is amazing,” Alex said, swallowing the last of her bite and covering her mouth. “You’re a really good cook.”
“You played a big part as well.” Maggie replied. “Oh you’ve got... here.”
Biting down on her own bottom lip, Maggie lifted her right hand to Alex’s face, her middle finger brushing lightly against the other woman’s bottom lip, wiping away a stray spot of sauce. Maggie’s instincts took her finger halfway to her mouth before she saw Alex’s eyes widen and her logic finally kicked in as she wiped the sauce on a napkin, hoping her blush wasn’t too evident.
Alex felt herself stop breathing for a moment as all she could register was the warmth and spark that jutted from Maggie’s finger against her lip.
“All better,” Maggie said, her cheery voice ringing in Alex’s head as she had barely recovered. It was an intimate little move and it was sticking with her. It could have meant nothing, been nothing, but for Alex, it set everything on her body on fire. Everything Maggie did left Alex frozen for a moment, playing catch up and trying to react.
“So, will you be here next week?” Maggie asked, taking another bite of their pasta. From the way she said it to the simple smile on her face, everything about Maggie was infectious and joyous. There was a bit of hope in her voice as she asked as well. Maggie herself had already decided she wouldn't be going back unless Alex was there to partner with her again. After uprooting her entire life from Gotham, Maggie needed a solid foundation in National City. Even if this fast growing crush was one sided, something in her told her that Alex needed to become a mainstay of her life.
“As long as you are,” Alex answered quickly. She may have been one step behind most of the night but looking ahead, next week's class was already shaping up to be the highlight of her week.