Chapter Text
Kara let out a deep breath sitting down in her office. She had an odd feeling about today, and rightfully so. Typically Ms. Grant came in with any manner of fundraising endeavors for Carter and his school around this time of year
In a way it was endearing, Carter had yet to not be in the top sales of any fundraiser he'd ever managed to bring home, and the school itself had benefited by being top sales in the nation year after year. It had afforded his school any number of things beyond standard recognition. While Ms. Grant wasn't the sole provider of those accomplishments, after all, it was a private school with equally affluent parents from all walks of National City, she did pride herself on her son’s accomplishments in that arena year after year.
Kara could recall one such time when some of the parents had actually formed a small group together to try and outdo her and Carter but never did manage to outsell either of them. Course it didn't hurt the Grants when you had CatCo's main offices as a whole that got involved, as well as CWM's conglomerates and affiliates. Usually, Kara had been the one to draft the suggested requirements as a company-wide email, but that task was now the responsibility of the two assistants she had finally managed to train substantially enough that Cat had decided to keep them.
As she scanned over a few follow-up items she had been working on in her new position as roving editor and finished a progress report to her new boss she caught the subject line she had been anticipating all morning.
“Semi-Annual Fundraiser Event”
Kara rose a brow, looking over the email. Apparently, this year was going to be far different than any other, seeing how it was to be lumped in with some kind of mid-year project for the freshman class to see if they should instigate the new concept for the foreseeable future. Groups of students would be put together to come up with a basic overall concept and then utilize items set out in each fundraising catalog to sell within it.
That must have been the after work meeting she had overheard Ms. Grant discussing over the phone just before the staff meeting last week. Based on what Kara was reading now, it appeared the meeting had been some kind of success given the overall theme and how departments were being broken up.
It was implied that their group of students had been the ones to select the theme, although knowing her former boss it was most likely the lesser of two evils that had been determined. Kara took a deep breath, reading over the requirements and how certain elements would be determined. If she was lucky she'd end up in some mundane position selling cookies or candy or something. Although the barest prick of anxiousness raced up the back of her neck as she read where she had been placed in the whole scheme of things...
How in the world was she going to get out of this one?
“What do you mean the Olympics?”
“It's for a fundraising thing at work.”
“Hold up.” Alex could be heard muttering something that sounded like a compliment on someone's form or something before she came back through the line without being so muffled and scratchy. “Is this another Cat thing?”
Kara sighed faintly. She never should have told her sister about her feelings for her boss. “No, well sort of. It's for Carter -and-” she interrupted her sister upon hearing her intake of breath. “his group. I guess the school's done so many successful fundraising events other schools were complaining and so now they're trying their own. In order to do that, they have to make it academically involved or something. I can't remember. It was in the fine print. But it's a school project and a fundraiser and yes it's for Carter but not -just- Carter and how am I going to get out of it?”
“Get out of it?”
“Alex, should I call you when you're not distracted or something?”
“Huh?”
“Alex!”
“Okay okay sorry. So what's the theme.”
“The Olympics, well it's a sports day really and they made up their own events sort of or modified existing ones so as not to violate anything-”
“Kara.”
“How am I supposed to be a part of this and not be a part of it, Alex?”
“You tell your boss no?”
“Funny. She's already suspicious enough as it is you don't think-”
“No, I don't think Kara. I think she and the other parents are trying to help their kids out and you should just offer to count the donations or do the concessions or something.”
“Accounting and public relations are already doing all that.”
“Oh. Okay, so, just hold back or something.”
“Alex.”
Her sister made a noise. “Right this is you and competition. If game night is any indication you're screwed, sis.”
“Thank you for the vote of confidence.”
“I could make you a kryptonite something I guess.”
“And if something happens or I'm needed as Supergirl-”
“Yeah, we'll run into that thing we did when we tried that with you last time.”
“Exactly.”
“Practice restraint maybe?”
“That's not going to work either.”
“Well, why not?” Alex said slightly frustrated at the whole situation.
“Because I may've bragged a little about some things before and somehow it got around the office and then there was the time a few of us went out after work and I beat one of the models at arm wrestl-”
“You can not be serious.”
“It wasn't entirely my fault, Winn and James couldn't keep it to themselves and ended up talking about why I don't work out at the company gym.”
“They told other people about-”
“No! They, they implied it because I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable or something stupid because I was a lot stronger than I looked.”
“I'm going to strangle both of them.”
Kara let out a sigh, falling back onto her bed. “So before I could even really say or do anything, I was nominated by my team to do most of the events.”
“You've got to be kidding me.”
“Hey you know you're partially to blame right?”
“Kara I suggested you working out with someone who could keep up with you to help you, and so we could limit your Kryptonite exposure to next to nothing after all the Kelex thing Clark let us borrow told us after Myriad.”
“I know I just... I don't know what to do.”
They stayed in comfortable silence with one another, clearly both trying to determine what to do.
“Right now, just don't tell Ms. Kitty. Go along with things and we'll figure it out.”
There was a small beep of a sound followed by a slight squeak from Kara.
“That’s her again isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Kara said knowingly.
“Had I or J’onn known just how giddy you get, I think we might have said no to your cousin’s suggestion.”
“Oh c’mon you liked her too.”
“Yes, yes I did, but those reasons are my own.” Alex defended
“Uh huh.”
“Get going already before she shows up here again looking for you.”
“Love you grumpy.”
“You too Kar.”
In an instant, Kara had switched calls, changed and was already gathering her things to leave.
“Yeah the same place as before, and no I don’t have a suit this time like you asked. I’ll grab food on the way, no, it's no trouble. Okay, see you there. Bye.”
In a blur of movement, Kara was out the window and off into the early night.
A couple of months prior Kara had been in much the same hurry, not wanting to be late for the woman her cousin had set her up with. Of course, she had been vetted by Alex, Hank, and even Lucy beforehand just to be sure she was indeed up to par despite having, in her own words, walked away from the likes of men.
Kara had directed her cousin to relay the location that she already had on reserve for herself, away from the DEO and prying eyes. It was something Alex had procured right after she joined the DEO, and she never asked how. Kara knew that somewhere between the time of purchase and now, Alex’s original intention for the property had changed at least three times.
Currently, Alex was allowing Kara to utilize it as she saw fit, which in a way was exactly what she was doing. She and Alex had been training with the Kryptonite lamps, just as she and J’onn had been working on finding a proper fighting technique, or amalgamation of them that worked for the heroine. That changed after Myriad, when her cousin’s Kelex unit had come to the DEO while he was out of commission, relaying the dangers of long-term exposure to the Kryptonite they used in the facility, especially as a method of training.
Granted there was a partial benefit to the exposure up to that point, but in the long run, it threatened to do more harm than good. Since that point, Kara and Alex had only trained together when her powers were blown, and eventually, she had outmatched J’onn to the point that she had become somewhat stagnant.
Kara and Clark had taken it upon themselves to spar without restraint whenever he visited, but then duty called and once again she was left to her own devices. She had even tapped out Mon-El. He really seemed far more interested in showing off for Winn than actually learning anything, much less providing Kara with a means to improve herself.
With Clark being his usual Super self, Mon-El not being as powerful and J’onn needing to run the DEO, that left very little opportunity for Kara to continue what she had started, until now.
Now Kara stood in a makeshift superhero gym, outfitted not only by her cousin, her sister, and J’onn but also by the woman her cousin had managed to convince to repay a favor she owed him in order to help Kara.
Of course, were anyone to use the woman’s lasso on the Amazon herself, she would admit the truth of the nostalgia the opportunity to train Kara was providing her; as well as many other things, despite appearances to the contrary. She was taller than Kara remembered from first meeting her as a child, though that may have had something to do with Kara being on her cousin’s shoulders at the time.
She still appeared like the Diana who promised her cousin she would be there for Kara, should she be needed, despite her own self imposed exile. She was majestic in her own right and according to Clark, a lot stronger than Diana could ever look. Clark had looked between the two of them and after a moment or two of Diana’s scrutiny, nodded firmly, wished Kara luck and vacated the area faster than Kara thought him capable.
It wasn’t as if any of the other individuals in her life that had tried to help her to this point were lacking. Far from it, it just seemed that aside from her sister, she was constantly having to deal with men.
Now certainly there was nothing wrong with men in the slightest, except when it came to various techniques or moves or standards. J’onn had at least attempted to accommodate her by sparring with her as a mirror of herself. Iit still wasn’t the same. The one time he had morphed into Astra to throw her off had resulted in a partial breakdown he was still apologizing for. Her death was still too new, too raw, and she wasn’t sure it would ever ease, even now after so much time.
Which again was why she had been thankful for Clark’s intervention. It was another subtle reminder for her that they were still family despite being so disconnected at times, and that he was indeed looking out for her with her best interests at heart.
Kara flexed her shoulders, stretching the muscles as she turned her mind back to the immediacy of now instead of the path that had gotten her here, and the towering amazon of a woman with jet black hair and the fierce blue eyes opposite her.
The two women sized one another up carefully as Diana slowly encroached upon Kara’s personal space. The Amazon had moved then, her strike at Kara’s side deflected, the pair exchanged swipes and the barest of touches to gain an upper hand until they were locked around one another’s fists. Kara had lasted five minutes before her arms began to shake and Diana merely offered a small smile before gradually forcing Kara’s hands back to her sides once her strength caved.
A half second later she was wrapping the Kryptonian up in a fierce hug that nearly made Kara’s ribs ache.
“My little sun! I’ve followed you ever since you came out.” She laughed at Kara’s surprised expression before urging them over to a more comfortable area.
“But Clark said-”
“Yes, but he is wrapped up in all of humanity so much he would barely notice if I appeared on his doorstep. Just because one no longer wishes to be a part of something doesn’t mean they don’t keep apprised of its progress, or lack thereof, in the meantime. Especially when made to promise to step in and take care of you should anything have happened to the Danvers.”
Kara hadn’t wanted to dwell on that prospect, or what happened to that promise when it came to Jeremiah or when the real Hank Henshaw had shown up. Instead, they turned the topic to now, and how Diana could help Kara with being Supergirl, especially after so many close calls and her last little stunt that had nearly caused her death.
That had been a couple of months ago now, and with each passing session, Kara was actually looking forward to more. Her own personal Amazon. Their encounters were far more frequent than initially intended. Kara couldn’t help it and Diana had encouraged her and her wants and needs for herself. Kara found it easier to connect with another woman, even if she was an Amazon. The fact that Diana was stronger and far more capable than Kara herself was, wasn’t related to her, or directly associated with the DEO or the government made her the perfect sparring partner.
When Kara arrived Diana was quick to hug her. She attempted to disarm her a second after and without prompt or warning they were sparring. It was such a change from when she and Alex trained, constantly riddled with the ache of Kryptonite nagging at her body, wearing her down faster than she ever would have admitted to her sister.
Diana was much more fluid and responsive than even J’onn had been. He wasn’t a bad teacher, but even when he shapeshifted into other challenging forms there was just something lacking that Kara had eventually recognized as his paternal consideration of her. While he might push her to certain limits, he would never hurt her.
She was far less a novice and brawler than Mon-El was. The Daxamite was more focused on trying to maintain his pride as the personal guard of royalty while refusing to acknowledge that Kara, a Kryptonian, would always be superior in powers and ability to him. It added fuel to the fire when they sparred and she often had to stop a session when his pride challenged his rationality.
Diana on the other hand, while she didn’t seek to actually hurt Kara, was certainly capable of it.. Without remorse in most instances. The difference there was that she would evaluate the younger woman and help her improve. Diana would point out where she had opened herself up to be injured, even minimally and test her on it the next time around.
“You’ve been incorporating various styles to suit you finally.” Diana offered, hardly seeming winded, as she found herself on the defensive, dodging and countering Kara’s advance. The pair had made it around the warehouse space at least twice, up and over all manner of obstacles that Diana insisted upon altering every time they met. No battleground would ever be the same as the one before it. Kara needed to understand that to maintain an advantage, even in the skies
“You told me to make them my own.” As Kara spun around, her foot caught so she used the other and her flight ability to land another blow that sent Diana back and away before she spun out of the motion and landed. They were both far more disheveled than when they had started. They were sweaty and marked by their environment from dirt and grit, clothes torn here and there or overstretched where a grab or hold had been utilized.
“I did not tell you to get cocky, Little Sun.” Diana was on her in an instant. Kara’s advantage was lost as the other woman increased not only the speed of her attack but the focus, intent, and strength of each hit she tried to land. “Though you are improved.”
Around they went once more, incorporating various environmental weapons and objects of opportunity to try and bring the other down and gain the upper hand until they were both disarmed. They were locked again in a similar position from months ago, only this time when Diana applied her brute strength to wear Kara’s hold down, turning them about slowly in their grapple Kara, didn’t bend.
Kara didn’t shake like before, in fact, she faltered in the grip only minimally. Instead of remaining locked in the grasp, she redoubled her efforts and when Diana tried to bring a knee up into Kara’s abdomen, she caught the movement and tightened her muscles there into a wall for that knee to crack upon like concrete.
It made them both stumble. Utilizing her super speed and flight again, Kara dropped her weight with the motion, throwing Diana over her while she back flipped and twisted in place, landing sure-footed on all fours and already enguard for the other woman’s advance. Diana caught herself off balance and turned, seeing Kara already in stance for her next attack and simply smiled before digging in.
“Thatta girl..”