Work Text:
Kara grimaces as she makes her way through the mall, the press of so many people out shopping for the holidays wearing on her senses. She's made a lot of progress dealing with the overload of being in a big city, but that doesn't mean it's always comfortable. Packed areas like this are still hard for her to manage sometimes.
Normally she'd avoid the mall completely. It's never a fun place for her, and the holiday season just made it even harder than usual for her to deal with. Not exactly her idea of a weekend destination. But it's her first holiday season in National City with Kal-El, and she wants to make it special. Otherwise he might change his mind for future holidays and stay in Kansas with the Kents. She's surprised he agreed this year, and thinks it's probably more due to his friends all being on vacation for the holiday than anything else.
She's so caught up in not letting herself get overwhelmed that Kara doesn't realize she's going to bump into somebody until she's already making contact. At that point not even super speed can help, and Kara feels hot liquid splash across her pants as she hears a curse from the woman she'd bumped into.
"I am so sorry," Kara apologizes as she focuses back in on her immediate surroundings, the rush of adrenaline helping her control. "I didn't see you there, this was totally my fault."
"Well of course it was," the woman says, holding an empty cup in her hand and giving Kara a glare. "I'd just bought that, too. Now I'm out entirely too much money and don't even have subpar coffee to show for it."
Kara bites back a grimace and starts counting her available funds, knowing mall coffee is far more expensive than it's actually worth. To replace a large cup of whatever the woman ordered would put a severe dent in her holiday budget.
Unless...
"I'm a barista at a local shop just down the road," Kara offers quickly. "It's only like a 5 minute walk, and we make much better coffee than anything they serve here. If you want, I can make you a replacement drink for free, as an apology for causing the spill."
At least if they can make it to Noonan's she can use her employee discount at very least. Depending who's on shift, she might even be able to get it for free if she makes it herself. It wouldn't be the first time they've swapped 'I didn't see anything' favors around the shop. Just last week Winn had used his latte art skills to impress a guy from one of his classes. Kara hasn't had to cash in that particular favor yet, too focused on school and fitting in, but several of her coworkers owe her one.
The woman she'd bumped into is sizing her up, and Kara tries not to shift uncomfortably under the scrutiny. It's harder in wet pants, and Kara really just wants an answer at this point, whichever way Cat decides. She has a spare outfit in her locker at Noonan's, so if the coffee offer is accepted that works out fine in her favor. If not, she'll run home and try the mall thing again tomorrow, potentially with a little less money at her disposal.
"Well, you don't seem like a murderer at least, and the promise of better coffee is a temptation I'm not willing to ignore. Lead the way, I suppose."
Hiding a sigh of relief, Kara guides them carefully through the crowds towards the exit closest Noonan's, not bothering to try for a conversation through the noise. Not while she's got to focus on not bumping anyone else. One coffee is all she can afford, whether monetarily or from favors.
Once they're outside, though, Kara's nerves get the better of her and she can't help but start to chatter. "I really am sorry about bumping into you," she starts, filling the awkward silence. "There were just so many people around, I lost my focus. But I promise you won't be disappointed by the coffee. Oh, and I'm Kara, by the way. Kara Kent."
She still hates using the name, hates how easily it comes to Kal-El, or Clark as the Kents insisted on calling him. But they'd had a point about standing out, and Kara doesn't want to risk her safety. Especially not when that would risk Kal-El's too.
"I'm Cat, and I hope you're telling the truth about that coffee. I haven't been able to find a truly acceptable coffee shop in the entire city so far. It almost makes me miss Metropolis."
There's a layer of something deeper in Cat's words that Kara almost wants to ask about, but she holds herself back. They aren't friends, and despite the most common use of the 'free drink for someone' cash in, this isn't a date. It's just repayment for her moment of clumsiness, nothing else. If Cat doesn't want to volunteer the information, Kara isn't going to push.
She is, however, going to keep talking to fill the silence. "Well, I promise Noonan's will be better than whatever you've been trying. The owner is trying to get another location or two open because we always get amazing reviews, but it's hard to find a space right now. Especially since where we are right now is so close to the mall, and everyone just goes there instead of looking at what's nearby."
They get decent foot traffic for being a small shop, but Kara knows they could get so much more if they had a better spot. That's not her worry, though. She's just a barista, working shifts to pay for her college classes. She's not even a manager, even if she is usually in charge of training.
Cat surprisingly looks interested, and they fill the rest of the time walking discussing possible locations in town that would pull in the most traffic. Kara votes for the university area, to pick up the student business, but Cat points out that the fast growing business district will be a better shot for a guaranteed profit in the new location.
"College students live off coffee, but they live off cheap coffee and occasionally splurge on something nice to hang out with friends. But office workers and the like? They make enough to pay for good coffee, and it's what keeps the wheels spinning. Put a well-stocked location in the middle of downtown and the place could pay for itself within a year."
She definitely sounds like she knows what she's talking about, and Kara finds her opinion changing the longer they debate pros and cons of each area in town. There's just something magnetic about Cat and they way she talks. Even about something as mundane and boring as real estate options feels like an important conversation when she's the other half of the conversation.
"You should be a politician or something," Kara blurts out as they get close to Noonan's, interrupting what Cat was saying about traffic flows and purchasing patterns. "You've got my vote, anyway. Five minutes talking about where to put a coffee shop, and I think I'd vote for you in a presidential race."
Not that Kara can vote, technically. Her documents are good, but not that good. Not yet, anyway. The Kents have some contact they're working with now that she's away at college, but it's slow going. Kara's not particularly hopeful the contact will come through before Kal-El decides to go away to college. Maybe by the time he graduates, though. Kara's proof enough that the basic paperwork they'd cobbled together is enough for college admission and a part-time job.
Cat looks flattered by the compliment rather than offended by the interruption, and Kara counts it as a win. "I'm actually hoping to go into reporting, rather than politics, but I appreciate the sentiment. It's a similar skill set, at least part of the time. Especially if I want to get my own show and really get my name out there."
"Are you going NCU?" Kara asks, holding the door open so Cat can enter before her.
She's not sure what to make of the look on Cat's face at the question, but an actual answer comes quickly enough that it doesn't matter. "No, I have my degree already. But I'm currently working as an assistant, and there's talk of moving me to fashion. Which is reporting, by the loosest definition, but it's not what I want to write about. So I'm in National City for the holidays avoiding my parents and talking with some people at the Tribune to see if they're better than the Daily Planet."
"Their loss," Kara says without thinking. "Because in 5 minutes you've already got me convinced you're the one to listen to. If they can't see that, they're blind."
Surprisingly Cat doesn't seem to know how to respond to that, and Kara wonders if it might have been too much. It was kind of a lot, coming from a stranger that you just spilled coffee on and have known for less than ten minutes. But she stands by it.
"Anyway, now that we're here, what would you like to drink?" Kara says, smoothing over the moment. Winn is behind the counter and no one else is in sight, so Kara can definitely jump in and make whatever it is with no problem. Winn's already nodding her way, understanding without a word needing said.
The order is complicated but well within Kara's talents, so she quickly repeats it to make sure she hadn't missed anything then points Cat towards a table in the corner so she can make the drink.
"You didn't warn me you had a date today," Winn whispers as she starts gathering supplies, and Kara rolls her eyes. The gossip mill at Noonan's is always working overtime, and she's not sure why she expected today to be any different.
"It's not a date," she denies quickly, glancing around before using a burst of super speed to get the milk just right. "I bumped into her at the mall and made her spill her coffee. You know their stuff is overpriced and under flavored, I offered to replace it here rather than spend half my Christmas budget trying to replace it there."
"Uh huh, sure," Winn says with a scoff and a bump of his hip against hers. "You just happened to bump into the prettiest woman at the mall and offer to make her a coffee. Sure, Kara."
"It's the truth," Kara hisses as she finishes the drink. She remembers what Cat said about wanting the drink as hot as possible, and decides it's worth another small risk to give it a blast from her heat vision when Winn moves back to the counter and a new customer.
She doesn't hit it very much, but if none of the local shops have been able to hit Cat's preferred temp, it's clear the machines aren't going to cut it. It's maybe not the smartest decision she's ever made, but this is an apology coffee. Kara needs to make sure it's good enough to be a proper apology. That, or shell out the money for a true replacement.
"Good luck, and hope you get her number," Winn says in a stage whisper as Kara heads towards Cat with the now piping hot coffee in her hands.
At least Kara'd had the foresight to put Cat far enough from the counter to prevent Cat from hearing, but she silently promises to make Winn's next actual date embarrassing as hell for him. Honestly, what kind of friend would tease in a trying time like this? Kara hasn't even had time to switch her pants yet.
"Here it is, and if you'll give me literally two seconds, I have a spare outfit in the back that I can change into. So I'll be right back and you can tell me if this makes up for spilling your last drink."
Cat waves her off with a nod, and Kara heads to the back to change. She has to convince herself that super speed would be too much of a risk with all the other risks she's taken this afternoon, and sticks to human speed as she changes.
She nearly curses her choice when she walks out and sees Winn talking to Cat, but at this point what's done is done. Now she just has to hope he hasn't said anything too outrageous while she was gone. "All set!" she says cheerily as she reappears at the table, giving Winn a pointed glance. "How's the drink?"
"I haven't had a chance to try it yet," Cat says, jerking her thumb towards Winn. "Your coworker here was just telling me all about how good your coffee making skills are."
Of course he was. Honestly, sometimes Kara wonders why she's friends with him. Or at least she's wondering now, anyway. Usually there's not any confusion around that issue, Winn is awesome and one of her best friends in National City. But right now he's sure not acting like it.
"He better not have talked so much your drink got cold," Kara says, giving Winn a warning look. "You said nowhere in National City can get it hot enough for you, so I tried to get it close to where you'd like. If it's cooled since then just let me know, this is supposed to be an apology drink, which means getting it as close to perfect as I can."
Either her tone or the look is enough to send Winn back to the counter, though not without a parting comment about enjoying her date that makes Kara blush and consider strangling him. Honestly, what is he thinking?
"I'm sorry about Winn," Kara apologizes once he's out of earshot, not wanting to risk him coming back to defend himself. "We're all close here, and he's like a younger brother to me. Always teasing and playing tricks."
"Oh, it's no problem," Cat says with a twinkle in her eye. "I never had siblings, but I can imagine it would be a bit chaotic at times. But now I'm curious about those skills of yours he mentioned."
With her powers, they'd never find his body...
Except when Cat lifts the coffee to take a sip, Kara's brain short circuits and suddenly she's thanking Winn and every Earth god she's ever heard of. If she'd been in the other room and missed the sound that just came out of Cat's mouth, she'd never have forgiven them.
As it is her brain takes a moment to kick back in, and she misses the first half of Cat's sentence. "-haven't found anything nearly this good in National City, you weren't lying. If you get that location downtown and I do end up transferring here, I'd be your best customer."
Well, that's another vote against the university district, Kara thinks somewhat hysterically. "I'll let the owner know. Guaranteed business is definitely a draw."
Cat seems to know she's flustered, and Kara finds herself drawn to the small smirk playing across the corners of Cat's mouth. Did she do that on purpose? Surely there’s no way. Not even with Winn’s teasing, because there’s no way Cat would be interested in her. Right?
“Hopefully he takes that into consideration, and hopefully you’d be interested in working that location. It’d be a shame to find the best coffee in National City and not be able to get it every day.” Okay, maybe Kara was wrong, because Cat definitely sounds like she’s flirting right now.
How is she supposed to respond to that? Obviously Kara is interested, but she hadn’t thought there was any kind of chance Cat would be interested back, so she’d pushed that thought out of her mind. Until Winn pushed it back, and apparently Cat was on the same page.
“You could always come see me personally for a good cup of coffee,” she tries, hoping it sounds flirty and not creepy.
From the way Cat smiles, Kara thinks she’d gotten close, but maybe not as smoothly as she’d like. Still, a win is a win, and when Cat jots down her number on a napkin and tells her it sounds like a date, Kara isn’t about to critique her performance too hard. Not when it worked.
She’ll have to thank Winn. Right before she makes him regret butting into her personal life.
She won’t be too hard on him, though.
Probably.