Winn had that look on his face again. Some combination of soft affection and hero worship. As if Kara had hung the stars, instead of just getting his favourite flavour muffin to go with his coffee when she went for her mid afternoon coffee run.
She'd only gotten him one to justify buying one for herself as well.
It was an excuse-muffin, to avoid questions about her fifth afternoon snack of the day. Since Miss Grant was temporarily out of her office to attend a meeting at Carter's school, which meant Kara had more than enough time the more administrative aspects of her work done without also running off to complete errands based on Miss Grant's whims. Coupled with a very peaceful day in National City, Kara had little to do other than eat away her boredom, and shuffle around already finished paperwork.
So the only reason it happened to be Winn's prefered Raspberry Swirl was because it was available and Kara was a good friend. If given the choice between an excuse-muffin she knew he'd like and an excuse-muffin he'd tolerate of course she'd chose the one he'd like. If the Raspberry Swirl had already sold out then she would have gotten him a Double Choc or a Blueberry.
Looking at the slightly too happy smile she was receiving Kara decided that maybe she should have gotten him a Blueberry instead.
"Raspberry Swirl," Winn said, waving the muffin enthusiastically, "You remembered my favourite."
And there it was. The reason for Kara's discomfort. He'd been pointing out instances of Kara remembering details about him for almost two weeks now.
She knew why. It was one of those weird human things to do with finding their perfect match. Their soulmate.
It was an odd concept for Kara. Krypton didn't really have anything like it. Afterall Kryptonians hadn't put much stock in romance. Only advancement and logic. Relationships were calculated transactions, to strengthen and maintain social structures, and pass on the best combinations of genetic material. A certain level of compatibility between personalities was accounted for because hostile pairings would ultimately be detrimental to society, but it was all very clinical. Religious focus, political views, opinions of different guilds. Nothing about emotions or romance.
On Earth there were no such systems. Everyone just did their own thing, advancement could be a factor in relationships but a much higher premium was placed on affection. Above all else though, humans valued the bonds of soulmates. Something that was apparently determined by their ability to remember one another.
According to every book, teacher, website, and every scrap of gossip Kara had heard as a teenager, it was impossible to forget even the smallest detail about time spent around your soulmate.
It wasn't like having normal memories of your loved ones. Memories that could fade over time no matter how cherished. Memories of times spent with your soulmate could be recalled as easily and as if you'd clicked on computer file, and as vividly as if you were living the moment all over again. Or so Kara was told. As someone who was technically a genius and had learned the entire english language over the course of a weekend, the ability to remember things didn't seem like an accurate way to determine closeness with another person.
So she knew what the wide eyed look on Winns face meant. She knew why he was so quick to point out when she remembered things. He thought they might be soulmates.
Kara had never really noticed his crush on her before he'd started behaving so excitedly over small friendly considerations she had made. Little things that were nothing, but apparently everything. Like picking him up some Red Vines during an errand for Miss Grant because he'd mentioned he was out of snacks. Or sending him the occasional link to an article about a game or a piece of technology they had been talking about earlier in the week.
She was just being a good friend. A nice person. None of what she was doing was new. She'd been remembering for more than a year now. It was only the past couple of weeks that Winn had started to make it more than it was.
"Well you've only saying it's your favourite since I started working here Winn," she said, trying to brush it off. Winn didn't seem deterred. In fact if the way his eyes crinkled was any indication he probably thought she remembered the first time he'd told her what his favourite muffin was.
Next time she was definitely getting him a Blueberry excuse-muffin.
Instead of hanging around to hear more about other instances of 'remembering' Kara escapes back to her desk, hoping for a phone call, or an email about a misfiled piece of paperwork, to give her something to do until Miss Grant returns to the office. Anything to put off the inevitable rejection she's going to have to give Winn. She knows it will have to happen soon, but she refuses to do it while they're at work.
It's almost half an hour later when Miss Grant's private elevator finally dings. In that time Kara has managed to finish her own muffin, (chocolate pecan. Not nearly on the same level as Eliza's pie but good enough to tide her over until she can next convince Eliza to make one) comb through Miss Grant's emails for the past hour and arrange them from most important to least for when Miss Grant get's the chance to check them, and made a tiny bouquet of origami flowers out of post it notes, with their own little post it note vase.
"Kiera." The doors to the elevator haven't even finished opening when Miss Grant calls for her. Kara is on her feet in an instant. "Cancel my three thirty. Then call that little place on Eighth street. Have them deliver the same selection I ordered the night of the fundraiser they held for the national park after the fires in september."
Miss Grant doesn't even look at her she walks out of her elevator shooting off orders. Her focus is reserved only for her son who exits the elevator with her. Kara has no idea why he's here instead of finishing his school day, but Miss Grant looks reasonably relaxed so Kara holds off reaching for her phone to call the Catco legal department to investigate Carter's school. She also doesn't balk at how Miss Grant doesn't spare her a glance as she speaks to her. In a year and a half of working at Catco she's grown used to it. Especially on the rare occasions that Carter is around.
"Yes Miss Grant," Kara says, sitting back down at her computer to open Miss Grant schedule and find the contact details of the photographer she would be cancelling on.
Miss Grant and Carter stop in front of her desk as she reaches for the phone. Kara looks up a polite smile on her face, her hands hovering over her keyboard. Miss Grant is watching her with the slightest frown. An expression Kara has learned to recognize as Miss Grant thinking on something, rather than being displeased with whatever Kara was doing.
"Was there something else Miss Grant?"
"Have our order delivered at home, I'll be leaving once I collect some things from my office."
Kara nods once, then begins drafting an email explaining the sudden cancellation to the photographer. She would call them later to set up another meeting. She hears Miss Grant tell Carter to wait by her desk while Miss Grant gathers her things, but doesn't look up from her screen, trying to find another timeslot to offer the photographer within the next two days. After having gone over Miss Grant's schedule a half dozen times already during her slow afternoon it only takes Kara a few minutes to draft and send an appropriate email. Miss Grant is still at her desk, searching through one of her draws.
Carter looks a little awkward hovering between her desk and his mother's office, and Kara takes a quick look around to see if anyone else has noticed his discomfort. The answer seems to be no.
"Would you like to come sit down," Kara asks softly.
Even then Carter startles at being spoken to. Kara wants to kick herself but instead smiles at him, aiming for calm and friendly. Moving slowly she rises out of her chair and steps behind it, offering it to Carter with a small flourish. He stares uncertainly for a moment, shifting his weight from foot to foot, but when Kara keeps smiling, he tentatively returns the expression and steps forward to take a seat.
Kara has to hide her shock. In the six times he's visited the office since she started working here this is the first time he's been so close to her without his mother directly at his side. It's nice to think that he's starting to feel comfortable around her.
"Feel free to use the computer or whatever, I'm just gonna order your food, then I'll go see if your mother needs help finding whatever she seems to be looking for," Kara says, nodding in the direction of Miss Grant's office, where Miss Grant is still rifling through her desk draw.
Carter doesn't say anything just nods, determinedly looking anywhere but Kara herself. It's more acknowledgement than Kara has come to expect during his visits. She feels her smile widen a notch and picks up her phone.
She takes a half step back from her place behind Carter's seat to lean against the 'L' shape of her desk, looking into Miss Grant's office, where her boss still seems to be looking for something. Kara's brow furrows slightly as she tries to think what Miss Grant could possibly be searching for.
The call connects before Kara has realised she's dialed, still too busy watching Miss Grant rummage through her desk.
"Hello, Diego, it's Kara Danvers from Catco." Her tone slips into sunny assistant mode easily, even as her brow crinkles at watching Miss Grant let out a huff of frustration. "I need an order of spinach and red pepper quesadillas, with a side of pulled pork taquitos, and some of your black bean guacamole, to go please. With low fat cheese for the quesadillas and taquitos, and extra chilli in guac."
Miss Grant finally seems to find what's she's looking for as Kara reconfirms the details of the order and gives the delivery instructions to Diego. She lets out a small huff of 'finally' before slipping what looks like a memory stick into her handbag. She exits her office just as Kara hangs up the phone.
"Ready to go sweetheart?" Miss Grant asks Carter, any trace of her earlier frustration gone. Carter doesn't answer the question.
"Mum, you're not gonna believe it," Carter says instead. "Kara guessed exactly what we wanted to order for our early dinner."
Miss Grant tilts her head to the side curiously but smiles at her son.
"She didn't guess darling, I told her what to order."
"You told her to get the same meal from the place on Eighth Street, that we ordered like a year ago mum," Carter says, with a tone that would suggest an eyeroll from a child with lesser manners than Carter. "There are like three places on Eighth Street that we order from mum. And it was more than a year ago!"
"Yes well, Keira's my assistant, it's her job to remember details like that," Miss Grant says waving a hand dismissively. Kara bobs her head in agreement, but doesn't say anything. Carter has clearly only been addressing his mother. He's gotten more comfortable with her for sure, but she doesn't want to risk the progress she's made by interrupting a conversation he's started.
"Mum, no-one remembers details that well. She even remembered to ask for extra chilli in the black bean guacamole." Carter stands and hitches his schoolbag on his shoulders. "Even you forget to ask for that sometimes, and then you complain that the beans take away too much of the kick."
"Have you stopped to think that I occasionally have mexican for lunch, and that's why Keira knows how I like my guacamole," Miss Grant asks, brushing an imaginary piece of lint off of Carter's shoulder as he steps around the desk. "Now come on, it's time to go."
Kara has to bite her lip to keep from scoffing, but Carter doesn't hold back. Mexican food is something Kara has never known Miss Grant to order for a meal without Carter. It's mostly lettuce wraps, and salads with burgers, interspersed with orders of sushi and other japanese cuisine.
"Don't you scoff at me young man," Miss Grant says swatting at Carter's shoulder playfully. She starts shuffling him towards the elevator. Kara springs around them, to press the call button on the elevator. "As you said it's been over a year, she knows how I like my guacamole the same way I know she prefers the potstickers from Chow Hong's rather than Palace of Plenty."
They're stepping through the threshold of the elevator when Carter stops to look at his mother.
"You said it's her job to remember what you like to order," he says slowly. Miss Grant seems to physically prevent herself from rolling her eyes, and nudges Carter the rest of the way into the elevator. In a practiced move, Kara reaches blindly into the elevator to press the button to the ground floor without entering it. "But you're her boss. Why do you need to remember where Kara prefers her potstickers from?"
For the first time since Miss Grant came back to the office they make full eye contact. Kara gets only three seconds to see the shock in Miss Grant's green flecked eyes, and see the way her mouth opens and closes ever so slightly as she tries to find the words to answer Carter's question and then the doors slide closed.
Kara continues staring at the space where Miss Grant and Carter had been occupying just a moment before, turning over every word Carter had said since she'd hung up with the restaurant. Suddenly it seemed so crystal clear what his statements had been implying. But it couldn't be could it?
Suddenly the vivid colour of Miss Grant's eyes, widened with shock swam across Kara's vision, and Kara felt her breath stutter in her chest. She knew she had never seen Miss Grant's eyes catch the light quite like that before. She knew because unprompted Miss Grant's, Cat's, eyes began to whir through her mindseye. Shifting from turbulent brown in the dim lighting of her office towards the tail end of an all-nighter, caused by the incompetence of an overseas office, to the sparkling green Kara had witnessed one summer afternoon out on the balcony when Cat had been on the phone to Carter, when he was on vacation with his father.
"Hey Kara." Winn might as well have materialised from nothingness for all the attention Kara was paying. He clapped a hand onto her shoulder, not seeming to notice the way she jumped at the contact. "Can you remember what it was we ordered from that new Cambodian place last month? I was thinking we could get it again for games night this weekend, James said he's never had Cambodian."
Blinking owlishly Kara looks down at the hand on her shoulder and then follows the arm back to it's owner. Winn smiles at her expectantly.
"Sorry, I can't remember," Kara says, too numb from her sudden realisation to feel bad about the way Winn's face falls. "Excuse me, I have to go talk to Alex about something."
She's already in the door to the stairwell before Winn can reply.