When she finally got off work, Kal was helping a taco shack with the lunch rush after two of the cooks had called in sick. He roasted meat with his heatvision, cooled off drinks with his ice breath, and delivered orders at superspeed. All the tips dropped neatly into a jar at the counter.
"I didn't know when you'd be done," he told Kara, handing her a bag of foil-wrapped chalupas. She'd shown up in costume, and the impromptu photo op had everyone reaching for their phones. "So I thought I'd help out."
"And people not getting their burritos on time was all the trouble you could find?"
"What can I say? My cous runs a pretty tight ship." He slugged her playfully on the chin. "C'mon, let's go. I wouldn't want this place to be mobbed any more than it is."
"The manager might not mind," Kara said, glancing at the overflowing tip jar. "Think you'll get another dish named after you?"
"Actually, I was hoping for employee of the month."
Kal swiped a chalupa from the bag at superspeed. With one mighty leap, he was up sitting on an inactive crane, well above autograph-seeker level. Kara jumped up with him to find the foil unwrapped, a bite of chalupa in his mouth. Envying the sounds of smacking satisfaction he was making, even with Midwestern table manners, she dug into the bag for her own dinner.
"Payment in Tex-Mex. Now why didn't I think of that?"
"I could never take money for helping people, but a home-cooked meal? I am only human."
"Uh-huh," Kara replied, as a particularly strong gust of wind blew his cape up.
"Figure of speech," Kal said.
They finished off the meal—the food went fast when there were no Earthlings around to slow down for—and after they'd deposited the trash in a recycling bin and garbage can, Kal was ready to get his digestion going.
"So, how do you feel about a race?"
"Oh, I could go a little ways." Kara grinned fiercely. "I've been getting pretty fast, you know.
Kal held up his hands defensively. "Take it easy on me, cous. I'm an old man."
"Yeah, right."
"Really," Kal insisted, then took off in a sonic boom. Kara took off after him, leaving an imprint of her boots in the sidewalk—it had cracks in it anyway—and put on the speed until she caught up with him, doing a lazy backstroke with his fingers joined under his head.
"Feels good to cut loose once in a while, doesn't it?" Kal asked.
"Yeah," Kara admitted. "So, what's with the visit all of a sudden? You've been pretty distant lately."
"That's Metropolis for you, unfortunately. Twice the size of National City and four times the trouble. But Lois found a coupon for a day spa that was about to expire, so she's off, and the city just tends to quiet down without her around."
"Well, I am glad you made it. How's Perry? How's Bibbo? Am I going to be an aunt anytime soon?"
"Perry's taking heart medication, Bibbo's doing very well in AA, and none of your business."
"Aww, c'mon, spill!"
"It's private." Kal nodded off to the left. "Hey, didn't the forecast say that it was going to be clear skies today?"
Kara looked over at a darkly threatening storm cloud, hovering directly over Mancover Park. "You think it's Weather Wizard? Weather Wizard's brother?"
"I think it was just a bad forecast. Still, I'm sure a lot of people had their heart set on a picnic," he hinted.
"You could just work on civic improvement until the cows came home, couldn't you?"
Kal's brow furrowed. "The cows come home when it's dark, Kara. That's a pretty reasonable workday."
"Oh. Okay."
"I knew I should've found some farmers to take you in…"
Working together, they flew through the storm cloud, scattering it with puffs of superbreath, playfully sculpting the cloudstuff into the occasional shape before sending it on its way. The sky cleared up, sky castles and full-rigged schooners blowing in all directions. Kal lazily 'sat' on a puffy white cloud, watching as the park filled up with people small as ants—barbecues and touch football.
Kara joined him, but folded her legs under herself, as if Indian-sitting. She wondered why it felt more comfortable. Maybe it was a boy-girl thing. Maybe it was an Earth-Krypton thing. She decided not to worry about it.
"So how are you?" Kal asked.
"Oh, the usual. I could go on for hours, but just in case something more serious than a rainy day pops up… what's on your mind?"
Kal looked away. "I hear that your boss at the DEO is a Martian."
"Really?"
"Kara—"
"You, of all people…"
"Obviously, it's not that I think all aliens are evil. But I know most of the people in your life. The Danvers, Jimmy… even Cat," he added, a bit ruefully. "J'onn sounds like a nice guy, but I would like to meet him."
"Because you think he's manipulating me?"
"Because he's a part of your life and I would like to know what's happening there," he said, giving into a bit of a stammer, reaching up to adjust glasses that weren't there. He sighed. "Honestly, I'm better with him being an alien than him being in the DEO. I know, I know, it's what's right for you, but there's a difference between helping and working for."
"I don't work for the DEO," Kara reasoned. "I work for Cat."
"Do you think the Chinese would see it that way, if you had to show up inside their borders? Or the Russians?"
"I don't think I have to worry about geopolitics just yet. I have you for that."
"Yeah. Yeah, you do. But I won't be around forever."
"Oh, stop. If anyone's going to get themselves killed, it's me. I have no idea what I'm doing half the time."
Kal fixed her with a dead-eyed look. "That's not funny."
"Sorry." Seeing how strong, how invincible Kal was, it was easy to forget the people he'd lost. "Anyway, I'm sure J'onn would love to meet you."
"Good. And I'm sure he's fine. If you vouch for him—"
"I do," Kara nodded. "I think you'll like him. He's one of those people who cares more about being good than strong, or even right."
"Then I'm glad you're spending time with him. Although, if you're interested in friends your own age, you could always pay Stargirl a visit—"
"Trying to set me up on a date?" Kara teased mischievously.
Kal blushed. He was so easy sometimes. "I'm sure that, uh, no matter what your preferences, anyone as, umm, as smart and good-natured as you shouldn't have any problems finding…"
"I was joking."
"…companionship," Kal finished. "Yes, I got that half a sentence ago. Just couldn't seem to stop."
"More powerful than a locomotive," Kara quipped.
"And with about as much social skills. But speaking of, how are you and Winn…" Kal paused suddenly. "Oh no. Lois found a drug smuggling ring based out of the spa." He craned his neck. ".44-caliber bullets. I'd better go."
"Stay safe!" Kara said.
"You too!" Kal called back to her as he flew away.
Faster than a speeding bullet.
"Let's do this again sometime," Kara said, knowing he was still listening.
That he would always listen.