"Carter, this is Adam, your older brother", Cat expressed a bit restrained. She sure felt guilty that she had never undertaken any steps when it came to Adam. Now it was just embarrassing how she had to force Carter to spend time with his mysterious twenty-four-year-old brother.
"Hi Carter", Adam said softly, receiving a quick and evasive look from Carter.
Adam had decided to arrive a bit before his mother had to leave for her meeting, thinking it would be better to let her introduce him to Carter.
"I should let the two of you talk now", Cat spoke, meaning she had to leave.
Adam looked at her preoccupied when she picked up her briefcase, gave Carter a kiss on the cheek and made her way to the door. He followed her in an ultimate attempt to make her stay longer. Kara hadn't arrived yet and the thought of talking to a brother he had never met before was simply terrifying.
When Cat opened the door, she was confronted with the slender figure of Kara Danvers whose finger had been ready to ring at the doorbell just as Cat made her way out.
"Hello Miss Grant", she let out, visibly shocked by the coincidence that Cat left the house just as she was about to ring. "Adam", she added when she saw the man looking over his mother's shoulder.
Adam's mouth fell open when he took in Kara's appearance. She was wearing a beautiful black dress which accentuated her perfectly shaped body. He looked down and saw that the dress came just above her knees, making her legs seem endless. Her hair was put up in a loose bun, revealing her long silver earrings. She was gorgeous.
"Come in", Cat suggested, making a face when she looked at her son ,"I was just leaving as you well know". And with that she was gone.
Kara and Adam both waved timidly at her until the limousine was out of sight.
Adam looked at his watch, it was exactly seven o'clock.
"Wow, you're very punctual", he exclaimed, but when he noticed the faint smile around Kara's lips he realized what was really going on.
"You didn't wait until it was precisely seven did you?"
Kara shrugged her shoulders and adjusted her glasses, which was all the confirmation Adam needed.
"You really are unbelievable."
"I speak from experience when I say that Miss Grant likes punctuality", she reacted shyly.
"Uhm, where is your car?" he asked confused while looking at the empty streets in front of him. The house was situated on the hills outside the city and there was no way Kara had made it there by walking.
"Oh, I uh, my sister, Alex, she dropped me off. I don't have a car", Kara answered, tucking a loose string of hair behind her ear.
Adam pulled up his eyebrow. He didn't want to question it further, but he did have the impression based on Kara's movements that that wasn't how she had arrived there.
Kara finally entered the house and was immediately surprised by the wealth that surrounded her. The house had all the characteristics of a rich mansion.
She studied the hallway as she continued her step. The walls were painted grey and decorated with colourful paintings and Kara had no doubt that they must have cost a fortune.
Adam followed her closely, doing his best not to give away that he was staring at her back.
"In here", he said, holding one door open which apparently revealed the living room.
Kara's eyes widened when she walked through the door. The room was nothing like she had expected and very different from the hall which she had just seen. The light-brown walls and the dark-brown leather furniture gave the room a warm and familiar feeling despite its immense size. In the middle stood a wooden table which was surrounded by six leather chairs. It was dim inside, but the few led lights and standing designer lamps made it cosy and intimate. Various photographs of Cat and Carter decorated the oaken cupboards around the living room.
Kara smiled. This was definitely a room that no-one besides Cat, Carter and Adam had seen and she felt privileged that her presence was allowed in it. The contrast with the hallway proved that Cat was really the woman Kara thought she was. Behind that hard shell and the harsh image Cat tried to hang up there was really a soft and caring person.
"It's beautiful", Kara sighed.
"So are you", Adam confessed, leaning closer to her. The faded look on Kara's face made him reconsider his words. "I mean, tonight, with your dress and all… I just wanted to say that you look really different outside the working office."
Kara felt the blood pumping to her head, there was no doubt that she was blushing in front of Adam.
"Kara!", Carter shouted when he turned around the corner, coming from a room which Kara suspected to be the kitchen.
"Hey buddy", Kara returned as she caught Carter who had jumped straight into her arms. "You know why I'm here right?"
"Sure", he whined throwing a hostile look towards Adam.
"Hey, I saw that face little man", she said while putting Carter down.
The simplicity with which she did so surprised Adam. Carter was a thirteen-year-old boy, sure he had to weigh heavier than what Kara seemed him look like.
"Don't judge your brother before you get to know him, he can be a really great guy", Kara continued, giving all her attention to Carter so that she didn't notice Adam's confused look, "I know, because I have had the chance to spend time with him before."
"Really?", Carter asked, not convinced by her words.
"Really", Kara assured him, "and I'm here to help showing you that."
Carter eyed back to Adam, who had been staring at the young woman in full adoration. Now he was absolutely certain that she still had feelings for him.
"Well, I presume that means I have to give you a chance to prove yourself", Carter spoke in an awfully polite voice.
"I solemnly swear that I will not let that chance slip away, young lad", Adam answered using the same polite and royal tone.
Carter looked at the stranger in surprise. He didn't expect Adam to pass his test that easily. He had assumed that Adam would remain speechless after his little act.
"You, sir, are a worthy opponent", Carter smiled. Maybe Kara was right about the man in front of him.
"Does this mean I have successfully obtained your approval?", Adam joked back, glad with the smile his brother had given him.
"It means I have awarded you the chance to prove that you are worthy of my trust", Carter burst out unable to withdraw his laughter when thinking about the complete rubbish talk the two had just shared.
The two brothers looked amused at each other, either one of them smiling awkwardly at the other under the watchful and approving eye of Kara.
"Who wants to play some videogames?", Kara asked pointing to the Playstation that stood on a cupboard under the enormous flat screen television.
Carter immediately jumped on the couch shrieking "I take the blue controller!" as Adam whispered to Kara: "You really think this is the best idea during our first time together? It's not like we will talk a lot while playing…"
"I remember how he enjoyed himself last time when he was gaming with my friend Winn in your mother's…"
Kara anxiously stopped. There was no way that Cat could ever find out about that.
Adam successfully read her mind when he winked and added: "Don't worry, I know nothing."
"Hey, are you guys coming or what?", Carter shouted enthusiastically, glaring at the two of them from his sofa.
Kara and Adam quickly came to join Carter as the youngest turned on the television.
"Supergirl!" Carter squealed, causing Kara's heart to skip a beat when she heard the name of her alter ego.
She let out an invisible sigh when she sat down and noticed the repeated news footage Carter was watching. It broadcasted the images from the fire she had blown out earlier that day.
"So, you like Supergirl?", Adam teased, poking his brother's arm as he jumped next to him on the couch.
"A bit", Carter replied with a faint blush on his cheeks.
"Wow, it must be so cool to have all those powers", Adam told when the news showed them the videos of Supergirl using her freeze breath.
The more images of the accident crossed the screen, the more Adam thought that the superhero seemed to have a familiar face. At some point he even noticed some resemblance with the girl that had stolen his heart, but he quickly talked himself out if that thought. He could not imagine the fierce look Supergirl was wearing on Kara's innocent, smiling face.
He looked at his little brother and back to the screen. "So this is what it looks like when someone is starstruck", he smirked.
"Hey!", Carter replied sounding a bit offended. "You will look at her the same once you get to meet her in person."
"You've met Supergirl?" Adam asked. "You have to tell me all about that Casanova."
Kara watched in silence while the two were chattering. She could only hope that neither of them would realize that the subject of their talk was sitting right next to them.
000
"Yes, I've won again!"
Adam showed his brother his tongue in return. "That's not fair, you have had time to practice."
"Just admit that I'm better than you", Carter mocked.
"Ok boys," Kara intervened, "you may be the best in this game Carter, but don't forget that Adam won most of the battles on Tekken, so I would call it a tie."
"We can live with that, can't we brother?"
"Not a doubt, brother", Carter replied.
Kara grinned. It was nice to see how the both of them had accepted each other as the evening had passed, but she had just clearly witnessed the climax. They had finally admitted that they were brothers in each other's eyes.
"I see the threesome of you have enjoyed yourself?"
The three of them simultaneously turned their head around.
"Mom," Carter spoke, a bit of disappointed slipping into his words, "you're back already."
"I think it's time for you to go to bed," Cat said putting her briefcase on its regular spot, "there's school tomorrow and I guess I will have a hard time trying to get you out of bed in the morning."
"Fine", Carter mumbled as he stood up. He hugged Kara and then Adam, who was touched by the act, and opened the door to the hallway.
"Bye", he uttered, "I really had a great time hanging out with you two."
"Bye Carter", Adam and Kara returned.
"I should probably leave", Kara quickly added as she stood up. "Thank you for inviting me into your house Miss Grant."
"Any time", Cat replied waving the words away with her hand while making a suspiciously friendly look with her face.
"I think I should go too" Adam said, not taking his eyes off Kara.
"Oh", Cat spoke with a high-pitched voice. Her son definitely had a plan with her assistant.
"See you later Adam, Kiera."
Out on the streets, Adam glanced at Kara.
"I can call you a cab if you want?"
Seeing the confused look on the girl's face he explained: "I don't see your sister anywhere near."
"Oh, right", Kara faltered. She couldn't exactly tell him that she was able to fly back home faster than any car could get there.
"Or we could, you know," Adam started, determined to take Kara out on a date, ""I know an awesome place not too far away."
"I don't know," Kara reacted doubtfully. She really wanted to spend some more time with Adam, but it was late already and she felt extremely tired after a day of short sleep, saving the city, dealing with Cat at the office and entertaining Carter. All she longed for right now was the cosiness of her bed.
"As friends?", Adam tried, misinterpreting Kara's signs. Maybe the idea of going on a date so sudden scared the girl and he didn't want to rush things.
"Okay then", she yielded, "Surprise me."
The two walked along while Adam awkwardly held his hands clasped behind his back. Neither of them dared to hold hands.
Kara felt relieved, the prospect of another short night didn't hurt that much when it meant going out with Adam.
A/N: No real action this chapter, I just wanted to focus on the relationship between Kara, Adam and Carter (hope it wasn't too boring).
Thanks for reading and reviewing! :).