So I'm back! Thanks for the comments and love. Also, where I'm from, a Build-A-Bear costs somewhere between 20-50 dollars after tax and when you're on a budget, that's really hard to come up with. I knew someone that all they wanted for their birthday was one and it seemed like it'd make for a kind of cute story. So enjoy!
Also, I do not nor will I ever own a Build-A-Bear.
-X-
Tucked on a bench, observing the world through his young eyes, was Clark's favorite pastime. He would rest his little head on his knees and watch as people strolled through the overpopulated mall. His mommy would sit beside him and they'd debated people's back stories. Some were aliens, trying to blend in with humans; others were spies, astronauts, or even ghosts – doomed to walk on this plane for an eternity.
It was simple, but perfect.
Every Saturday, without fail, his mommy brought him to the mall no matter how exhausted she was. She worked two jobs and, while she tried so hard to put up a strong front and provide him with everything she could, he knew it wore her down. She did her best and that was enough for him.
He'd never met his daddy and that was fine. From what he'd gathered, listening to his mom's late night talks with his Aunt Lena, he wasn't a very nice man. Aunt Lena was her best friend, but Aunt Lucy was a close second. In fact, his mommy had introduced them.
He loved his Aunt Lena and Aunt Lucy – and they adored him. Whenever they came by, they'd always try and bring him a little gift. Aunt Lena was trying to start up her own business with the help of his mommy and Aunt Lucy, promising his mommy a job the moment her dreams became a reality. He hoped it would happen soon. They all deserved a break.
Eyeing another passerby, Clark began spouting his theories.
-X-
Back pressed against the uncomfortable wood, Kara fought the yawn threatening to slip out. She loved her weekend trip with Clark, it was their bonding time, but days like this made it hard to concentrate. Late shifts were always the worst and left her exhausted and sore. However, it was worth it if it meant she could give Clark a good life – not the life her son deserved, but something more than nothing.
"I bet he's an a-athassin," the four year old stated, lowering his voice 'just in case'.
A questioning brow arched. "How exactly do you know what an assassin is, young man?"
Giggling, Clark tucked his head into his knees. "James' older brother told him about them."
Kara shook her head in amusement, tousling Clark's inky black locks. James was Clark's best friend. They'd been attached at the hip ever since the start of pre-school and she couldn't be happier that her son had found a good friend.
"It's okay if you want to leave early, Mommy. I know you're tired," Clark said softly, scooting close and leaning his head against her side.
Sighing, she nestled the boy closer. She loved her son's brilliance – the way he could spell words that most second graders had troubles with; how he could solve math problems in mere seconds – but she also hated it in moments like this. He was perceptive and despite how hard she tried to shield him from the coldest parts of life, she didn't always succeed.
"How about we go look at the animals at Build-A-Bear?" Kara suggested, relief flooding her as Clark's eyes brightened considerably. It was part of their tradition – she couldn't afford to buy him one, but he enjoyed looking at them all the same. His birthday was fast approaching and she prayed that she'd be able to pay bills 'and' manage to get him one.
He was such a good boy; he'd more than earned the overpriced animal, especially when it was the only thing he'd asked for.
Clark tugged her through the mall, his little feet pattering excitedly against the carpet as he chattered about the new dogs that the store offered. There was a golden Lab, a Dalmatian, 'and' a Husky. Very exhilarating stuff.
Halting a few feet from the glass, Clark bounced happily from foot to foot. He tried to untangle his hand from Kara's, but a sharp glance made him rethink. He could get away with quite a few things, but his mommy's rule about not letting go of her hand in public 'wasn't' one of them. He was small for his age and she wasn't about to let anything happen to him.
Slipping inside the packed store, Clark scurried toward unstuffed animals and peered into their boxes. They looked so different from their stuffed counterparts resting above on their pedestals.
"How are you today? Is there anything I can help you pick out today?" a cheery voice inquired behind Kara, startling the blonde.
Glancing behind her, Kara let out an involuntary gasp. The owner of the voice was absolutely breath-taking, stealing away all of Kara's coherent thoughts and leaving her to gape mindlessly at the woman. She was shorter than Kara, her brunette locks cropped short. She was wearing the standard Build-A-Bear outfit, but it was obvious the woman was 'fit'.
"Uh…"
The woman (Alex, her nametag read) smirked, biting back a chuckle. The blonde was blatantly admiring her physique and she couldn't bring herself to be irritated by the appreciation. It brought unsolicited butterflies into the pit of her belly and, if she wasn't so skilled in the art of stoicism, her face would be flushed prettily.
But, as it were, she outwardly remained entertained by the woman's impressive fish impression.
"No thank you," Clark chimed, oblivious to his mommy's actions, "We can't get one, but Mommy lets me come in and look at them."
Alex's gaze drifted to the child at the blonde's side and her brow quirked curiously. For being no more than five or six, he was really well-spoken. "Okay," she smiled, "That's perfectly fine. If you need anything or want to ask me any questions, just come find me. My name's Alex."
"I'm Clark," he announced proudly, puffing out his chest. "This is my mommy."
Extending her hand, Alex shook the boy's as her eyes fell to the still-silent blonde. "Does your mom have a name?"
"Of course: Mommy," Clark answered, exasperated by the question, his face drawn into a 'duh' expression.
Chuckling, Alex placated, "Of course. How silly of me."
"K-Kara," the blonde sputtered, her baby blues staring at her owlishly. She offered a hand, marveling at the spark she felt when their skin brushed against each other.
"Well, 'Kara'," Alex purred, testing the name out on her tongue and deciding that it was 'definitely' her new favorite name of all time, "If you need anything – and I do mean 'anything' - you're more than welcome to come find me." She winked playfully before strolling confidently away. And yes, she might have added a bit of swagger to her hips, but she'd never admit it.
"That's one ridiculously hot mom. If you don't ask for her number, I will," Maggie, her coworker and one of Alex's best friends, commented under her breath when Alex stopped behind the counter.
Rolling her eyes, Alex nudged the other brunette – hard.
-X-
The next Saturday, there was a pep in Kara's step that hadn't been there the week before. Since the encounter at the store, she hadn't been able to keep her mind from wandering to the flirty brunette. She was a flirt, that was obvious, but the way she'd interacted with Clark had flooded Kara's entire body with warmth. Even he'd raved about "the nice woman from Build-A-Bear" despite how limited their conversation had been.
Keeping their ritual, the small family spent a few hours enjoying the bustle of the mall and coming up with ridiculous stories before venturing toward the Build-A-Bear. It wasn't nearly as busy as the previous weekend, but a familiar brunette was lounging against the wall behind the counter while her coworker finished up a woman and her screaming child's check out. Kara couldn't fully make out the child's problem through the screeching, but she could tell it had something to do with an outfit her mom had refused to buy for her panda.
Kara angled her body away from Alex, but she couldn't help peeking over her shoulder and studying the shorter woman. She felt rather creepy, but she couldn't help it. There was something alluring about Alex, but Kara had absolutely no idea what to do or how to address it. How do you ask someone on a date when they're clearly around your age and you have a 'child'? Not many (older) people would go out with someone with a son, why would someone still in their twenties, their entire life ahead of them?
Don't get her wrong, Kara adored Clark and never once resented him or thought of him as a mistake – he was her pride and joy – but she knew how the world worked. Besides, how can you ask someone out when you only have enough money to survive the week on? McDonalds was 'not' the best place for a first date.
She returned her attention to Clark, missing how Alex visibly perked up at the sight of her. Alex had been hoping to see the young mother again. She was enchanting, drawing Alex in without the brunette's notice. Her thoughts had strayed (more times than she'd care to admit) to Kara, keeping her thoroughly on edge in hopes of seeing her again.
Pushing off the wall, Alex meandered toward them, purposefully ignoring Maggie's smirk. She didn't need to look at her friend to know. Maggie found her "little crush" hilarious. She hadn't stopped teasing Alex since.
"Hello, Clark. Kara," the brunette greeted, lips turning upward subconsciously.
"Hi, Alex," Clark replied with a wave, his eyes flickering between her and the unstuffed animals.
"How are you today?" Alex bent down, trying to level their gazes the best she could.
Clark beamed, bouncing slightly. "I'm really good! Mommy says for my birthday I can have a stuffed animal!"
"That's awesome, little man. Which one do you want?" Alex's forehead burrowed when Clark's enthusiasm faltered.
"I'll be happy with whatever Mommy buys me."
Kara stiffened, her face falling at her son's barely audible response. She swallowed harshly and glanced away, fighting back tears. His tiny declaration made her stomach twist with anguish. She jumped when a warm hand grasped hers and squeezed reassuringly. Their eyes locked and there was something soothing about the way Alex smiled up at her.
"Well, which one is your favorite?" Alex inquired, slipping her hand from Kara's, leaving behind a hollow and lonely feeling. At Clark's hesitation to answer, Alex continued, "Mine's the golden retriever."
Clark's curiosity was instantly piqued. "Why?"
"Well, it's one of my favorite dogs. I had one growing up before I moved to National City. And, while they're simple and a regular in the store, there's something special about them. They're really warm and fun to cuddle." Peering at the blonde woman, Alex inched closer and whispered in Clark's ear, though it was still loud enough for Kara to hear. "And, they kind of remind me of your mom."
Giggling, Clark studied the dog carefully. "They are! Mommy's a great cuddler! You should cuddle her too. There are no better cuddles."
Alex bit back a chuckle at the blush creeping from Kara's cheeks, watching as it trailed down her throat and under the collar of her sweater. "I just might have to."
Eyes widening, Kara sputtered though nothing intelligible came out – only noises of embarrassment erupting from parted lips.
"I really like the huskies," Clark murmured after a moment of silence fell upon them. "They're really soft and their eyes are the same color as mine."
"They are," Alex agreed. She went to make another comment, but the rather annoying, sickly sweet voice of her best friend halted it.
"Danvers! Stop flirting and come open the other register! It's getting too busy for just one." This time, it was Alex's turn to blush as she rose. She hadn't even noticed the crowd filing into the store. Glaring over her shoulder, Maggie only wagged her eyebrows.
"I guess that's my cue," Alex laughed uncomfortably, slipping her hands into her pockets and stepping back. "I'll see you around, Kara. Bye, Clark."
"Bye!"
-X-
The next Saturday, Kara was absent from their weekly trip to the mall, opting to work an extra shift at the diner to make sure she had enough to get Clark a cake and his coveted stuffed dog. Lucy and Lena were buying Clark some small gifts, but Clark's dog was Kara's and Kara's alone to buy him. She'd even saved up enough to get the animal a small outfit.
But, the day before Clark's birthday, something went wrong. Their old fridge, the one Kara had bought when Clark was merely months old, finally gave up. She'd called Winn, a friend who was really good at fixing things, but there was nothing he could do.
It was dead.
Saturday morning, Kara awoke with a heavy heart. As tradition, Clark had slept in her bed the previous night; they always watched cartoons the night before his birthday until he fell asleep. This year, his birthday had fallen on a Saturday, so Kara was determined to go through with their ritual while Lena and Lucy set up for Clark's makeshift birthday.
Kara had called them in a panic last night, babbling about the fridge until she couldn't stop her treacherous tears from falling. She was lucky that Clark was playing in his room; she couldn't handle the thought of having to lie to him about why she was an inconsolable mess. Lena had promised to pick up a cake for Clark, assuring Kara that the blonde would figure out something.
"You're smart, Kara. And you're a good mother. It's not your fault this happened and Clark may not understand right now, but he will when he's older."
The idea of disappointing her son left her sick to her stomach, acid and defeat bubbling in her stomach. She'd tried so hard…
-X-
Stepping into the store, Kara's hands were clammy. She had a little money, but she feared it wouldn't be enough. The store was rather empty, aside from the few stragglers and the standard three employees that always seemed to run the store on the weekends.
"It's my birthday!" Clark blurted when Alex approached, startling the brunette.
"Well, happy birthday!" Alex grinned, patting Clark's head affectionately.
"I get my animal today." Clark beamed at Kara, unaware of Kara's building panic.
Sensing Kara's anxiety, Alex stepped a bit closer and grasped the blonde's trembling hand. "Why don't you look around and decide what you want while I talk to your mom?" Alex suggested kindly. "We'll be right over here."
Alex led Kara a few feet away; they could still see Clark, but he wouldn't be able to hear them. "What's wrong, Kara?"
Lip quivering, she exhaled shakily. "I don't know if I can get Clark the stuffed animal he wants. Hell, I don't know if I can get him one at all! Our refrigerator died and I had to spend all of the extra money we had on a new one and…" Angrily wiping at the tears threatening to escape, Kara glanced away. "I'm sorry. This isn't your problem. I don't know why I'm ranting to you."
Alex chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully, peering the young boy flitting about the boxes. "I have an idea. Can you come back in an hour? We're closing the store early today and I'm the one closing up."
Kara blinked, confused by the sudden subject change. "Uh…yes?"
Smiling, Alex pecked Kara's cheek and desperately tried to ignore those damn butterflies that refused to stay out of her stomach. "I'll see you in an hour."
-X-
It'd taken some enticement with the promise of a cinnamon bun to tempt Clark away from the store, but no child could resist an enticing sweet treat, especially on their birthday. He'd devoured the warm bun, his little hands covered in icing and sugar. He seemed so happy that she couldn't begrudge the mess he'd created.
Wiping off his fingers, she glanced at the phone on the table. It'd been a little over an hour and Kara was no closer to a solution than she'd been an hour ago. But, she trusted Alex and she had to hope that things would work out.
Alex was the lone worker in the store when they arrived. The others had vacated at Alex's insistence, assuring them she had no issues closing up for the day. Instead of their usual eight p.m. closing time, the owner was allowing them to shut down at four; Maggie had to leave before five, their other coworker Siobhan needed to be gone by six and no other workers could cover the shifts, so J'onn told them to finish up everything before four and enjoy their day. They were all hard workers so they wouldn't take a hit if the store was closed on one Saturday.
"Alex!"
The brunette's head rose from her gazing upon the computer and she smiled. "Hi, guys. Come on in." She slipped from behind the counter and stopped at Kara's side. "Clark, why don't you go ahead and pick out an animal? I've got to talk to your mom and then we can stuff him for you, okay?"
Clark nodded firmly and began his diligent search for the "perfect" stuffed animal.
"Alex…"
"Don't worry about the money, Kara. It's already been taken care of."
Shaking her head, Kara swallowed harshly. "I-I don't want your charity."
"It's not charity," Alex argued. "You work hard to give your son a good life, Kara. Even I can tell that. So, it's not charity, this is simply life giving back."
"I…" Kara looked away, indecision warring within her. She wanted more than anything to give Clark a good birthday, but the idea of taking from someone made her stomach flip over angrily.
A squeal interrupted her wild thoughts. "Mommy, look! It's perfect!" An unstuffed dog came into her line of sight and she blinked. In his little hands wasn't the husky he'd raved about. No, it was…
"A golden retriever?"
Nodding frantically, Clark's smile widened. "Uh huh!"
"I thought you wanted a husky, baby?"
Clark shrugged. "I thought I did, but I remembered what Alex said. So, even when you're not home, you'll still be there b-because this puppy is you!"
His precious admittance had tears trickling down Kara's cheeks in seconds and she gathered the boy into her arms, kissing the top of his head. He squirmed, squeaking indignantly when her grip tightened. He wasn't a baby anymore!
"Mommy!" he whined, trying to inch from her grasp even when he knew it was pointless. He was stuck.
Alex rubbed Kara's back affectionately, hoping to ease some of the tension from her shoulders. The moment he'd shoved the dog toward Kara, the battle raging inside her had drained away, something Alex was grateful for. The little family had such a hold on her heart, even if she'd only seen them a few times. Maybe this time she would woman up and ask her out.
Maybe.
Before walking them through the steps of stuffing Clark's animal, Alex swiftly closed the gate of the store. She wanted her attention fully on the birthday boy and Kara; besides, she was supposed to be closing anyways, right?
Clark was fascinated by the building process. He begged Kara to record her voice on the noise box and she was happy to oblige his request. He didn't want it overly soft but not too firm either.
"Mommy is the strongest person I know, but she's really soft too so it has to be both," he declared with a definitive jerk of his head.
Kara had to swallow back another round of tears, though Alex's comforting nudge helped keep her from blubbering. It was embarrassing enough that she'd done it once that day.
"Pick any outfit you want," Alex grinned, giddy at the awestruck glance Clark sent their way.
"Really?" he whispered, studying Kara's face for any trepidation. He didn't want to overdo it.
The blonde smiled tenderly, tousling his unruly locks. "Go ahead." When he was out of earshot, Kara briefly touched her cheek to the top of Alex's shoulder. "Thank you for this. How can I repay you for this?"
Alex hummed thoughtfully for a moment.
Now's my chance, she mused.
"How about a date?" she suggested, peering hopefully at the woman she hadn't stopped thinking about the past few weeks. At Kara's bewildered expression, apprehension gripped at her chest and stole the breath from her lungs. Had she read the signs wrong? "I-I mean, you don't have to. If y-you say no, it won't change anything. I just thought…" she trailed off awkwardly, scratching the back of her neck.
"Yes."
Alex blinked owlishly. "Yes?"
Smirking at Alex's astonished parroting, Kara pressed a kiss to Alex's cheek. "I would love to go on a date with you."
"Oh." Alex's cheeks flushed, but the pleased uptick of her lips was obvious.
Kara leaned into Alex's side, almost instinctively, as they gazed upon the hyper birthday boy. He was enamored with the football costume and Kara wondered if this was foreshadowing for his high school years.
Clark offered the outfit and his dog to Kara, silently prodding her to dress his new stuffed animal. He may not be a baby, but that didn't mean he was an expert on dressing anything. "Mommy, can Alex come to my birthday dinner?"
Alex's eyes widened, sharing a brief look with Kara. The blonde was surprised by the question, but she wasn't sure why. Clark had taken rather spectacularly to the woman and that was a rarity for him.
"Would you like to come to dinner?"
That dark gaze Kara had grown to like very much flickered between the two hopeful faces and her smile broadened. "I'd like nothing more."
-X-
Thanks for reading! If you liked, you should comment and if you have any ideas, send me a PM or leave a review.
Until next time, PEACE OUT!