Kara knew that her diet wouldn't be healthy for a human, but with two jobs and an alien-sized appetite sometimes it was just easier to buy fast-food. Tonight was different. Lena was coming for dinner, it was the first date which would start in one of their homes and Kara had offered to cook them dinner.
She knew how to cook of course, Eliza and Alex had shown her what to do growing up, and she had made meals for them when they were busy with work and school. This felt more important, somehow. She wanted to make a good impression and she knew that Lena was used to the best of everything. So she had gone to the local farmers market and purchased every single fresh ingredient she would need. Salt was the only thing she intended to use from her cupboards - and she'd had to double-check that she had even that in.
She'd avoided using her powers to speed up the slicing and dicing, wanting to take her time and make sure everything was perfect. The recipe book was propped open, with a sheet of cling film over to protect it from accidental spillages, and she had laid over every ingredient ready.
Kara took a deep breath and began cooking.
The doorbell rang just as she was putting the dish back in the oven. Kara quickly washed her hands at the sink and rushed over to the door.
"Hey!" she smiled when she saw Lena, automatically going to hug her before realising she was still wearing her apron.
Kara stepped back and removed the apron, tossing it in the general direction of the kitchen without her eyes leaving her girlfriend. Lena laughed and held out a tote bag.
"One bottle for you and one for me, I stopped at the bar on the way."
"Thanks," Kara took the bag and ushered Lena into the apartment.
She'd managed a speed-clean earlier and wasn't sure whether to invite Lena to wait on the sofa or in the kitchen area.
"Something smells delicious," Lena told her.
"It's nearly ready. Would you like something to drink?"
"Maybe with dinner, you said red would go best?"
Kara nodded, she'd chosen the meal because Lena had ordered it at a restaurant and enjoyed it, and the sommelier had advised pairing it with a red wine. Grabbing the apron on the way back to the kitchen, she placed it on the side knowing she wouldn't need it now the messy parts of the meal were done.
"How was your day?" Kara asked.
"Great, thanks. I spent most of it in the labs, checking up on some projects while Jess covered for me in the office. I think I'll start adding it to my schedule."
They continued with small talk until the timer went and Kara served the dinner. She'd put the best tablecloth on the table and even found some candles she'd been keeping in case of a blackout. A little too nervous to be the one to start eating, Kara watched as Lena took her first bite of the meal.
"Wow, this is really good," Lena told her.
Kara beamed at the praise, "I know you had it with kale at the restaurant, but I couldn't bring myself to cook it, so I improvised instead."
Lena laughed, "well this is much better. I should warn you, I'm a terrible cook which is why I always suggest going to a restaurant before but now I know you can cook like this..."
"You can't cook?" Kara was surprised.
Lena waggled her hand in a so-so gesture, "basics, enough to survive college anyway. Nothing that tastes as good as this. Certainly nothing that takes more than half an hour to prepare and cook."
"It's not too hard, though when Eliza was first teaching me Alex would show off by cutting the vegetables really quickly. When I tried I dented the knife on my indestructible fingers, it was so embarrassing."
"Maybe you could teach me?"
"That can be our next date activity."
Kara had been crossing off a list of things she wanted to do with Lena, normal human date things, like bowling, ice skating, walks in the park. Cooking together would be fun too.
"Okay, you choose the menu and I'll get the ingredients. Something simple though, please."
"Of course, maybe spaghetti bolognaise or we could make our own pizzas!" Kara's eyes lit up at the idea, "tossing the dough is half the fun and I used to make them all the time with Alex when Eliza was working late."
"Pizza's it is, then."
Kara began listing her favourite toppings, wondering whether they should make a couple of small pizzas with one type of topping on each or just one pizza each and separate the toppings so they were on different slices once cut. Lena listened to her, half-afraid to mention that she preferred her pizza plain.