The Costume Party

Elsewhere in the university living quarters, Sara Kay and her best friend Jessica almost felt as if they were in one of their dance classes. The reason for this was the soon-to-be nineteen-year-old girl who lived across the hall from them. "Twirl girlies, twirl!" Amanda Watson clapped her hands enthusiastically. "The rent on these costumes isn't peanuts, you know, it's gotta look epic."

"Aren't you a little old for costume parties?" Sara shifted uncomfortably under the raven-haired girl's scrutinizing gaze and fiddled with the cat ears on her headband. "I feel ridiculous."

"You look like a total babe," said Amanda dismissively. "There's no such thing as too old for heroics."

"What heroics could a couple of college girls possibly get up to?" Jessica's curly brown locks bounced as she stared skeptically down at the Supergirl logo across her chest. "She has a point, Mandy. This thing is so tight."

"It's supposed to be tight, silly," the birthday girl said airily. "Have you ever seen a saggy superhero costume? You both look awesome!" She stroked her chin thoughtfully, staring into space for a moment. "The only thing this party is missing is boys, and it'll be a blast."

"Oh my God," Sara groaned and buried her face in her hands. "You're determined to embarrass us, aren't you?"

"Have you heard from your cute bridge-jumping buddy?" asked Amanda, as if Sara hadn't spoken at all.

"No, I haven't." Sara gave Jessica an annoyed shove when her room-mate smirked knowingly. "You shut up."

"I didn't say anything," the British girl protested. "I've heard plenty from that friend of his, Alex. It's a bit annoying, to tell you the truth."

"Well, you did have his tongue in your mouth," Sara pointed out. "It would be weird if he didn't call after that."

"By that logic, Clay should be calling you too, missy," Jessica argued. "I was a little busy myself, but there were plenty of witnesses to the kiss of the scaredy-cats."

"Jessie!" Sara squirmed uncomfortably under the amused gazes of her girlfriends. "There was no tongue, ugh! It was…sweet and exciting and kind of wonderful actually."

Amanda had been watching the exchange with a far too eager glint in her dark eyes. "What are the odds your boys have friends?" she mused. "This has excellent potential, you two. I knew I roped you in for a reason."

"Boys were never part of the deal, Mandy." Sara looked down at her hands, and although the squabbling was exhausting, she couldn't help but smile. Stroking her fingers, she could almost feel Clay's touch, equal parts needy and firm just before they launched into the lake.

"Anything that can make you blush like that has got to be part of the deal, Sara Kay." Amanda turned to pick up the prop that went with her costume, a fake sai sword and pointed it at the blonde. "Now stop arguing with me, Catwoman. I happen to be the badass Elektra, and just because I haven't found my Daredevil yet doesn't mean I won't, you mark my words."

"Oh, sure, you get to be the one with a weapon." Jessica's tone was exasperated, but her grip was firm when Sara scrambled nervously as far away from the blade as she could. "Fine, we'll get the boys to this party if you put that thing down." When Amanda lowered the sword with a triumphant smile, the British girl looked at Sara. "Hand me my cell phone from my bag, would you? Better get Alex on board with this thing before this one goes all Queen Of Hearts on our heads."

"I resent that, Parker." Amanda scowled, but before she could say anything else, there was a knock at their front door. "I'll get that," the birthday girl squealed and ran to answer it, still clutching her sai sword in one hand. The enthusiastic cosplayer couldn't help her grin growing even wider at the sight of Clay standing before her. "Oh, this is just perfect!"

With his nerves on edge, the beaming girl dangling a sai sword at her side threw Clay for a loop. "Um, hello," he stammered; "I'm Clay; we might have met at the bridge jump stunt last Saturday? I was looking for Sara." He eyed the sword in her hand, nervously; "Is this a bad time?"

"Not at all," said the dark-haired girl eagerly. "Your timing could not be more brilliant actually. Come inside!"

At the familiar voice shaking with nerves being coerced into their quarters by Amanda's forwardness, Sara exchanged a terrified grimace with Jessica as the British girl nudged her to her feet. "She did not just do that," the blonde groaned, quickly yanking the cat ears off her head. "How creepy do I look? God, I'm going to kill Mandy!"

"You look fine, honey," Jessica assured her. "Maybe he has a thing for sexy cat ladies?"

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Sara snapped, but before her room-mate could say another word, Amanda peeked into the bedroom with an entirely too excited smile plastered on her face. "Sara, Mr. Bridge-Jumping Cutie is here to see you."

"You'll pay for this, Amanda," Sara hissed as she slunk past the birthday girl reluctantly. In the tight costume, her heart pounding felt even more uncomfortable than usual when she laid eyes on Clay hovering awkwardly in the shared living room. "Hey stranger," she said softly, and the stunned look in his dark blue eyes made her wish the ground would open and swallow her up. "Sorry about this, my friend Amanda desperately wants to have a costume party for her birthday coming up."

"Was she aiming that sword at you too?" he laughed, and rather than feel more humiliating, the sound somehow put her at ease. "That girl is scary."

"I know, right? You got here just in time; Jessica and I were beginning to fear for our lives. Or, you know, our freedom of speech at the very least."

"Glad to be of service." He eyed her in awed silence for a moment. "I think the costume helps actually. I was so nervous about calling you again, but you look so awesome right now I'm glad I came over."

"I'm glad you did, too," said Sara softly. "Plus, you put us out of our misery back there; Amanda was one step away from holding Jessica hostage until she gets Alex to come to this party. She's scary and boy-crazy, that one."

"For what it's worth, I think you look fabulous," Clay shrugged. "I know I for one am gonna be thanking Amanda, even though she answered the door practically aiming her sword at me."

"Um, thanks." Sara's nervous smile took him back to the day of the bridge jump. "So, how have you been?"

"Thinking about how it felt to be holding your hand quite a lot, actually," Clay told her without thinking and instantly flushed. "Shit, was that too much?"

"That was very sweet, actually," Sara smiled and took a step closer to him. "Would you stop shaking? I'm the one in a freaking Catwoman costume here. It could have sent you running for the hills."

"That's probably the last thing that could send me running, I promise," said Clay solemnly, but he couldn't help his fingers still trembling when she slipped her hand into his.

"Just in case you need a reminder of how it felt," she winked, squeezing his fingers lightly. "This hand got me through a terrifying stunt last Saturday; I kind of owed it another touch."

"That is one very grateful hand," he said, returning the gentle caress. "What about the other part?"

"Other part?" she echoed teasingly, his visible nerves somehow making it easier to ignore the embarrassing outfit she had was wearing since he was so clearly a fan. "Remind me which part you mean?"

"I think you know," he moaned and then his fingers pressed against the arch of her back, so firmly that she leaned back with the flexibility of an actual cat. Sara tuned out Amanda and Jessica's giggles as they peeked out of the bedroom, the only thing that mattered was making another memory of the way Clay's lips felt on hers, warm but somehow desperate and tender all at once.

"Oh, that other part," she laughed when he finally released her and stepped back with a mesmerizing sparkle in his deep blue eyes. "Tell me something," she said at last, and he tilted his head and eyed her with a curious smile.

"Yeah?"

"Did you knock on the count of two?"

"You remember that part?" he groaned, and Sara found that the act of flustering him made her feel more at ease. "I'm sorry, I'm such a cheeseball."

"I like that about you. As you said, it can be our thing, right?"

"Our thing?" he echoed in awe. "So we officially have a thing now? We are a thing?"

"We are a thing," she confirmed. "If that's what you want, anyway."

"Does that mean you'll go out with me wearing this costume?" he grinned, looking like a little boy on Christmas morning.

"Don't push your luck, pal," she said, shoving him playfully in the chest. But when Amanda and Jessica's giggles gave away the fact that they were still watching her every move, she grabbed the front of his shirt forcefully. "What do you say we give these crazy room-mates of mine something more interesting to watch?" Before he could respond, she kissed him again, and this time there was most definitely tongue. "Now you're gonna have to be my Batman to Amanda's party," she gasped when the need for air became too great to ignore. "It was a trap, and you are so busted!"

"If you think being Batman is a punishment for me, then you have a lot to learn, Sara Kay."

"I can't wait," she said, leaning into his arms with a contented sigh. "Teach away, Mr. Evans."

A / N Here we have some nerdy dating fluff, enjoy! xx