ChloeDanvers13

Chapter 1: "I was Enchanted to meet you..." It was just another day in National City, just after sunrise, which was usually when Cat Grant preferred to greet the day, alebit with coffee in hand. To her chagrin, her coffee-maker had short-circuited that same morning, leaving Cat to have to alter her morning plans ever-so-slightly. "Alright, Noonan's it is..." She mused to herself, putting down the watered-down dirt-looking mixture that resided in her coffee cup. Grabbing her phone, which held just about everything vital to her exiatence as both a human being and a Worldwide Media Magnate, Cat made a semi-eager bee-line to the elevator, trying to shake away enough cobwebs to make it to the ground floor of Cat-Co plaza looking at least mostly awake. Shuffling onto her own private elevator, Cat sighed contently as the smell of vanilla and other notes of coffee helped perk up the coffee-holic CEO. Humming along with the elevator music, she pulled up her phone to see Nia's first text of the day, reminding her of her days meetings and other less-than-enjoyable ventures, namely a 10 AM meeting with a former protege, Leslie. *Heading down to Noonans for Java, also, can you do some looking for a replacement coffee maker? Lol* It wasn't more than a few seconds before her phone dinged in her hand, and Nia had replied in the affirmative, and asked for her usual, Vanilla Bean frappucino with 3 shot of espresso, which was always odd given how prone Nia was to napping, not that it bothered Cat, narcolepsy was narcolepsy, and Nia was still the best assistant she had ever had WHILE being one, so she was more than content to work with her protege and assistant. Pocketing her phone, Cat just took the few moments of silence to center her brain on her day, kind of a semi-pump-up session, before the doors opened and she exited, making a bee-line to Noonan's to inject some coffee into her veins. "Oh, good morning, Miss Grant!" a voice called out as Cat entered the first-floor restaurant and bar, as the stores manager, a woman by the name of Emily, shuffled out from behind the counter to greet the CEO. "Morning, Emily.. and please, its Cat. Mrs. Grant is my mother..." She replied with a warm tone, and a playful eye-roll at the mention of her mother. "Oh, yes, sorry Miss.... i mean, Cat." The younger brunette replied, blushing in silent embarrassment as she stepped back and motioned to the counter, counting the seconds before she could sulk away. Cat warmly nodded, and turned to look at the person behind the counter.... And the moment she made eye contact, her entire world screeched to a grinding halt. The woman behind the counter was by no means striking, or glamourous, not that Cat really cared about things like that, but there was just... something about her. It was almost startling to her, as it was welling up feelings she thought she had buried pretty deep after a very bad encounter in her teens with a 'bestie' who didnt take well to Cat's impromptu coming out. But that was a lifetime ago, and she had become a Multimedia CEO and titaness of Media, all while keeping her same charm and warm persona, though it was missing a piece, and it was clicking back into place right in this exact moment, whether she knew it or not. Long blonde hair, an infectious smile, and plain but adorable black glasses framing her face, Cat was truly unsure of what to think. She had hardly been shy about her appreciation for women, and had engaged in a few one-night affairs with other women, but somehow this was different. Something had leapt out of her heart, and had attached itself to this young woman. The reasons why still escaped her, but she was making sure to keep her composure before things got awkward. Stepping up to the counter, she tried her best to keep the butterflies at bay, but she was finding herself in a position she had gone out of the way to avoid for years: totally at a loss for words. "Hello there, uhhh... Chloe." Cat scrambled to reply, though her tone was still as confident and calculated as ever, whilst internally she was really starting to feel the struggle. "Good morning, Miss Grant... Sorry, Cat." The precocious woman replied, a bit more visibly nervous, but she handled it like it was effortless too. Cat just smiled, and started to order, but totally managed to forget what she wanted to drink, so she tried to cover it up by looking up at the menu and striking up a bit of smalltalk. "So, are you new to Noonans? Cant say i've seen you around here before..." she stammered out, trying to keep the conversation moving forward, as she scrambled to remember her order. "Yup, second day." Chloe replied cheerily, as she watched the large-and-in-charge woman with her name on the building with almost-reverence. "Got to say, i didnt think i'd meet Cat Grant this soon.. Do you get your own coffee often?" Chloe added with a firm, quiet confidence. "Only when my coffee-maker explodes, stupid Keurig..." She bantered, as the awkwardness seems to subside a bit, though it was still deep in her subconscious brain. Cat was still intrigued and confused why just meeting this seeming nobody was throwing her so hard for a loop. "Stupid machines, i mean, the best coffee is hand-made..." Chloe shrugged, "But i do have a bit of a bias, ive been playing around with coffee since i was a teenager.." Cat quirked an eyebrow. "So youre not the average trainee to a place like this.. What was your last job, an intern for the National City Orchestra? A Flautist that was getting the First Violin their coffee and bow rosin?" Cat teased back, almost feeling a warm validation that made her almost implcitly know the tone wasnt going to be taken in the wrong context. "Oh no, i am completely average..." Chloe replied almost defensively, a blush crossing her cheeks, as Cat seemed to notice it all, which just made her intrigue grow. "I just have been fascinated with cooking since i was a kid... And actually my last job was interning at Colette's, before i graduated with my Culinary Arts degree." She added, just naturally telling this woman her life story effortlessly. "Oh, i love Colette's...." Cat sighed contently, practically tasting the Angel-Hair Pink Pasta on her lips, though it had been weeks. The silence settled in, and both of them felt the silent, but awkward tension building. "So, did you know what you wanted, Cat?" Chloe asked matter-of-factly, which threw Cat's mind back off-kilter momentrily. Why did she take that sentence in a very NOT ABOUT coffee way? "Uhhh, i'll just have a Pumpkin Spice Latte..." Cat ordered. It may have been basic, but it was a string of words she could utter without much thought, so she just rolled with it. "Hot or cold?" Chloe followed up, as she pecked around on the touchscreen to place the order. "Oh, hot..." Cat replied, blushing herself. Chloe kindly nodded, and breezed through the process and finished the order. "Alright, Cat, i'll get right on it..." "Oh, thanks, but... dont you want my money for it?" She asked, and as soon as she said it, she knew the words that would follow. Wow, something had her reeling. "Oh, i just assumed, since youy own the building... you got it for free..." Chloe blushed. "Of course she does, of course you do, Mis... Cat." Emily chimed in, watchign the pair talk with a bit of surprise. Cat was by no means a cold or hostile person, but she wasnt usually like this on the rare occasions she came for her own coffee. "Oh, and did Nia want anything? Im surprised its not her down here.." "Oh, yes, sorry, i totally forgot." Cat snapped back to attention, though a part of her couldn't keep from letting her gaze wander to the spectacled blonde behind the counter, and from the pair of times their eyes met, it seemed as though she wasnt the only one too. "Still her usual? Vanilla Bean with a triple-shot?" Emily asked, already typing it in. "Absolutely, though i wonder if a fourth shot would help her stay awake.." Cat joked, as the trio broke out into a small giggle-fit. The conversation subsided, and Emily went though the motions of finishing the transaction, as Chloe excused herself to start making the drink, a visible blush on her cheeks as she turned her face from Cat's view... which was the first time she felt it. Like an off-switch, she felt something was 'off' when she couldn't see those eyes, that smile, that... "Alright CJ, reel it in..." She thought to herself, taking a deep inhale as she pulled her phone up and texted Nia that coffee was inbound, and that she might have to push back that 10AM by a few minutes. "Your Pumpkin Spice, Miss Grant..." Chloe spoke, pulling Cat back from her moment of introspection, "Oh, sorry, Cat..." "It's fine, Chloe, you can call me whatever you'd like." Cat replied almost instinctively, in no small part because what was usually an archaic phrase that drummed up visions of her overbearing mother just... hit her ears differently. She could call her literally anythingand it would make her smile. "Oh, alright, Miss Grant..." Chloe smiled, before turning to go get the Vanilla Bean Frapp from her supervisor. Then Cat did something she almost never did anymore, she reacted in a way that wasnt measured, calculated, and thought into relative-redundancy in her brain: she went out of her way to make small-talk. "... So, how does a girl who can cook at Colette's wind up making me a Pumpkin Spice Latte on a Thursday morning?" She asked with a tone that was walking the middle-line between intrigue and 'things you ask on a first date' energy. Chloe smirked, almost feeling a bit star-struck. Here she was, an 'average' girl from Midvale, making the coffee for one of the most-powerful-women on earth, who was acting... dare she even think it, flirtatious? "Gotta pay off my student loans somehow..." Chloe replied back, matching her tit-for-tat with the same confident, nonchalant energy that was volleyed her way. "Fair, but i have a hard time beliving you got the degree to work at Noonan's... not that i dont adore this place..." "True, no offense, Emily." Chloe replied with a small blush, to which Emily shrugged it off in a very 'i get it' sort of way. "So then, what does the new barista at Noonan's want to do with her degree?" Cat asked, fixated on learning as much as she could avbout this beautiful stranger. "Well, ideally id just like to cook..." Chloe admitted with a nonchalant shrug. "A restaurant would be stressful but really fun, but the dream job would be like... a personal chef situation." "Are you taking applications?" Cat retorted slyly, heart leading well before her brain, leading to an actual almost-break in her composure. Chloe's face lit up at the statement, and it was almost like neither of them needed to even ask 'wait, you feel this too, right?', it was just... palpable. Just like having five fingers on a hand, they both just felt like something very much extraordinary was going on between them. "Well, i wouldnt turn down the offer, want me to make you dinner tonight?" Chloe suggested, steeling her confidence, as she could feel deep inside her that this was exactly how things could be, should be. "Oh, I..." Cat finally did it, she fell from her perch of poise and grace, and turned red as she struggled to pull herself back. But all she needed was to take a deep breath, and steal another glance, and she felt like she could take on the world. How strange, this mysterious woman could both ruin and save her, simultaneously. That moment of re-invigoration was cut short, as her phone rang, pulling her focus to her usual-partner: her phone. “… Yes, Nia?” “Uhhhhh, boss… You might want to get up here, Leslie is getting… a bit belligerent.” “Alright, on my way…” Cat replied, sighing discontentedly, knowing she had to leave. “Sorry, duty calls… to be continued?” Cat asked, putting her usual game-face back on as she finally lifted the latte to her lips to take a drink. “I’ll be here all week..” Chloe confidently replied, their vibe now night-and-day from just 10 minutes ago. But as much as it kinda scars both women, they’d get around to overthinking that later. “Same.” Cat smirked, before turning to head off, before calling back over her shoulder. “Have a good shift, Chlo…” Chloe’s eyes went wide. How could she have known that? No one, besides Alex, had called her by that name since she was a baby. Back when she was Khlo Zor-El, being evacuated from a rapidly disintegrating Krypton, hurdled across the stars to save her life… “Hey, Em, can I… have a minute?” Chloe asked, cheeks still red as cherries as she scooted her way towards the front door as Emily nodded and waved her off. ——————————— Closing the stall door and locking it behind her, Chloe just took a few deep breaths. What just happened?! Why did she feel so… strange? Not that she was complaining, but she had never had such an outpouring of emotion over one single person before… but it had to be HER? There was no way. Girls with powers don’t usually get the girl, especially THE girl. Too much liability, too much anxiety. Too much to lose. Lingering on that for a moment, she exhaled and pulled her phone from her back pocket. “Hey Sis, you busy?” Chloe typed away, pushing send. Seconds later, the dots lit up, and Alex replied. “Not really, just waiting on samples, what’s up? How’s the barista life? Sara hasn’t shut up about it. Lol” “She can save it for game night. :P , and also… was there anything in the ships drive about… Kryptonian Love, or dating?…” Pressing send, she knew she was lighting a bonfire in her sister’s chest. Alex was the stable, sensible Danvers sister. Met her partner at a party in their first semester at Gotham U, and they’ve been inseparable ever since. Sara Lance was as much a Danvers as Chloe was, really. It was inspirational, but also a bit infuriating from the outside of the emotion looking in. At least she was until today… “WAIT, what!? Who? Do I need to call!?” Alex regurgitated in text form at what felt like super-human speed. “Just, is there? Like some… love at first sight, Twilight imprinting kinda thing? Or anything else.” Chloe volleyed. “No way, I have to know who it is first!” Alex started to flurry in reply. “Who’s the girl who finally caught Chloe Danvers’ eye?” Chloe exhaled. ‘She’s gonna find out sooner or later’ she sighed to herself, before clacking her reply. “Fine, but you have to PROMISE you’ll find answers asap… and no questions.” Moments later a lone “thumbs up” emoji replied. “Here goes nothing…” Chloe muttered to herself as she typed it out, seeing it herself for the first time, outside of the haze of the moment. “It’s Cat Grant, Alex.”