Daisy was kinda baffled about Kara. Sure, she'd seemed all rainbows and puppies from what research she'd done. That was why she'd chosen her. She needed someone with information on whatever the sitch was for aliens on this world. And more than that she'd seen how fast the woman could move. If it came to a fight she'd be paste. So avoiding that like the plague thanks very much. This really should have been pretty easy. Lay her cards on the table, figure out what this world's equivalent to SHIELD was, if it had an equivalent. And it probably did, to the Watchdogs as well, that sort of thing. Then get back to figuring out a nice fake identity and creating it.
Instead, she was chewing on her box of broccoli beef while watching Kara inhale her own second entree. Also apparently she was going to be sleeping on Supergirl's couch. Not that she was going to turn that down. She had nothing in this world. An actual in with the local hero wasn't the kind of thing to turn away from. But, that'd kinda left her reevaluating the other woman. She didn't look like sunshine and puppies; the kleenex box, trashcan with kleenex in it, the cartons of ice cream that'd been there when she'd first arrived, the comfy sweatpants and fuzzy sweater, it all was telling a story.
Daisy lowered her carton and chopsticks. "So Fort Rozz was like an alien prison?"
"Hmm…the worst criminals on Krypton were sent there. And some…who shouldn't have been." Kara poked at her Kung Pao chicken.
Daisy nodded. "I mean, prisons are like that." She looked at Kara curiously. "So other than alien criminals to avoid or takedown if encountered, what kind of alien system do you have here? Like how underground are we talking?"
"System? There's the DEO?" Kara lowered the bite she'd been about to shove into her mouth. "Oh, the DEO is the Department of Extraterrestrial Operations."
Well, that was probably a bit like SHIELD, though it sounded kinda focused. But a name was enough to start trolling hacking message boards with, once she started poking into those. But that was a few weeks out since she had to re-edit…everything and set up some security before touching anything another hacker could use to trace her. "So like we talking bag and tag before disappearing, setting immigrants up in safe houses and keeping tabs on them, capture and dissection, some kind of mix? And the DEO United States only or are we talking International?"
Which were clearly not questions Kara had been expecting. "Um…kind of the first one? They pursue hostile aliens and arrest them. But…" Kara bit at her lower lip, "You should make sure no one knows you're an alien. Things are really intense right now. General Lane and the army are on a witch hunt and if they arrested you they'd take you to Cadmus which is…it's the government's dissection and experimentation group."
"How secure is your position?" Daisy straightened, she'd have noticed surveillance on this apartment, and certainly, cameras aimed at it. But Kara was a highly public individual, that might be enough to protect her, but if the government was actively doing a Hydra without bothering with the secret Nazi part that might not be enough.
Kara grimaced. "I'm safe, I work with the DEO."
"That's enough to keep you safe?" Daisy didn't like that, she didn't like that at all.
Kara wiggled her hand that was holding her chopsticks. "For now, I…they need me."
"Fuck." Daisy ignored the startled, faintly shocked expression on Kara's face at the vulgarity. "Can you leave, if you wanted to? Could you just be Kara Danvers, not work with the DEO?"
Kara's brow crinkled as she clearly was having to think about it. "I think…as long as I gave up being Supergirl they'd let me be Kara Danvers."
"That's something." Daisy had a feeling Kara might be being too optimistic. She was going to hack the fuck out of the DEO to make sure that it was the case though, and if it wasn't she'd figure something out. Cause she might be new to this earth, but Kara Danvers basically glowed with goodness and clearly didn't have a clue about how ruthless the government could be when they didn't consider you a 'person'.
Kara stuffed a bite of food into her mouth, thinking about something. "I'm sorry, you're only the second alien I've met who wasn't my cousin and who didn't start off by trying to attack me. He'd be better at helping you." She looked kinda crushed saying that too.
"Well, your cousin is in New…Metropolis and I don't know about you but I like the weather here way more. And you're insisting on letting me crash on your couch, which you really don't have to do, I think you're doing a kinda awesome job. Also, you're taking the part Kree thing shockingly well. You're the first alien to not try and murder or enslave me after finding that out, so like ten/ten from me." Daisy felt a sudden jolt of panic as she realized Kara's eyes were actively tearing up.
Kara sniffed and wiped at her eyes. "Sorry, I just…it's been a really terrible week and you're being very nice."
"Um…do you want my potstickers?" Daisy pushed the container closer to Kara. She liked those, right? Cause Daisy'd basically dumped existential horror on the poor woman and some cheap Chinese food. That wasn't really like rocking it levels of 'nice'.
Kara hesitated, a set of kinda devastating watery puppy eyes aimed at her, "Oh, I couldn't?"
"You really can." Daisy kinda wanted to laugh at the fervor emanating from the blond.
And then the potstickers were snagged with inhuman speed. Kara looked genuinely happy for the first time as she dug into the things. Her cheeks were kinda puffed like a chipmunk or something. "Potstickers are my favorite!"
"So much better than field rations." Daisy hummed. "I ate so much peanut butter on missions to cram in extra calories."
Kara perked up. "It's so good though, right?"
"Totally, have you tried avocado toast? Please say that's a thing here?" Daisy leaned forward because cramming extra calories in since she'd gotten her powers could be a pain…so many of those horrible high-calorie nutrition bars May had found tasted like chalk.
Kara nodded excitedly. "Yes! I usually eat a dozen donuts on my lunch. But lasagna, I get them frozen at Cosco and eat at least one a week."
"Pasta, see I need to figure out how to cook more than those boxed Mac'n Cheese things with hotdog bits in them." Daisy pointed with her chopsticks.
Kara sighed. "Those are good though."
"True, but I got banned from the kitchen the third time I made it in a week on base." Daisy was still kinda sore about that. So what if it was technically lacking in vitamins? "It had dairy, I don't know why Jemma was complaining. I even drank those gross milk and protein powder shakes every day to keep her from lecturing me about calcium intake."
Kara swallowed her latest potsticker, total understanding on her face. "Eliza is always complaining I don't eat enough vegetables, but they're more work to eat than they're worth and taste yucky."
"Brussel sprouts aren't food, they're a torture method invented by nuns who don't know what mercy is." Daisy avoided laughing at the word 'yucky', barely. Fortunately, memories of being trapped at the huge old wooden table with Brussel sprouts and not being allowed to leave till she ate them were kinda miserable.
Kara got a dreamy look on her face. "Eliza cooks Brussel sprouts with bacon."
Daisy raised a brow, that…huh. Bacon did make most things taste better.
////
Kara nearly crushed her alarm clock, again, and whined. It was too early. She sniffed, that was coffee, why was she smelling coffee? Her eyes snapped open, Daisy! She sat straight up. She could hear the faster-than-human heartbeat in her kitchen. Kara climbed out of bed, pulled her curtain back that separated her bedroom from the rest, and couldn't help smiling at the sight of Daisy sitting crisscross applesauce on the couch, grumpy cat mug in one hand, laptop balanced on one knee.
Kara wasn't sure why she was surprised Daisy was still there, but she was. "Morning!"
"Morning." Daisy looked up at her with a faint smile, quiet laughter in her voice. Her eyes went from Kara's toes to the top of her head. "Matching pajama set, Danvers?"
She glanced at the matching polka-dot pajamas she was wearing. "I um…they're nice and I like them." Kara shifted, unsure why she felt self-conscious about it, but she did. "I just think they make me happy."
"They're cute." Daisy didn't sound mocking, just…fond, as she spoke and set the laptop aside while climbing off the couch. "So, made coffee, hope you don't mind?"
"No, no that's fine, better than fine." Kara smiled as she grabbed a bright yellow coffee mug and got herself coffee. "You're up early?"
Daisy leaned against the kitchen island, her gaze felt prickly on Kara's back as she found her favorite creamer in the fridge. "Some nights are easier than others." The shrug was basically audible in her voice.
Kara looked over her shoulder at her, "I'm sorry." She knew enough about red-tinted dreams full of silent screams that woke her in a cold sweat to know better than to poke at that.
"It is what it is." Daisy shrugged. "So, uh I can leave the number for the burner phone I picked up the other day. Thanks again for letting me sleep on your couch."
And Kara didn't like the sinking feeling in her stomach. "Don't you need time to have an identity so you can find an apartment or hotel or something?"
"I mean, not for the motel." Daisy's head tipped ever so slightly but then her expression warmed. "I'll be fine, you've been really helpful already. More than I could have hoped for. Seriously, I owe you one."
Kara hesitated, but she didn't want to be alone. "Well, if I'm introducing you to National City, you haven't lived till you've had Noonan's sticky buns." She put on her best puppy eyes.
Daisy laughed but nodded. "Well, we can't have that. We might need to take my car though, unlike you I don't fly. Or…I kinda can? It's more of throwing myself up and trying not to splat when I come back down."
"But you can fly!" Kara loved flying with everything in her. The freedom of it. It just felt right, and so few people understood what it was.
Daisy's grin was amused. "Sorta, real sorta…if you're flexible about what you call flying. Maybe you can see what an insult to your whole flying like a bird thing to compare the two is some time. Not today though." There was a slight pause, and then a faint, barely audible humming sound prickled at Kara's ears as Daisy's feet lifted off the ground a few inches before the sound vanished and Daisy's feet hit the ground again.
Kara barely kept from clapping in excitement. "That's amazing."
"Says the woman who has laser eyes." Daisy seemed pleased though as she sipped at her coffee.
And well, she smiled pausing before drinking her own coffee. "The heat vision is pretty cool."
"The coolest." Daisy agreed. "So, Noonans, I'm guessing we're swinging by before you have to work?"
Kara beamed, she loved Noonans and she didn't want to lose this. Being around someone who was here and not mad or disappointed in her, it felt like she could breathe easier. "I usually take the bus, if that's alright?"
"I can do public transport." Daisy agreed before finishing off her coffee. "Meet you back here in twenty?"
Kara nodded probably a bit too quickly. "Yes, of course. I can be ready in twenty minutes."
"Cool, see you in a few then." Daisy set her mug in the sink before snatching her laptop and waving as she walked out the front door.
Kara's nose wrinkled. When was the last time she'd showered? Oh Rao, it'd been before the red kryptonite… She set her coffee down and was really grateful she could move fast.
Kara was showered, dressed in one of her few unscorched sweaters, glasses on, purse and keys accounted for, and was ready, barely on time. She swung the door open before Daisy could knock. "Hi!"
"Hi, yourself." And Daisy was definitely silently laughing at her, but like…in a nice way. "You ready to go, Danvers?"
Kara stepped out of the apartment. "Noonan's is really great, and they have actual portion sizes!"
"Nice, even if I wanted to bother with a fancy place they don't serve enough food for a normal human, let alone anyone who's more than that." Daisy agreed with real feelings on the topic.
It was nice to have someone who understood. "Sometimes after heroing I feel like eating a whole cow."
"Know the feeling. Diners, especially the ones with the malt milkshake things. So good. Usually, after missions, it's all mission reports while eating protein bars before crashing in my bunk though. I think your option sounds nicer."
Kara pushed her glasses up her nose. "That sounds terrible. But bunk?"
"Yeah, spent a year living on a plane for missions, but after the attempted coup by the fascist fucks, we switched to a military bunker. I had my own room with a bunk, which was nice. Not that it was big, or had a window or anything like that. Nobody had windows except for the Director." Daisy looked positively fond at the mention of her 'director'. "I mean Coulson only had windows for his office, not his bunk. But it was still a swanky office. Not as nice as your apartment. Which, how the hell do you afford that place as an assistant?"
"Well, the crime rates here are very high, it's not a good part of town." Kara had been alarmed by that when it'd been Alex living there. "And we did all the remodeling ourselves. My sister and I got really good at it from all the things I broke when we were kids." Her cheeks heated.
Daisy chuckled, shaking her head as they walked down the stairs. "You have three tables with chairs. Even if you did all the interior…everything, that apartment is huge. That much floorspace in a city, bad neighborhood or not, isn't cheap."
"Well, I had a college fund but had scholarships that covered tuition so Alex and I bought it together. Course Alex moved to be closer to work by the time I graduated, but it's ours." Kara had been so proud of that. And they'd really put the work in to make it nice. "We spent a year remodeling the whole thing."
Daisy raised a brow. "Ah, rich parents. That tracks."
"What? no, they're not..rich." Kara protested because they weren't…Eliza didn't have money like Cat or Lord.
Daisy rolled her eyes. "Maybe not rich rich, but let me guess, childhood home for just the four of you was three stories with a view?"
"Looked out on the ocean," Kara admitted, she liked the Danvers' house.
Daisy just smiled. "Sounds really nice."
"It is. I love the Danvers." Kara hated that because of her just…Alex was in hiding, Jeremiah was in Cadmus somewhere… "I wish I could…do more to keep them safe."
Daisy nudged their shoulders together. "Hey, I didn't do a deep look into you, or your background. But I have eyes, and your apartment is a love letter to how much you and your family love each other. If there was something to do, you'd be doing it already. Or am I wrong?"
"It doesn't feel like enough." Kara led them out to the street, towards the bus stop. "Did you ever feel like that?"
Daisy blew out a long breath, looking ahead. "That's…complicated." Her hand reached up touching the scarred skin on the left side of her neck. "I didn't get a family till I was grown up, and then…it was just complicated."
"If I shouldn't have asked, I-"
"It's fine." Daisy shook off the morbid air to her like it hadn't even been there in the first place. "Family is complicated, for everyone."
Kara could feel the rolling twisted mass of her feelings about Astra, her mother, Krypton, the things that'd come up with red kryptonite with Alex they hadn't had time to talk about. "It is, thank you for just…understanding that?"
"Hey, there's usually more violence when I meet people like you. Not, sticky buns and everything." Daisy leaned against the bus post. "I think I should be saying that."
Kara glanced around, glad there wasn't anyone else at the bus stop yet. "Why was your name Quake?"
"Vibrations, I caused a lot of localized quakes before I got control of it." Daisy crossed her arms. "Don't worry, I've got it handled now, no surprise earthquake uptick."
Kara was fascinated. "You can vibrate everything?"
"So far, yeah." Daisy nodded easily. "What about you, like flight, laser eyes, whole strength, speed, and tanking bullets? What else do you have going on?"
"Freeze breath." Kara bounced slightly. "X-ray vision, and enhanced senses too."
Daisy whistled. "Damn, you've got like…all the powers."
"It's the yellow sun," Kara explained it was funny, everyone here knew this already. "It's what gives us our abilities."
Daisy looked at her curiously. "So you're like a plant?"
"What, no, I'm not a plant!" Kara huffed.
Daisy had a light in her eye that Kara realized was probably a very bad sign for her. "But you photosynthesize?"
"I…maybe a little?" Kara held up her fingers. "But-" She dropped her hand forcing on a happier expression. "Helen, hi!"
"Morning Kara," Helen had been a constant since Kara'd started using this bus route. She was middle-aged, worked as a paralegal uptown, and made the best banana bread Kara had ever had. Helen cast a faintly curious look at Daisy but didn't ask anything, just pulling out her phone.
Daisy straightened from where she'd been leaning so she wasn't blocking the post. "So, is there a library up near Catco, or am I going to be heading back down to-"
Kara watched eagerly as Daisy took a bite of the sticky bun. She couldn't help beaming as Daisy nodded, giving her a thumbs up. "It's the best, right?"
Daisy nodded as she chewed before replying. "So gooey."
"And warm." Kara sighed as she cut into her own sticky bun without hesitation. She'd been eating sticky buns at Noonan's every workday for two years. They were every bit as important to a good morning as not crushing her alarm clock and having to buy a new one.
She was two thirds of the way through her second sticky bun when Daisy spoke up. "Thanks for everything, is it fine if I text you if I run into anything I need answers about?"
And…Kara had a horrible impulsive idea, but Alex wasn't here to tell her it was a terrible idea. So it just kinda came tumbling out. "Why don't you stay with me? Just till you have the paperwork and everything set up to get your own place. You shouldn't be in some crummy motel with bedbugs and roaches and things, or in your car. I could show you all the best places for everything. It wouldn't be any trouble, it could be fun, like a sleepover or something. Unless you don't want to, which is fine. I just thought-"
"You're serious?" Daisy interrupted her ramble, a thing Kara was relieved about. "You barely know me?"
Kara met Daisy's eyes. "You're a good person, and I have a good feeling about you."
Daisy opened and then shut her mouth.
"And if I was the one in your world you'd do the same, or well offer a bunk at your base?" Kara was good at reading people, and Daisy Johnson was a good person.
Daisy was staring at her with the strangest expression. "I mean yeah, probably leave you in quarantine for a day or something before figuring out whether you needed a safe house or temporary bunk or whatever. But Kara, you do know this is how I'd approach you if I wanted to hurt you right?"
"That's what a good person would say." Kara felt vindicated. "If you were going to hurt me you wouldn't be warning me about it."
Daisy's brow shot up. "Not always, depends on the person, what approach gets you an in faster."
"Hmm, you're proving my point." Kara half inhaled her remaining sticky bun.
Daisy hesitated but she gave a faint nod. "Ok, if you're sure?"
"I'm sure." Kara pulled a notebook out of her purse. "Here, this is my number. I get off at five, I'll message you if I'm going to be home late, ok?"
Daisy blinked, but she accepted the sheet of paper. "I…ok?"
Kara kept the excitement of having a new friend close inside as she reached her desk. The screens displayed news personalities commentating on 'Supergirl's Reign of Terror'. She felt her shoulders curling in. 'Reign' felt like a bit much. It was two days. Kara made it to her desk, setting Ms. Grant's latte on her desk, and looked up at Winn. "Morning!'
"Morning, Kara." He didn't look up from his phone. "Have you heard anything from Siobhan? She's not texting me back. That's a bad sign right?"
Kara ignored her revulsion at him dating the woman who'd made her life at work miserable for weeks. Siobhan was just…so mean. It still didn't make it right she'd gotten her fired. She plastered on a sympathetic look. "Has she answered you at all?"
"Not since last night." Winn finally looked up at her. "Should I just go over to her place?"
Kara set her purse down and…she could tell Winn about Daisy later. "Have you tried asking her to coffee so you can talk?"