#personal assistant

Lena was always a simple person. She woke up, worked, exercised when she had the time, and slept. The next day? Rinse and repeat. On Fridays, she participated in game night with her friends. Any other day? Lena was either at Catco or L-Corp. Everyone knew that she was a private person, and that boundary of Lena’s was always respected. She was never an open book, and outside her immediate friend group, Lena really didn’t socialize. She had two empires to run and not a lot of time to screw around. It wasn’t that she didn’t find value in socialization. Even Lena needed to leave her desk occasionally. It was that Lena valued her work. Being a Luthor came with a legacy that, quite frankly, needed its own PR crew. Thanks to her mother and brother, Lena spent more time cleaning messes she didn’t make and fixing the Luthor image. It was hard to live in the shadow of a narcissistic, megalomaniac with a shiny scalp and a superiority complex. However, thanks to years of hard work and perseverance, Lena was making a name for herself outside of the clutches of violence and pain that was usually associated with her namesake.

After long hours in the office or in the lab, Lena drove home drained and exhausted. She needed a new assistant. Kara was her previous one, but Lena rightfully promoted her to a journalist. Not long after, Kara earned a Pulitzer for her story on the Children of Liberty. Her award was a fantastic feat for both her and Catco. The credibility of her work led the public to trust in her, and in the company, to tell the truth. The unbiased truth. Lena will always be grateful for Kara. She was an amazing friend, and an even more amazing journalist. However, Lena would be lying if she said that she didn’t feel Kara’s absence as her right hand. Lena thought that she would be able to manage it all on her own, but juggling projects, meetings, conference calls, international flights, emails, and everything else in between was a nightmare. She was screwing up her own schedule, and it was embarrassing. Lena wasn’t one to make mistakes like that, but she was being pulled in too many directions at all hours of the day. She needed another personal assistant immediately. Kara was an excellent one, which is why Lena pulled her aside and asked her for help. She trusted her friend and her work ethic, which was why Lena left the decision up to Kara as to who should fill the position. All she asked was that they start as soon as possible, hopefully, by tomorrow. She’ll fast track the paperwork herself. Lena wouldn’t even bother with sending it to HR. Their vetting process was thorough and extensive, but it was too costly in time, and that was something that Lena couldn’t afford to lose right now. She had presentations, conference calls with international conglomerates, domestic interviews, more research to conduct... it just kept going. Between her work at L-Corp and her work at Catco, she wondered if she was maybe running herself a little bit too ragged.

Lena parked her car in the secured garage with a tired huff. For a few minutes, she sat in the driver’s seat and released her hair from the confines if its bun. This morning, her hair was neat and pristine. Lena laid it down with enough gel that her hands had been sticky for the rest of the day, no matter how many times she washed them. Still, she managed to sweat profusely through the layer, and what remained of it now was frizzy hair and fly aways. She needed to delegate her work. This was too much even for her. Before she left the car, she sent a series of texts to her friend Andrea. Andrea was more than happy to take over Catco for as long as Lena needed it, and already, a breath of relief pushed passed her lips. She sent a text to Kara to warn her and the others of the immediate change, and Kara responded that she would spread the word. In the morning, Lena would have to send all her information to Andrea. That included current ongoing stories, interviews that would need to be scheduled, resources that still needed to be fleshed out, among other things. Lena released another weary sigh as she grabbed her bag. The term “exhausted” couldn’t even begin to describe how she felt right now. She felt like she needed to be buried.

Lena trudged inside of her high-rise apartment complex. She lived in a nice, but modest part of National City. It was expensive, but it wasn’t pretentiously or flamboyantly exorbitant. Lena knew that she could live in a mansion or penthouse, but in her eyes, it was too ostentatious. Just because she had money, it didn’t mean that she had to flaunt it. She gave a friendly wave to the concierge at the desk, Stan. Stan was a sweet, older gentleman that had to be in his 70s. He once told her that he preferred the silent, peaceful nights over the bustling chaos of the day. When he saw Lena approaching, he pressed a button on his control panel. The door buzzed and opened automatically, saving Lena the trouble of having to dig for her access key in the hot mess that was her purse. When she crossed through the threshold, Stan stood up politely.

“Another late night for you, Ms. Luthor? I really wish that you’d go easy on yourself.”

Lena gave him a friendly smile but kept walking. Her exhaustion was too palpable for her to stop and converse, but she did answer him.

“I wish, Stan. I really do, but there’s too much that I need to do.”

At that, he gave her a sad smile and reached beneath the counter to give Lena her mail. “Do be safe, Ms. Luthor.”

“You too.”

She took her, rather thick, bundle of mail, and was just stepping into the elevator when Stan’s voice stopped her.

“By the way, someone finally moved into that unit that is next to yours. She seems like a lovely girl, very full of energy.”

Lena nodded and smiled before the doors slowly slid shut. So, she finally had a neighbor. She hadn’t known who the previous tenants were, just that they were noisy and were constantly getting into arguments. It would be a lie if Lena said she wasn’t disappointed that they finally left. For almost a year, that room remained empty and blissfully quiet. Lena did wonder who occupied it now, but she wasn’t curious enough to investigate or to introduce herself. She just hoped that she could be cordial with the newest addition to the property.

When the elevator doors opened, Lena stepped off idly, her full attention on the stack of bills she held in her hand. To her bewilderment, most of them were past due. They even had late fees. What the hell? She could have sworn that everything in her name was on autopay. She did that so things like this wouldn’t happen. What was going on??? Lena froze in her steps as she flipped through all the papers, her fingers tearing open the envelopes so that she could see just how bad everything was. Numbers bolded in thick, red font greeted her frustrated gaze as she considered the possibility of having to call the bank in the morning. Something must be wrong. With a sigh, she resumed walking, the carpet in the corridor muffling her steps. Lena wasn’t paying attention, her gait growing faster when she realized just how tired and overworked she was. Now, she wanted to get home to her cat and to a nice glass of wine. Her hand was reaching into her purse to grab her keys when she ran into something. Or someone. You yelped as you dropped the stack of books in your hands, and Lena grunted as her grip on her mail slipped. Books and papers spilled onto the floor, scattering haphazardly in the hallway. Lena was moving before her brain had the chance to process what happened. She crouched, her hands reaching for whatever they could grab. You did the same, apologizing profusely.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry-” you began but Lena was already speaking.

“No, no. It’s on me-”

More hands grasped at flyaway papers and tossed books.

“I’ve spent the entire day moving in-”

“I should have paid attention to where I was going-”

You and this mystery woman took things at random, trying hard to help each other so that you could get back to your respective tasks. You’d sort through the disparate pile once you stood up, but your main concern was remedying this social slight.

“I just have too much junk-”

“I was trying to get home-”

More flurries of panicked movements and a few awkward laughs filled the space.

“I hope that you’re okay.”

You both said the sentence at the same time, your voices overlapping as you paused to look at each other, but it didn’t stop there. The last item that remained on the floor, one of your books, sat rested and opened with the pages bared. It was between you and this stranger. Of course, it needed to be picked up, so you went to grab it... and so did she. Your hands collided, your fingers brushing against hers. That was how you discovered how silky smooth her skin was and how green her eyes were. You looked up to meet her gaze, your mouth falling open slightly at just how vibrant they were. Holy fuck! This woman before you was ethereally gorgeous. Despite how tired she looked, nothing about her seemed out of place. With pale, flawless skin, dark, shiny hair, and eyes as green as emeralds, you were looking at a goddess. She took you by surprise, and while you were too slow to react, she was not. She snatched her hand away from you like you were on fire. Her cheeks colored a muted pink as she hurriedly stood up.

“Sorry about that,” she mumbled as she sorted through what she held in her hands. “It’s been a long day.”

She handed over your books while you passed over her mail. Running into her wasn’t the cherry on top of this entire situation. You were now staring at her, too enamored by her beauty as she looked at you with concern. You weren’t talking. You weren’t blinking. Lena wasn’t even entirely sure that you were breathing right now.

“Are you okay?”

That single question seemed to snap you out of your stupor, and you stammered as you tried to form a coherent sentence. “Uhhhh y-yes. Sorry. Hi! My name is Y/n, your new neighbor.”

Lena’s eyebrows shot up, but she wasn’t surprised. If anything, she wanted to get into her apartment all the more. She didn’t answer at first until the silence stretched on longer than necessary, the air between you growing thick with awkward energy.

“I’m Lena.”

You chuckled. “Oh, I know. Everyone knows who you are.”

Lena… didn’t have a response for that. Instead, she flashed a quick smile and made a beeline towards her front door.

“Have a great night,” she said over her shoulder.

“You…” you tried, but Lena was already inside of her apartment, and she gently closed the door. “… too.”

You blinked before smiling. You knew that Lena Luthor was in the area, but what were the odds that you’d be her neighbor? You stepped into your own apartment, closed the door behind you, and locked it. Setting the books on the dining table, you checked the time and saw how late it was. It would certainly explain why Lena looked as tired as she did. You needed to get to bed yourself so that you could be bright and awake for tomorrow.

You had one hell of a day ahead of you.

+++

You heard frenzied movements on the opposite end of the phone as you walked on the bustling sidewalk.

“You’re late again, aren’t you?” you asked with a chuckle.

There was a winded scoff and some heavy breathing. “No, I’m not. No way!”

You quirked an eyebrow and smirked. “Kara, I can hear you panting.”

“That’s me… doing my morning exercise,” she tried, and you laughed. Kara was always a horrible liar.

“Do I even have to say it?”

There was a long pause, the sounds of the city filtering through the speaker.

“No,” she finally answered, her tone holding a begrudged edge.

“Mmhm. You really have to start managing your time a little better.”

“Hey! First off, thanks mom,” Kara replied sarcastically. “And second, don’t forget that I got you this job. A ‘thank you’ is in order.”

“If you bend over, I’ll even kiss your ass too.”

Kara grumbled, but you could make out the teasing and unserious bitch that came out of her mouth. You snickered.

“Hey, I’m here at L-Corp,” you said as the shimmering glass panels of the building came into view. You hesitated just outside of the door. “I’ll talk to you soon?”

“Of course, honey. Have a great first day.”

“And Kara?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you,” you said genuinely as you smiled, your teeth nibbling into your lower lip just slightly.

“For you? Anything. Make us both look good in there. Remember, Lena has my number so don’t fuck anything up.”

“Yeah, I’ll start by actually showing up to my job on time,” you jabbed lightly as a smile played on your lips.

Kara scoffed. “Un-be-lievable.”

You laughed and ended the call, pocketing your phone before you went inside. Never once have you stepped foot into L-Corp. Up until now, you didn’t have a reason to do so. You knew what it was, and you had a general idea of the projects that the staff worked on, but this wasn’t just a building that you could pop into to take a curious look around. The security here was extensive. Almost near every door was a security guard. The guest entrance required you to go through metal detectors. The staff entrance was very much the same, but you watched as someone used their badge to gain access before they went through a metal detector as well.

Considering everything that happened in L-Corp and National City, you didn’t fault the need for extensive security. Better safe than sorry. Once making it through the detectors, you went straight to the receptionist’s desk. Sat behind it was a young woman, maybe even younger than you. She was dressed professionally, her attire sharp and pristine without a blemish in sight. She was just hanging up the phone when she faced you with a polite smile.

“Hello, how can I help you?” she asked in an easy voice.

“I’m here for a meeting.”

“Oh! You’re the 9am! My name is Valentina and thank you for being early. That helps me a lot” she replied as she reached across the desk. “I’ll need to get a picture of you for your badge.”

She directed you towards a neutral background where you stood and smiled. The moment that you were still, Valentina snapped the picture before plugging the camera into her computer. Her hands flew across the keyboard as she talked.

“Your badge will grant you access to all the common areas for the employees, like the cafeteria, the break rooms, the elevators, and the employee entrances. You’ll also need it to clock in and out. Trust me, don’t forget it or else HR will screw up your paycheck.” She chuckled and you smiled. “If you choose, you can link your card to a separate employee account to pay for things inside of the building. It’ll mainly be for the vending machines or the weekly food trucks.”

“What about cafeteria food?” you asked curiously.

Valentina nodded. “You don’t have to pay for lunch here. All we ask is that you eat what you grab and help us cut down on food waste. Whatever isn’t eaten is usually donated so we’re not throwing away perfectly good food.”

You nodded and raised your eyebrows. You’ve never worked a job in which food was free, much less donated at the end of each day. Corporations don’t do that.

“Your badge will also let you into your office and the office of the CEO.”

“CEO?” you asked, and Valentina nodded.

Admittedly, you never asked Kara for any details about the job. When she called to tell you about it, you took it without a second thought. Your other job was a dead end. There wasn’t any room for promotions or pay raises, so you didn’t see any reason to stick around. This seemed better, and the pay Kara mentioned was almost too good to be true. All you knew was that you needed to go to L-Corp and that everything else would be taken care of. Thinking back, maybe you should have asked for a little more information, but Kara would never steer you wrong. So, you were going to trust the process.

Valentina fiddled with a machine that beeped and hummed. When it produced your freshly laminated badge, she attached it to a lanyard and gave it to you. You made sure to put it on immediately. If it went anywhere else, you’d lose it.

“Take the elevator to the top floor and someone will be there to greet you.”

Valentina picked up the phone and pressed a button. “Hello, your 9am is here.”

Someone spoke to her, but it wasn’t like you could hear it, not with the sheer amount of people here in the lobby. Valentina’s only answer was to nod and hum before she placed the phone back on the receiver.

“You’re clear to head on up.”

“Thank you,” you said gratefully, and Valentina gave you a genuine smile.

“Welcome to L-Corp!”

You followed her directions, using your badge to access the elevator before taking it to the top. You were lost in thought, your hands idly fidgeting with your badge as you listened to the dings of each floor that passed you by. When you reached the final floor, you faced forward and prepared yourself. This was it! Today was your first day at the job, and nervous energy flitted through you as you vibrated in place. When the doors opened, you prepared to introduce yourself… only to stop short when you saw who was standing outside. Emerald green eyes met yours and a huff of disbelieving laughter left you. Lena stood there, ready to receive her new assistant to get them as oriented as possible, but she hesitated when she saw you.

“Y/n?”

“Ms. Luthor?”

Admittedly you felt a little obtuse for not putting two and two together. Of course, Lena would be the CEO of L-Corp. What did you think the “L” meant? Lena stood there, the surprise evident on her face, as she leaned over to see if anyone else was in the elevator. When it was just you, she cleared her throat and raised her eyebrow.

“Are you Kara’s referral?” she asked, and your smile widened.

“Wow. Small world.”

Lena’s lips twitched but she didn’t offer any other reaction. “Do you know what you’re here for?”

At that, you shook your head, and you watched as Lena’s expression downturned into a frown. It wasn’t what she was expecting. It was sort of unorthodox but technically, she could still hire you. Though you were her neighbor, she didn’t know you personally, so there wasn’t a conflict of interest. Besides, she didn’t want to waste any more time. There was so much to do, and she wanted to see if you were as good as Kara claimed you to be.

“You’re going to be my personal assistant,” she began, and you nodded dutifully. “Unfortunately, I don’t have much time to give you the tour that you deserve. I’m hoping that, if you wouldn’t mind, starting your job right away.”

You waved away her concerns and smirked. It was one that was full of confidence and not meant to be insulting or disrespectful. This wasn’t your first rodeo. You’ve worked plenty of assistant jobs in the past, so as long as you were knowledgeable on all the software that was used to keep the administrative and logistics side of L-Corp running, you could do anything that she wanted. You stepped off the elevator and watched as Lena pointed at various locations in the massive room.

“Over there to the right back corner are the restrooms and the water fountain. The rooms on the opposite end are the board rooms for meetings,” she explained as she watched to make sure that you were following. “The stairs are located in the back corner right here, close to the elevator. If it happens, there are four fire alarms with one being in this room, and there is a fire extinguisher right over there.”

You watched as Lena pointed to the far wall, and you nodded when you saw the shiny, glossy red glinting behind the glass of the storage shelf. She faced forward. “The room right in front of the elevators is my office and to the left of it is yours.”

“I get an office???”

You’ve never had one of those before. A small smile played on Lena’s lips as she glanced at you.

“Yes. I just had it cleaned, so if anything is out of the ordinary, please bring it to my attention. Are you familiar with Microsoft Office?”

You nodded as you followed her to the room that you would be working in.

“Excellent. I’m sure Valentina briefly discussed the spaces that you do and don’t have access to. Please don’t try to use your badge to access any locations that you know you can’t enter. If it’s a mistake, I would understand, but the security systems in place will flag you, and if it becomes a persistent habit, then it becomes my problem.”

“I understand,” you answered seriously. She nodded her approval before opening the door. You stepped inside, the light scent of cleaner blanketing the air.

Your office was bigger than you anticipated, and you looked around in awe when you took in the expensive desk, the ergonomic chair, the two computer monitors rested on top that were side by side, and the keyboard situated in front. The walls were painted a muted white. It wasn’t overly bright, which you were thankful for because sometimes, the intensity of it gave you migraines. In the past, you would have to bring sunglasses and wear them indoors if you wanted to save yourself the pain of potential over stimulation. It sucked but you did it, especially if you wanted to get any work done. The white in here leaned more towards a gray color than anything else, and you nodded impressively as you took it in. The back of your office was nothing but ceiling-to-floor windows and massive blinds. They were currently open to allow the sunlight to stream in unrestricted. Resting on your desk was a remote that controlled those blinds. All you had to do was press the buttons to adjust them to your liking. 

“I took the liberty of filling the drawers with basic office supplies. You’ll find things like notepads, sticky notes, pencils, pens, highlighters, paper clips, and so on. However, if you need anything else, please don’t hesitate to ask. You’ll do a lot of desk work, so I take your comfort seriously.”

You smiled at her last sentence and nodded along, approaching the desk to put your stuff down. Lena stayed just outside of the door while looking professional and regal.

“If you need to get a hold of me, please come to my office, or send me a Teams message. In the event that I am not in, please call me. You’ll find an email with my contact information. Additionally, your login information should be in front of the computer.”

You looked down, and there it sat, your username and password written on a yellow sticky note in her elegant handwriting.

“Before you officially start, you will need to read and sign an NDA. You will be working within my company, and therefore, will have access to sensitive information and data. It goes without saying that there are dire security risks to that.”

“I won’t leak anything that I see,” you reassured her, but she shook her head.

“Data leaks I can handle. My internet security crew is the best there is. What I try to prevent are leaks in information that can be used against the public. If you tell anyone what you see before it’s cleared for public announcement, and the result is that it causes harm or damage to the city or its citizens, you will go to prison. That is the nature of the NDA. It includes all information about the inner workings of L-Corp, or all sensitive data involving myself and my personnel.”

Lena took the safety of her team seriously, and it was admirable. No wonder why Kara held her in such high regard and spoke positively of her. Your conclusion was made before Lena finished her spiel. You opened the drawers, grabbed a pen, and flipped through each and every page, initialing and signing where necessary. Lena’s expression morphed into one of concern as she watched you sign it blindly. The ink was barely dry when you handed the packet over to her. Lena took it slowly, her hands holding the contract unsurely.

“Maybe you should review some of the clauses,” she suggested. “There are things it mentions, some small, innocuous topics that maybe you’ve never considered. Though they may be small enough to not have dire repercussions, I’ve included them to cover all my bases.”

You gave Lena a blinding smile as you went back to your desk to unpack your things. “Don’t be dumb and keep my mouth shut. I can handle that, Ms. Luthor. What am I doing for you today?”

At that, she seemed to grow embarrassed, her hands clasping in front of her as pink colored her cheeks. “This one is more of a personal matter than a company one.”

She was warning you, like the task was menial, but you looked at her expectantly. “Yes?”

“I’ve fallen behind on my bills due to an issue with my bank. Would you mind taking care of that for me? I have a comprehensive folder of everything I’m behind on currently, and of everything I’m going to fall behind in if this matter is not addressed at once. I would like for you to please pay all late fees and put everything on autopay. All my bank information is in the folder as well.”

“Of course, Ms. Luthor. Anything else?” you asked easily, and you were rewarded by seeing the relief flood her face. There wasn’t any judgement in your tone, and why would there be? You’ve had late bills go to collections before. It happens.

“For now, that is all. Thank you, Y/n.”

You nodded while Lena took her leave, closing the door behind her. As you got comfortable at your desk and logged into the computer, she came back with the aforementioned folder and handed it to you. You nodded your thanks before concentrating on the task at hand.

+++

You were surprised when the day passed you by relatively quickly. The sun was already descending below the skyline. Pink and orange hues of vibrant color decorated the sky, and you sat back while rolling the tension from your neck. For the entire day, you worked on everything Lena asked of you, only taking breaks to refill your water bottle, eat lunch, or text Kara updates about how things were going.

As you continued to work, you saw why Lena came to you about this. Whatever happened, it was all a mess. You sent a message to Lena warning her that you were going to have to call the bank, and she sent you all necessary security information so that you could talk to a teller in person. The whole ordeal lasted an hour with you trying to figure out what happened. At the end of it all, the teller explained that the bank decided to close Lena’s debit card because they “detected” suspicious activity. What they failed to do was warn Lena of the situation and not tell her that they were going to send her a replacement card. When you sent another message to Lena, she asked that you transfer the call to her office, and you almost felt bad for the person you were talking to. The message was professional, but you could still feel the annoyed energy behind it. The teller was nice and patient as they worked with you to resolve the matter. You didn’t know what Lena was going to do, but you knew that you wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of her ire. You transferred the call, then promptly began to go through all her information, linking everything directly to her bank account instead of her card. The next time this happened, and the bank canceled her card, her bills shouldn’t be affected. You made sure to print and send copies of all receipts and confirmation numbers to Lena’s email before going to her office. You knocked and entered once you heard her hum. As you walked in, you saw that Lena was no longer on the phone. Instead, her eyes were glued to the computer screen, her fingers flying across the keyboard in a speed that shocked you.

“Hello, Ms. Luthor,” you began as you placed your collected paperwork on her desk. She paused to look at it. “I’ve rerouted all your bills so that the money comes directly from your bank account. If the bank cancels your card again, it wouldn’t affect you beyond it being an annoying inconvenience.”

She smirked, momentarily amused by your quip. “And the autopay?”

“Activated on everything across the board.”

“Perfect. Thank you, Y/n. I appreciate you for this. The real fun begins tomorrow. For now, the rest of the day is yours.”

You nodded and turned, preparing to take your leave when a thought occurred to you, and you hesitated. You mulled on it for a few seconds, the gears turning in your head when you turned to look at Lena again. “Aren’t you hungry?”

Lena looked up from her computer. She looked shocked to see you there, like the moment she dismissed you, she forgot that you were still in her office. “I’m sorry?”

If you got there at 9 in the morning, and you never heard or saw Lena leave her office once, then that meant that she hadn’t eaten yet. Today, you stayed in your office and ate lunch at your desk, having packed something for yourself and to use the time to finish some leftover paperwork. You left the door open all day, so that if she needed you for anything else, you would be readily available. However, Lena never asked you to do more. The most you heard from her were the sounds of her typing, or the sounds of her making various phone calls. Even with the few times you passed the opened door to her office, you didn’t see her eat. She had to be starving.

“Hungry,” you repeated. “You must be starving.”

At that Lena shrugged, her expression dismissive of the observation. “It’s no big deal.”

Her answer made you frown. The cafeteria was literally just several floors down. It wasn’t that Lena was lazy, because you knew that wasn’t it. She needed to prioritize her health, and that included her need to eat.

You didn’t say anything more and Lena didn’t question it. Instead, you immediately went to the elevator and took it down to the ground floor. Once there, you perused the cafeteria. Lena seemed like the type of woman who wouldn’t eat much… obviously. She’d pick through her food and eat what she wanted at best, and that was good enough for you.

As long as she ate something.

You walked away with a large salad, some dressing, apple slices, and water. It was the healthiest thing you’ve held in your hands in a while. Usually, your diet consisted of ramen and other cheap food that you could get your hands on. Due to your previous meager pay, you couldn’t afford much, but now that you were at this new job, with a salary that included more zeroes at the end that you weren’t used to seeing, you’d hope that you could finance a better and healthier diet.

You went back up to Lena’s floor and entered her office. When she looked up from her paperwork to see you stride in, she paused and quirked her eyebrow while looking initially unimpressed. Lena was just about to say something when you easily placed the food you grabbed for her on her desk. Lena was astonished as she sat up straight, her gaze flitting between the food in front of her and your facial expression. You smiled and gave her a pointed look.

“Eat.”

It was all you said before you walked back out, grabbed your things, and left L-Corp for the night. Lena watched you go, her surprised look morphing into a small smile. It was one that was surely there if someone looked close enough, before she took her salad. She prepared it slowly and began to eat it while she finished the last dredges of her work.

+++

The next morning, you were back in the office, finishing the last remnants of your onboarding paperwork when you watched Lena trudge slowly off the elevator. You heard her get home last night, and the hour had been so ungodly that you genuinely felt sorry for her. Somewhere between one and two in the morning was when you heard her apartment door accidentally slam closed. It jolted you awake, having dozed off on the couch with a book resting in your lap. The soft glow of your lamp illuminated the small stacks of boxes that you still needed to go through and unpack. Distantly, you could hear her groan of exhaustion through the wall as she kicked off her heels and made herself comfortable. A feeling akin to sympathy filled you when you gazed at the time on your phone. Were these the kind of hours that she worked every day?

That same night, you texted Kara asking her for Lena’s preferred coffee order. She gave it to you when she woke up and you had a steaming latte ready for her on her desk. So, when she walked inside, she paused as she took in the beverage resting on the coaster. It’s savory and sweet smell blanketed her office. The sunlight that filtered through the slotted blinds highlighted the wisps of steam before that dispersed fully into the open air. Humming, Lena backtracked and peaked into your office.

“Was this from you?”

You nodded, your eyes focused on the computer screens in front of you as you typed efficiently.

“I heard you come home last night. You're going to need that,” you responded with an easy smile.

Lena hummed again, this time, in acknowledgement as she stepped back into her office. Normally, she didn’t let anyone grab her coffee. None of her previous personal assistants ever got her order right, and Lena mostly stuck to getting her own drinks when the time allowed. The only person that ever got her order correct without fail was Kara. Lena didn’t know how she did it. She knew what milk to get her, what flavor, and how many shots of expresso. Lena half considered letting the coffee go cold and disposing of it when you weren’t paying attention, however, the scent that filled her office made her hesitate. There wasn’t any harm in taking a sip, right? It’s not like she wasn’t used to disappointing coffee orders, and if nothing at all, Lena did appreciate your effort and consideration. She sipped her drink tentatively, bracing herself, only to let out a sigh of relief the moment she swallowed. It was just how she liked it. She could taste favorable notes of toasted almonds, cinnamon, and oats, and Lena didn’t realize just how much this was helping her when she felt the ache of a developing headache alleviate considerably. She found herself walking back to your office and stopping just outside of the door. 

“Thank you,” she said genuinely. It was the biggest smile you’ve seen from her so far. “How did you know?”

You returned her smile with a warm one of your own. “Kara.”

Lena chuckled. “Of course. She was the only person who had ever gotten it right.”

There was a brief moment of silence as Lena sipped her drink. You finished sending in your hiring paperwork before you sat back in your chair.

“What’s on the agenda for today?” you asked.

“We’re going on several field trips. Make sure to bring plenty of water and food. This is going to be an all-day affair.”

You nodded and packed all your equipment plus the lunch you made for yourself. You did a mental checklist, going through everything you might need for yourself, and just when you thought that you had everything, you sat back and frowned. You had a feeling that yesterday was a regular occurrence for Lena. She worked so hard and so often that she either forgot to eat, or just never made the time for it. You were going to have to do something about that. So, you nodded to yourself, stood up, and went to the cafeteria. This time, you grabbed various snacks. A bowl of fruit. A cup of yogurt. A small, travel sized charcuterie pack. A banana and an apple. Some crackers. It was more than enough to feed Lena something. Seeing her eat today would put your worried nerves at ease. Working the way she does and not eating like that was doing more harm than good.

When you made it back up to the top floor, Lena was already packed and ready to go. And by packed, all you saw in her hold was her lavish, leather briefcase and an expensive bottle of bourbon. You looked at the latter, your eyebrows raising as you motioned towards it.

“Uhhhhhh.”

Lena’s lips twitched as her green eyes glimmered with mirth. It wasn’t exactly a smile, but she did look amused.

“It’ll be your first time surviving one of these days. Our entire day is lined with back-to-back meetings with the board of directors and a select few of my shareholders.”

As she walked past you towards the elevators, you fell in step with her and entered the platform when the doors opened. You eyed her alcohol again and gave her a disbelieving look.

“It can’t be that bad, can it?”

This time, Lena couldn’t stop the genuine smile after she scoffed. It wasn’t harsh, nor was it patronizing. She just knew what these meetings were going to entail. Lena found it refreshing, your mindset, and she remembered the day when she thought the same thing. Just like you, she was young and new to this. Lena hadn’t considered what it would be like to be in a room full of old, rich men. It was a true test of her patience, and she had a feeling that it was going to be like that for you too. While you’d grabbed your laptop, and all the things that you would need to be her assistant, Lena grabbed her bourbon and was about to leave when she thought better of it. She doubled back and grabbed her briefcase, only doing so to appear professional in a space where appearance meant everything. It took years of standing her ground and taking no shit to get these men to shut up and let her speak. Now, she could easily command the room. That wasn’t going to be the case for you. Unfortunately, and as much as Lena hated to use the expression, you were fresh meat. These men were going to push their luck with you. They were going to do everything in their power to make you feel as incompetent as possible. Lena was already dreading it, and what she didn’t tell you was that she stocked her car with a glass for you too.

“Y/n?”

You turned to look at her curiously as you followed her to her sleek, black SUV. Her driver, Derek, was already situated behind the wheel.

“There’s something about these meetings that you’ll need to know,” she began.

+++

It really was that bad. All day, it was meeting, after meeting, after tedious meeting of watching men argue amongst themselves. It dragged on, and you were convinced that pulling teeth without pain medication was more bearable than this. The first meeting on the list had been entertaining. You were convinced that a fight was going to breakout and that you were about to witness an all-out brawl. It took everything within you, and all of your self control to not laugh, especially when some were arguing so vehemently that their faces were turning red. That was the beginning of your day, and even Lena couldn’t hide the entertained smirk that unfurled across flawless lips. She sat back in the seat at the head of the table and watched the conundrum ensue.

But as time dragged on, these meetings became less amusing and more irritating. You were beginning to understand why Lena brought the bottle of bourbon. It was the last meeting of the day, and now, an extraordinarily strong scowl had settled onto her face, and annoyance etched itself deep into her facial features. Lena was so done with today, and the only thing stopping you from beating your head against the conference room table, was the fact that you wanted to go home. Lena was right. Despite her warnings, nothing she could have said would have done any of this justice. It was funny at first, watching grown men argue amongst themselves, but now, it was just so sad… and such a colossal waste of time. Your day could have concluded by noon easily, and most of this could have been in an email. You spent most of your time organizing Lena’s calendar and making sure she ate the snacks you got her from the cafeteria.

“We don’t do charity work!” someone barked yet again, and the room was quick to devolve into more chaotic bickering.

You leaned closer to Lena, and she quirked an eyebrow in intrigue. “I can fake a stroke of that means we can leave right now.”

Lena smiled for the first time since this morning when the day began. “If this continues on any longer, I don’t think you or I will be faking.”

You scoffed softly before sitting back in your seat.

“This invention is a waste of time,” someone else chimed in, and at that, Lena’s smile took a nosedive.

The invention in question? It was nanotech research in relation to diabetes. Type 1 to be more precise. Lena and her scientists developed a means of treating the autoimmune disease. Type 1 diabetes was when the immune system targeted and destroyed islet cells in the pancreas. This disrupts and halts insulin production. Lena and her scientists proposed using nanobots. They could attach themselves to the islet cells and protect them from any attacking white blood cells. Of course, the project was expensive, but it was hardly a dent in her checkbook at the end of the day. Lena was the one to eat most of the costs when her shareholders and investors discovered how expensive such a project was. They hardly spent any money at all on this, and to hear that distasteful opinion of it being a waste of time made Lena bristle.

“How are any of us expected to make money off this???”

Lena sat up, officially unamused and no longer entertained. She opened her mouth to tear into the man that barked the loudest. Her intention was to verbally castrate him, to tear him apart, and to emasculate him, but you sat up and spoke before she could utter a syllable.

“Gentlemen,” you began as you clicked through some files on your computer. “According to the financial reports that were collected within the last few fiscal years, barely any investors contributed monetarily to this project. If the worst were to happen, and the project were to fail completely, only the investors that contributed would lose significant money. In which, Lena would reimburse them in totality as is dictated by the contracts that she signed. However, considering how relatively inexpensive it is to create the materials and technology needed for this treatment, and the fact that Lena will make this accessible to the general public, you, as the shareholder, or investor that contributed, will not lose any money to this.”

The man scoffed and crossed his arms. “We are not in this for the charity work.”

You couldn’t stop the scoff that left you. “God forbid we help people who can’t help themselves.”

The man’s face turned an ugly, turbid shade of crimson at your quip. It was clear that he wasn’t used to the push back he heard, especially from an assistant that was nowhere near the tax bracket he occupied. Lena was looking at you, the shock on her face ill-hidden along with the impressed look that made her lips twitch into a faint smile. Though you could feel how proud she was of you, you celebrated that in the privacy of your mind, the high you were feeling spurring you on as Mr. Business Man seemed to teeter on the verge of a stroke.

“In case you’ve forgotten, Lena is a philanthropist. Which means by nature, she is going to help people. If your main motivator is money, this may not be the right business venture for you, especially if a dollar is worth more to you than a human life. It is rare for an invention of hers to fail, which I can prove with her past business ventures if you’d like. And yet, you’re treating it as if it already is because the sole purpose of this is to help others and not put more money in your pocket.”

Lena snickered, and it wasn’t just her. The others at the conference table laughed quietly as well as you laid into the guy that opened his mouth. At this point in the day, you just wanted to go home. The sun was already descending below the horizon, and the sky was now decorated in bright hues of yellow, orange, and pink colors. Your stomach growled hungrily. You’d devoured your lunch three meetings ago, and the promise of iced bourbon in Lena’s SUV was too much of a blessed reprieve to pass up now. You wanted the torture to stop so that you could go home.

Lena’s yappy investor stood onto his feet without another word, silenced, furious, and slightly humiliated as he made his way to the door. The room could barely contain their chuckles of amusement as you gently closed your laptop and slid it back into your backpack.

“I think that concludes today’s meeting, gentlemen,” Lena said as she began to gather her things.

+++

On the drive back to L-Corp, you groaned in relief as the burn of alcohol slithered cooly down your throat to settle deliciously into your stomach. You welcomed the burn, the slight discomfort of the bourbon just what you needed to bid farewell to such a shitty day. Lena was already on her third glass, and you had to admit this: that woman could drink. You knew that there was a story behind her elevated tolerance, but if it was due to the things that you witnessed today, you figured that it was perhaps a survival response.

“You did good in there,” Lena complimented genuinely. She was still smiling. Though it wasn’t as wide as it was during the meeting, it was still there. Just softer and more reserved for the intimate space that you shared in her car.

“Please don’t ever make me do anything like that again. At least, not without a pay raise.”

Lena’s smile widened, the amusement twinkling in her eyes. “No promises. Regardless, please enjoy your weekend.”

The car stopped by yours, to your surprise, and when you looked out the window, you noticed that you were back in the parking lot of L-Corp. You swallowed and began to gather your things before you hesitated. That bourbon was needed but it wasn’t enough. Not after what you survived.

“Lena, tonight is happy hour at Al’s Dive Bar. I can’t promise you that the drinks are more expensive than what you have, but I can promise that they’re cold and if nothing else, cheap. Would you like to go? It won’t be just me. Kara, Alex and her fiancée, and some others will be there.”

Lena’s smile morphed from amusement to something polite. “I appreciate that, Y/n, however, I have more work to do tonight. Please enjoy the night out with your friends and tell Kara that I said hi.”

You nodded, respecting her decision but still bummed that she refused. You took your things, bid her goodnight, before getting out of her car to get into your own. She drove away after waiting to make sure that you got into your car safely, and you concluded your workday by driving off L-Corp’s parking lot.

+++

The sound of something scratching against the door was what woke you up. You were still in your work clothes, the cotton now stiff and reeking of light body odor and alcohol. To say that you were disoriented was an understatement. You could hardly remember last night in its entirety. Bits and pieces of broken memories flitted through your mind, but the moment the alcohol started flowing, it all went downhill. You’re happy to know that you got home safe. So, either someone delivered you here, or you drunkenly gotten an Uber. You were more surprised to see that you made it to your couch and not to your bedroom.

As you awoke, the room spun slowly, and you groaned as the scratching on your door continued. The sound was grating, the noise just constant and consistent enough to overstimulate your tired brain. The slight ache in your head and the dry feeling in your mouth was indicative of the hangover you’ve yet to process, and when the scratching didn’t stop, you groaned and slowly got onto your feet.

Something within you cracked, the loud pops of bones easing back into their rightful places making you grimace at the slight pain of what little relief washed through you. You trudged to the front door as you decided between swearing at whoever was here at this ungodly hour, or attempting to be polite, though you looked and smelled like something that needed to be buried. You were just settling on doing your best, your clumsy fingers fiddling with the locks before the metal slid back, and your heavy, sluggish hand turned the knob to open the door. Something, and not someone, darted into your apartment. With your blurry vision, you couldn’t make out what it was before it disappeared under your couch, but you did make out the streak of black, sleek fur and four paws before your home invader darted out of sight.

“Hey!” you exclaimed as you tried to grab the cat before it could get away.

You bent over, your intention to scoop the feline into your hold to usher it gently back into the hallway, but the sudden movement made you woozy.  Instead, you groaned and cradled your head in a clammy hand while a wave of nausea crashed over you. That was NOT a good idea. At all. And fuck it honestly. Whatever it was that got in here would realize that they were in the wrong place, and they would beg to be let out to go home. You weren’t going to bother with trying to coerce the cat out. It wasn’t like you were going to get far in your current state and the cat wasn’t hurting you. The only things on your mind were a much-needed shower and to brush your teeth. The stale taste in your mouth was not helping your situation.

You got undressed and checked your phone, noting the texts from Alex saying that she was the one to take you back home and deliver your car to your place. You sent a message back expressing your gratitude and asking for her hangover relief smoothie. If Lena wanted you back at work on Monday, and resembling something human, you needed to take the edge of lingering inebriation away from your body. The moment it was sent, you were under the soothing and calming spray of the shower. You reveled under the warmth and steam. Your soap did wonders at chasing the filthy feeling of dirt and sweat away from your skin as you lathered your body. You didn’t want to make it long, though you’d consume the hot water of the entire building with the kind of heavenly water pressure your new bathroom had. You were out with clean clothes adorning your body and a towel wrapped around your hair. When you emerged from your room and returned to the living room, you were delighted to see your new friend exploring their new surroundings. When it heard you approach, the cat stopped in their tracks and looked at you languidly. They weren’t afraid, just curious and explorative. The cat's body remained as relaxed as ever, their tail twitching with heightened energy.

“Well, hello there,” you greeted, and you were surprised to hear a happy meow followed by the cat approaching you.

You smiled, noting just how friendly the cat was to you as you extended your hand to let it sniff you. It seemed to deliberate its decision to proceed, the soft and sensitive pink flesh of its nose twitching with interest and thought. You were about to back off when the cat decidedly pressed its head into your open hand. You laughed a bit as the cat meowed again and rubbed the full length of its lithe body against your exposed skin. Just when you thought that this encounter couldn’t get any better, it started to purr. Loudly. Strong vibrations emanating from such a small body had you staring in shock.

“Goddamn!” you exclaimed as you gently picked up the cat and held it close. It cuddled into you instantly, and you reveled in the way its body vibrated with contentment. “I think you’re packing a diesel engine in that body.”

You eyed the soft green of its collar, a color that matched the green in its eyes, and you found the tag.

“Stormy, huh?” you murmured as you read her name. “Whelp. It’s nice to meet you, though this is considered breaking and entering.”

Stormy chirped and rubbed her forehead against your cheek, her purrs increasing in volume to your astonishment. You didn’t have any pets of your own, and therefore, didn’t have any food for her, however, you were pretty sure that you had a can of tuna in the cupboard. You set her down and went to retrieve her impromptu meal, preparing it and plating it before giving it to her. While she waited, Stormy encircled your legs excitedly, her tail twitching with anticipation when her nose twitched at the promise of food. She wasn’t skinny or neglected, so you were sure that she belonged to someone. Maybe your new home was very lenient about free wandering cats. Or she escaped, which seemed highly likely given her personality. Most cats don’t enter strangers' homes unless something was wrong. Either way, Stormy was safe with you, and you would set her free whenever she wanted to leave.

You’d just set the food down near your dining table when a knock came at the door. You released your damp hair from the towel, and hung the towel over your arm, when you answered the door. Standing on the other side of it was none other than your boss looking more disheveled than you’ve ever seen her.

“Lena?” you asked as you took her in with worrisome eyes.

She seemed to be flustered and upset. She was dressed in old sweats, her hair thrown into a messy bun. Her eyes flitted every so often, her pupils shifting erratically as she looked around you. It was like she was taking in everything that she saw all at once. You. The towel draped around your arm. The empty and bright space behind you. The sunlight that filtered through the open blinds of your window. Her jaw was clenched from stress, the muscles protruding from the bone, but when she saw you, you saw the green in her eyes settle. Soften. It wasn’t enough to remove the tension from her completely, but she did look a little relieved to see you. In her hands was a picture that was slightly crumpled.

“Y/n, I’m sorry to disturb you. Have you seen this cat?”

When you looked at it, you were amused to see none other than your feline friend. You gave Lena a smile. “Oh, you mean this one?”

You moved out of the way, your body hiding Stormy from Lena’s immediate line of sight. Stormy was still at the plate, meowing and chirping happily as she munched on her tuna. Lena was relieved to see her, but she didn’t look happy. If anything, she looked confused.

“Did she come here by herself?” Lena asked you skeptically, and you nodded.

“She technically broke in. I heard her pawing at my door, and the moment I opened it, she darted inside.”

Lena’s frown deepened at that, and you hadn’t noticed that anything was wrong with your answers until you saw her facial expression.

“Is something… the matter?” you asked slowly, nervousness creeping into your voice.

Stormy finished her meal and set to the task of grooming herself. You and Lena watched her raptly as you looked between the two to try and solve whatever dynamic this was. Eventually, Lena huffed and looked at you.

“She’s not this forthcoming with strangers. If anything, Stormy can be positively irate around people she doesn’t know.”

Not even a second after Lena’s explanation, Stormy was rubbing her body against you, her purrs back in full force. Lena looked between you and her cat, her eyes narrowing like she was trying to understand the enigma of the situation unfurling to life before her. You raised your eyebrows, all previous thoughts of your hangover gone as lucidity washed over you in a force that made you shiver. It was either that, or the way Lena was staring at you so intently. You knew that you hadn’t done anything wrong, but the way that she was looking at you made you feel like you got caught with your hand in the proverbial cookie jar. To break the mounting tension, you cleared your throat and leaned down to pet Stormy. She purred happily, her eyes squinting as she leaned her entire body weight into your touch.

“Soooo, your cat...?” you prompted, and Lena nodded.

“Stormy.”

It was all that she said, and Stormy meowed sweetly before departing from your side. She followed Lena out the door. You peaked your head out of your apartment, only your eyes visible in the hallway as you watched your boss and neighbor return to her apartment. She didn’t say anything else, but she did glance oddly at her companion frequently.

“Have a good weekend?” you called after her, your voice unsure given whatever this interaction was supposed to be. All things considered, it wasn’t the worst interaction you could ever have with someone, let alone, someone that you worked for, but that didn’t make it any less awkward.

Lena hesitated briefly with her hand on the doorknob. She looked at you, her expression now neutral as she gave you a polite nod. “You too.”

Who was this person?

She stepped inside with Stormy following her and was gone. You blew out a puff of air, your cheeks expanding and your eyes widening as you closed and locked the door behind you. In your pocket, your phone vibrated, a text from Alex when she sent you the recipe to her smoothie you asked for earlier. You thanked her for everything that she did to take care of you last night, but you weren't going to need the smoothie. Not anymore.

+++

Lena looked more frazzled than ever when you walked into work the following Monday morning. She was already moving around, her long, muscular legs carrying her through the office in circles as she mindlessly grabbed at things while putting others down randomly.

This morning, you woke up early enough to make yourself a breakfast, and while you were at it, you made one for Lena too, knowing that she didn’t eat enough for your liking. Also, on your way to work, you grabbed her signature latte. Every drop of caffeine was going to be a godsend. Today was going to be a long day, and there was no way that you were going to let Lena starve herself. If you came off as pushy, so be it. You’d force feed her if she continued to be stubborn. The moment you entered her office, you wordlessly and neatly deposited her breakfast onto her desk and went into yours to get ready for the day.

Seeing Lena running around hectically was to be expected, but you were exhausted just looking at her. Today was full of nonstop meetings, one after the other. This morning, and through this afternoon, was dedicated to all her American business partners. Tonight, and throughout it, was dedicated to her international partners. Lena reassured you repeatedly that she did not expect you to work into the early twilight hours of what would be the next day, but you knew that this would be infinitely harder without help. Would she be able to do it? Yes, of course. You didn’t doubt her not one bit, but you could help her as well. After all, you were her personal assistant.

During the day, you stayed out of the way, only assisting Lena in the background. Your primary job was to take notes and schedule any future meetings with her respective partners if it was required. In between meetings, you worked on extraneous assignments. While Lena was busy, you approved a budget for a new project involving a transition to clean energy for National City’s hospitals. You drafted new contracts. Approved or decline contracts that were sent to Lena.

In the midst of it all, Kara texted you, asking how you were doing. It was a few days into the job, and she wanted to make sure that you were handling things okay. You let her know that working for Lena was perfect. Lena knew what she wanted, and she didn’t fuck around when it came to her work. She was dedicated through and through, and it showed. Lena Luthor was a powerful woman, and she carried her power in a different way than her family did. It wasn’t like you believed that she was anything like her brother. L-Corp was proof that Lena was on the opposite end of the spectrum than Lex. Where Lex wanted to be worshipped and regularly tried to use his money and influence to achieve what he wanted for himself, Lena was satisfied with helping people. She wanted to prove that she was not him, but beyond that, she didn’t care what anyone else thought of her. You respected that. She kept her focus on the goal, and it felt good to be a part of something organic. Real.

Kara congratulated you on the job and for finding your place in it. She recognized how genuinely happy you were, and how easy it was to integrate yourself into L-Corp in such a short time of you being there. You had to remind her that you wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for her. So, you thanked her, one might say profusely, for what she did to get you here in this current moment in your life. Kara was typing back, the three dots appearing on your phone screen, when a sudden and harsh expletive from Lena’s mouth sliced through the air like a scalpel through flesh. It made you stiffen in your seat.

You were sitting across from her, sharing the space on her massive desk as you typed notes and shared them with her on a saved file. You were working quietly, the tranquility of the space interrupted by your phone every time it vibrated softly from Kara’s texts. If Lena was bothered by your phone, she didn’t say anything. Her gaze, and her concentration, was glued to her laptop screen. You were used to the soft, shared clacks of keyboard keys as you and Lena typed. She wasn’t really one for small conversation, which didn’t bother you one bit. You kept to yourself and kept quiet unless she addressed you directly. It was why hearing her swear made you jump and look at her with shock and concern. Lena sat back in her seat and groaned. Her fingers pinched the bridge of her nose as she squeezed her eyes shut in irritation.

“Is everything okay?” you asked softly.

By this point, the sun had long since set. The sky was an inky blue, the stars and moon bright in the sky. The skyline was ablaze with light, the sight spectacular if you stood on top of a building to observe it. From Lena’s office, it was still pretty, but the bright fluorescence of her office muted the hazy glow of the city lights outside. This was the brief intermission between meetings as you began the transition from Lena’s domestic partners to her international ones. You didn’t know what to expect but based off how the day was going so far, you assumed that the night wouldn’t be too much different.

Evidently, you were wrong.

“The translator that I hired won’t be attending the meetings for tonight. This couldn’t have happened at the worst time!”

You assumed that the meetings would be happening in English, which in hindsight, wasn’t the best assumption to make. Maybe you could help.

“I’m going to have to cancel these,” Lena murmured with tired resignation.

“Do you have to?” you asked genuinely, and Lena nodded somberly.

“There are a few languages that I can speak, but I have many partners whose languages I haven’t had a chance to learn.”

“Google translate is always an option, yes?”

At that, Lena looked at you like you’d grown a second head. The fact that you would suggest a translating website was preposterous. Suggesting Google, which was perhaps the most incorrect service out there, was just plain insulting. Her frown deepened, and if the situation wasn’t as serious as it was, you would laugh. It looked like Lena would rather cut off her own fingers than to ever resort to something like Google translate.

“Well, who do we have meetings with?” you asked, changing the topic.

Lena flipped through her calendar, the tip of her finger gently running down the smooth page as she read the itinerary for tonight. When you heard the list of places, a smile spread across your lips. This was actually going to be a very successful night for you and her, and Lena didn’t seem to know.

“Don’t cancel anything.”

It was all that you said, and Lena hesitated as she looked at you.

“I really don’t think we’re going to get far once we run into a language barrier.”

She said it like it should be obvious, your excitement confusing to her.

“Trust me, Lena,” you told her, your eyes shining with confidence and determination. “We’re going to get through this. Now, when was the last time you’ve drank water? I haven’t seen you touch your water bottle in the last few hours.”

You let Lena handle the meetings where you knew that they would converse in English. London. Ireland. The Netherlands. Mainly some of the European countries. It took a few hours, but Lena concluded the last meeting of that region before she sat back and looked at you nervously. The next meeting started, and you sat up straight as you turned your attention to Lena’s laptop screen.

“I hope that you know what you’re doing,” she said quietly enough that only you would hear it. You gave her a wink as you turned towards the men and women who were convened for the conference.

This meeting was in India, and everyone knew that Indians were more than capable of speaking English. India is the most diverse multilingual country in the world, speaking more than over one hundred languages and various mother tongues in the territory alone. Of course, they spoke English. However, you also knew that one of India’s primary languages was Hindi… and you felt like showing off.

“आप सब का स्वागत है. इस संगठन में आने किलये धन्यवाद.”

Lena wasn’t the only person with an incredulous expression. The members of the conference were the same, mirroring her facial expressions as you started the meeting. From their perspective, seeing and interacting with a translator wasn’t anything new, but still surprising, nonetheless. However, for Lena, she didn’t know that you could speak Hindi. Not like she thought to ask. She could only stare as she watched you say something to make her partners laugh respectfully. As the meeting progressed, you wrote notes and highlighted all the important information that Lena would need to know for the future.

The moment the meeting ended, Lena could only stare at you as you prepared for the next one. You took a drink of your water and cracked your knuckles. The feeling of a successful meeting was like no other, the adrenaline making you feel powerful, and you flipped a page in your notebook to start your next meeting notes on a clean sheet of paper.

Lena was silent as she typed the notes that you handed to her. Her fingers flew over the keys expertly on her laptop, but every so often, you could feel her eyes on you. You looked at her and smiled.

“What?”

“What?” Lena echoed as she stared at you, her tone slightly disbelieving as she repeated your word. “What do you mean ‘what’? You just spoke fluent Hindi.”

You chuckled bashfully, your cheeks coloring a shy pink. “There are many things that I can do, Ms. Luthor. The night is still young.”

The next meeting was with Lena’s business partners in Djibouti. And their language was one you hadn’t had a chance to speak in a really long time. 

“Bonjour à tous. Merci pour votre temps aujourd'hui.”

The work that Lena was doing with the citizens of Djibouti was admirable. She was helping them create a new type of crop through gene splicing of other native African species. The goal was to grow food that needed very little water to survive. Because the area was a desert climate, water was a precious resource, one that would better serve the population in Lena’s opinion. They were coming close to a breakthrough in their research, which was what they were sharing with you now.

Another positive update from another of Lena’s business ventures. The night was promising and full of positive updates all around. It seemed as though Lena’s influence reached beyond National City. After Djibouti, you jumped right into your next meeting, which was Pakistan.

“السلام علیکم معزز خواتین و حضرات”

Lena’s mouth dropped with astonishment. Urdu was a hard language to learn, the pronunciation and syntax still something that she struggled with. And yet, you were speaking it perfectly. Fluently. Effortlessly. It was, yet, another surprise, another little mystery that did little to quell the mounting curiosity that was unfurling to life inside of Lena.

You stood up and went to your lunch box, excusing yourself from the camera briefly, to grab some food and place it in front of Lena. You gave her an expectant look, your mouth tight with seriousness as you looked into her widening eyes. It was early into the next day, and not once did you see her eat any food. You were serious about this issue. Lena needed to take better care of herself.

“Eat,” you mouthed silently to her before you grabbed your water bottle and made your way back to your seat.

Lena paused in her writing, her eyes wide and her mouth agape as she stared at the salad and fruit that you grabbed for her during the day. A small smile, one that you seldomly saw, spread across her lips, gentle and conserved. Lena didn’t realize just how hungry she was until her stomach growled ravenously. For once, she wasn’t going to argue with you. She opened her salad and ate it, the crisp lettuce and savory vegetables filling her with a satisfaction and relief that she needed. You smiled, watching her eat from the corner of your eye as you resumed the meeting.

Japan. The last meeting of the workday as the sun began to rise. The sky was beginning to highlight a deep orange. The first rays of light already kissed the horizon in the distance. Exhaustion was weighing on you, and you wondered how it was that you were going to get home. You didn’t feel alert enough to drive, and if you were being honest, you would sleep in Lena’s office, or your own, if given the opportunity. You were that exhausted. Regardless, you persevered, the knowledge of finishing this off with good morale and rapport with all of Lena’s partners pushing you to the finish line of one of the longest workdays ever.

“おはよお ございます 皆さん.”

Should she even be surprised? At this point, the answer should be no. Yet. Lena could only chuckle and shake her head. She was tired, and she wanted to shut her eyes if that meant that she could sleep, but despite the uncomfortable heaviness of fatigue, she was thoroughly impressed with you. You saved her more than you could have realized. The translator she hired came highly recommended to her, and due to their services, both in the business and legislative worlds, it was hard to find one on such short notice. Lena was sure that she would have to reschedule everything once she got a replacement translator, which would have made her postpone everything for months. Her entire schedule would have been utterly fucked. You saved her ass, and the moment the meeting concluded, she had already scheduled you a ride home with her driver.

You sat back in the seat and rubbed your eyes. They felt heavy, no doubt a consequence from staring at a computer screen for hours at a time without breaks. You heard Lena moving in the background, but you were too tired to see what she was doing.

“Go home,” she said as she packed up your stuff and hers. “Derek is waiting for you. Your car is safe in the parking lot, and I don’t feel comfortable with you driving anyway.”

You didn’t argue, even as you watched Lena hand you your stuff while hers remained on her desk.

“You need rest too, Ms. Luthor.”

Lena nodded. “There are a few small things that I need to finish, but rest assured that I will be headed home soon for a shower and my bed.”

You hummed at that thought. “A bed,” you mumbled sleepily as she escorted you to the elevator and out of the building.

Lena smirked and helped you into the car. “You’re taking the next two days off, do you understand? Rest and recover. I’ll see you back here soon. Thank you for everything that you did for me today.”

“We did good?”

You were entering the delirious phase of sleep deprivation. Though Lena got you into the car and buckled you in, you still wobbled in place like you were drunk.

“Please get her home safe and sound, Derek,” Lena said to her driver.

He nodded and tipped his hat respectfully. “Right away, ma’am.”

“Can I see Stormy again?” you asked randomly, your words beginning to slur.

Lena raised her eyebrows but nodded with a small smile on her lips. “I don’t see why not. She likes you apparently.”

“Hey!” you protested, your voice bordering indignation. “I’m a very likable person.”

Lena had to concede to that. You are a very likable person. It was easy to be overwhelmed by your personality. You were everything that she wasn’t. Positive. Good-Natured. Soft-Hearted. These were all admirable traits to have, and once upon a time ago, Lena had them too. It was just that surviving the Luthor name tended to treat it all like a weakness and strip it clean from the individual forced to shoulder its legacy. Lena deeply appreciated you and was glad that you were employed under her. A strange kind of protectiveness was beginning to awaken in her. She remembered when she used to be like this, when life was full of promise. You were like sunshine to Lena. A breath of fresh air. It was soothing, and she could see how you and Kara knew each other.

Birds of a feather.

Lena didn’t dawdle. Not as if this conversation wasn’t amusing, but you needed sleep, and she didn’t want you outside of your home in such a vulnerable state.

“Rest.”

You nodded at Lena’s word and sat back in the seat. Lena closed the door gently and stood back as Derek drove you away.

Lena’s smile slowly fell away, but the fondness for you remained a constant inside of her. She was glad that you were here. She was glad that you decided to work at L-Corp.

“Skirts. You never wear them.” he said plainly.

“No? Is that a new requirement or something?” you joked.

He pressed his lips together, shrugging, “Maybe just a suggestion. Take my card to whatever stores you like and buy yourself some skirts.”

“And why should I do that?”

He smirked, walking around the kitchen island to where you were sitting, leaning in close, he said, “Because your boyfriend needs easy access.” He placed his hand on your denim-clad thigh, slowly letting it roam inward.

You gasped as he hovered over your pussy.

“See? Wouldn’t it be better if your jeans weren’t in the way right now?” he pressed his fingers against you through the material, circling slowly.

You swallowed, clearing your throat, “Timothée.”

He leaned in closer to your face, “I want you right now.”

“But we’re working.” you fake protested.

“It can wait.” he said, pulling your chair out, grabbing you by the arm and throwing you over his shoulder.

……

“Aw, yesss!” you cried, gripping the sheets hard as Timmy had you bent over the bed. His hips smacked your ass rapidly as his cock plunged in and out of you.

“Oh, baby…my baby girl. Fuck, you feel so good.” his voice quivered with pleasure. He dug his fingers into your hips, holding you up as you were trembling and unable to keep up on your knees.

You threw your hair back with a huff and caught glimpse of the alarm clock on the nightstand, “Fuck! Timmy, Josh Safdie is calling you in five minutes!”

“That’s all the time we need.” he assured you, ramming his cock in you even faster.

You yelped in surprise, your toes curling as he brought you over the edge of an orgasm.

……….

Timmy had his phone to his ear, talking to his director as he wiped his cum off your belly with a damp cloth.

You couldn’t help but giggle at situation.

He gave you a mock angry look and you covered your mouth, still laughing. “No, Josh, it’s not a bad time. That’s just my assistant being a goofball. But yeah, that all sounds great.”

As he wrapped up the phone call, you took the used cloth to the hamper in the bathroom, using the facility before returning to Timmy’s bedroom. You couldn’t help but notice how comfortable you had become in his place. Yes, it was the setting in which you worked often, but it started to feel like home. He felt like home.

You walked back into his room, grabbing his big t-shirt that he had been wearing earlier, but it had been thrown to the floor. You put the shirt on and sat on the bed as he was saying goodbye to Josh.

“Hey, that’s my shirt.” he teased.

“Sorry, do you want me to take it off?” you smiled cheekily.

Timmy shrugged, eyebrows raised, “I mean, you look great in clothes, but I think I like you out of them just a little bit more.”

“Hm, of course you do you.” you said with a playful eye roll.

“So, are ready to go to Tokyo with me?” he asked you nonchalantly and climbed onto you.

“Tokyo? So filming is still on for Marty Supreme?”

“Yeah, everything is being settled now." he rested his arms over your belly, setting his chin there. "And I want you to come with me.”

“As your assistant or…?”

“My girlfriend and my assistant.” he affirmed. “I need you there with me. You help me with so much and I’ll have a shit ton of new lines to go over."

“If I’m getting paid, then okay.” you grinned.

“Oh, that’s the only reason you’ll go, huh?” he gently bumped his nose on yours.

“What other reasons are there?” you asked coyly.

"Hmm, let’s see, there's the Japanese culture to explore, yummy food, then there’s the A Complete Unknown premiere, and um,” his eyes got a darker as his lips turned up into a smirk, “we can fuck over there." he smirked, moving up your body to kiss your lips.

You moaned softly as he slipped his tongue into your mouth, “Mm, fucking,” you spoke between warm kisses, “is that a promise?” You pecked his lips.

“I would fuck you every hour if I could.” his voice was low, he was still hungry for more even though you just got done making love.

You blushed, “Do you love me that much?”

He nodded, “Yes.”

“Good.” your heart began to race, you knew it was the right time, “Because I love you, Timothée Chalamet.”

His eyes brightened back up, and he smiled wide, “You do?”

“I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean-"

He cut you off with a kiss. He took your face in his hands, “Mm, I’m definitely fucking you again, right now.”

You laughed as he assumed the missionary position, holding your thighs. “We’re not going to get any work done today.” you remarked.

……

The next day, Timmy again brought up the topic of you buying some skirts for work, so you decided it’d be best to oblige him. While out running errands for him, you went to some clothing stores, picked out and tried on skirts and purchased a few with his credit card.

It felt strange, carrying items for yourself. You were used to shopping for Timmy, but then again, maybe this was for him. It was his request, after all.

Once you started wearing the skirts, he seemed quite pleased. You had a black pencil skirt that hugged all the right places, and he would take full advantage, running his hand along your hip as you walked by, cupping your ass when he stopped behind you.

One day, you’d worn a mini skirt, plaid patterned and pleated. He took you in the kitchen within minutes of you starting the workday. He pushed you up against the counter, but he didn’t remove your skirt, he just pushed your panties to the side and slid his cock right in from behind.

Timmy railed you, brought your leg up, placing it onto the counter so he could push in deeper. “Fuck.” he cursed under his breath. He then held you closer, sinking his teeth into your neck.

Your pussy started to convulse around his cock, you whimpered, holding onto his arm and bracing yourself with your other hand on the countertop.

He fucked you mercilessly, lifting you off your feet.

You moaned like a pornstar. He rammed his cock into your g spot over and over, and you clenched your eyes shut, seeing stars. You let go, and your body shook with release. You heard Timmy curse again as fluids sprang out from between the two of you.

……..

“So, your flight leaves at-" you were talking to Timmy when his photographer friend, Aidan, came waltzing in.

“Damn, y/n, since when do you wear skirts? You look fine as hell!” he exclaimed, joining you and Timmy in the living room.

“Hey!” Timmy smacked him hard on the shoulder, “Show some fucking respect.”

“Yo, I’m sorry!” Aidan apologized, rubbing the spot where Timmy hit him, “I didn’t mean any disrespect, just not used to seeing her legs. My bad.”

“It’s all good.” you said with an awkward chuckle.

Aidan sat down on the couch and you shot Timmy a look, and he only shrugged at you in response.

“Well, I’ll just leave you guys alone to hang out. I’m gonna go home.” You looked at Timmy with a nod, “See you when you get back?”

He smiled kindly, “Yep. Miss you already.” he said with your signature boss-assistant banter tone.

……..

Sleeping in your own bed for the first time in days was strange. It proved to be difficult for you to fall asleep without Timmy’s warmth. You never expected to be so consumed by a man, but you weren’t upset by it.

You were in a deep sleep when you were awoken by your phone ringing. You groaned in annoyance, thinking to yourself, “Timothée, I could kill you right now.”

Sure enough, it was him. “Yes, Timothée Hal,” you answered as you put the phone to your ear, “what could you possibly want at this hour?” you looked at the screen, “One a.m. Excellent timing.”

“I’m sorry, baby.” he said innocently, “I really didn’t want to wake you up, but I want you.” He didn’t sound needy in a sexual way, but in a way that exuded his need for your presence. “Can I come in, please?”

“What do you mean? Are you here?” you sat up in the bed.

“Yeah I’m literally at your door. Won’t you let me in?”

“Timothée.” you grumbled.

………

“Hey, baby girl.” he said when you opened the door.

“Hello, it’s one in the morning. We are going to sleep.” you said tiredly yet firmly. You held your hand out to him.

He smiled softly as he took your hand and you lead the way to your bedroom. “I wish you were coming to the Paris premiere with me.”

“But you have to see Kylie while you’re there.” you pointed out.

Timmy groaned, “Ugh, don’t remind me.”

Once you were in bed together and settled, he spooned you, and his mouth was on your neck.

“Timmy, I have to sleep. I told you that’s what we were doing.” you said, holding firm.

“I know, but…I want you to ride me.”

“Mm, in the morning.”

“No, now.” he insisted.

“Timothée.” you warned.

“Yeah, and you can say my name. Take my cock and scream my name.” he combed your hair back, kissing your shoulder.

You were getting annoyed…and turned on. Sleep was getting further from your mind. You rolled over to your other side to face Timmy. “What cock?” you moved your hand down, palming him through his boxers. “This cock?” you bit your lip.

“That one, yes.” he smirked.

……..

You were both now completely naked, under your sheets. You bounced on his cock as he lay underneath you. You moaned lightly each time his cock sheathed up into you.

Timmy ran his hands up your tummy, squeezing your breasts, “Yes, just like that.” he praised, “Aidan thinks you’re hot, but you’re mine.”

“No,” you panted, “he was just being nice to me.” You put your hands on his chest, moving your hips.

“No, no, he wants you like this. He wants your body, your pussy, your sweet mouth, your tits bouncing in his face. He wants you the way I get to have you. But I’m the only one who gets this tight cunt. Isn’t that right?”

The way he spoke about your body as his cock was rutting into you got you so worked up and hot. You were enjoying the way his cock was destroying you.

“Hey.” he tapped your cheek, “I asked you a question. This cunt belongs to me, right?”

“Yes, yes, pookie. Only you.” you were drunk on his cock, and you were so out of it.

“Pookie? Maybe don’t use that during sex, babes.”

You whined as friction was building inside of you, “Sorry. But yes, you own this pussy. Fuck, your cock is so big.” You moaned, scratching his chest as you came.

You let out a big exhale, then collapsed on his chest.

Timmy kissed your head, and you were asleep within minutes with him still inside of you.

February 9, 2025