Arrowverse: I'm a Hero

Chapter 2: Meet-Cute and Mundane Mayhem

[ SYSTEM MESSAGE: Objective: Initiate Kara Danvers Encounter. Sub-objective: Don't trip over your own feet. Or your ego. Keep it charming, keep it sarcastic, keep it just shy of creepy. Her emotional state is… promising. Don't mess this up, Stiels. ]

After securing a ridiculously oversized, ridiculously expensive, and ridiculously empty penthouse apartment with a panoramic view of National City that screamed "I have too much money and zero actual responsibilities," Adam decided it was time for Phase 1.5: The "Accidental" Meet-Cute with Kara Danvers. Because, honestly, if you're going to fall into a fictional universe, you might as well go for the gold. And Kara Danvers was pure Kryptonian gold.

He'd spent the last few hours meticulously mapping out her probable routes, based on his admittedly comprehensive knowledge of her daily routine. CatCo Worldwide Media. The coffee shop across the street. Even the particular park bench she sometimes ate her lunch on when she was feeling particularly overwhelmed by Cat Grant's passive-aggressive tyranny. He felt a little like a stalker, but a well-intentioned, dimension-hopping, future-knowing stalker with excellent taste in expensive suits. So, basically, a protagonist.

He settled on the coffee shop. It was casual, public, and offered a plausible reason for two people to awkwardly bump into each other. Plus, caffeine. A necessity for anyone trying to navigate a new reality. He ordered a ridiculously complicated espresso drink – something with more syllables than coffee – and found a table near the window, subtly observing the ebb and flow of lunchtime traffic.

And then, there she was.

Kara Danvers. In the flesh. Or, you know, in the incredibly convincing human disguise. She was even more luminous in person, radiating a sort of earnest, slightly clumsy charm that even the cheap coffee shop lighting couldn't diminish. She had that distinct "I'm secretly a superhero but trying really hard to blend in" vibe down pat. Adam had to actively fight the urge to burst into an enthusiastic, unhinged monologue about her future heroic deeds. Self-control, Stiels. It's a journey, not a destination.

She was clearly in a hurry, probably late for some Cat Grant-induced emergency. She fumbled with her purse, a few papers fluttering to the ground, and of course, because the universe loves a cliché, a small, brightly colored toy car rolled directly towards Adam's polished loafers.

This was it. Showtime.

He bent down with an exaggerated flourish, picking up the toy car. It was a tiny, plastic replica of the Batmobile. Of course, it was. The universe really was leaning into the meta-humor today.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" he drawled, standing up and holding it out to her, a smirk playing on his lips. "Lost something, Super-citizen?" He immediately mentally slapped himself. 'Super-citizen'? Really, Adam? Too on the nose. Subtlety, remember?

Kara, flustered, looked up, her blue eyes wide. "Oh! Oh, my goodness, I am so sorry! That's... that's actually for my niece. She's obsessed with... well, with anything that flies, really." She gave a nervous little laugh. "Thank you so much."

"No worries," Adam said, trying to dial back the 'sarcastic genius' a notch and turn up the 'charming new guy' a whole lot. "Though, I must say, for someone who apparently likes things that fly, she has interesting taste in ground vehicles. I mean, the Batmobile? Everyone knows Kryptonians are more of a 'space-flight' kind of crowd."

He saw the flicker in her eyes, that brief, almost imperceptible moment of surprise. He'd dropped a hint, a very subtle one. Just enough to pique her interest without screaming "I know all your secrets and your aunt's favorite recipe for Martian schnitzel."

Kara tilted her head, a small smile forming. "Kryptonians? That's a very specific reference."

"Is it?" Adam feigned innocence, shrugging. "I'm a big fan of, you know, speculative fiction. And frankly, between you and me, the whole 'alien visitor secretly living among us' trope is vastly underrated. Especially when they have a penchant for saving kittens from trees and stopping runaway trains. Very admirable work, if you can get it." He winked.

She chuckled, a genuine, melodious sound. "You sound like you've given this a lot of thought."

"Only on Tuesdays, before noon," he replied. "The rest of the week, I'm mostly focused on the profound mysteries of why my socks never match and how much caffeine is too much caffeine. The answer, by the way, is usually 'more'."

He extended a hand. "Adam Stiels. Recently arrived in National City, looking for a good cup of coffee and perhaps, an introduction to the local 'speculative fiction' scene."

Kara shook his hand. Her grip was surprisingly firm, yet gentle. "Kara Danvers. And I assure you, National City is full of... interesting stories." A small, conspiratorial smile touched her lips.

[ SYSTEM MESSAGE: Emotional Resonance Detected: Curiosity/Amusement. Target: Kara Danvers. Proficiency: 5%. Progressing. ]

Adam felt a faint thrum beneath his skin, a subtle buzz that resonated with the system message. It wasn't a skill copy yet, but the connection was forming. Good. He was charming his way to superpowers. This was definitely his kind of heroics.

"I can tell," Adam said, his eyes twinkling. "Already, I've almost been run over by a tiny, fictional crime-fighting vehicle. It's certainly more exciting than my last city. The most exciting thing that happened there was a pigeon trying to steal my bagel. And frankly, the pigeon was very bad at it."

Kara laughed again, a full, uninhibited laugh this time. "Well, I hope your time here is... less bagel-pigeon-centric."

"Me too," Adam agreed. "Though, I'm prepared for anything. I've got my trusty sarcasm, my slightly above-average intellect, and an almost pathological inability to take anything seriously when I probably should. It's a potent combination, trust me."

"I can imagine," she said, her smile lingering. "Well, it was nice to meet you, Adam. I really have to run, or my boss will turn me into a paperclip."

"A fate worse than death, I hear," Adam said dramatically. "Go forth, Kara Danvers, and save the world from paperclip-related doom. Or at least, make sure your boss doesn't spontaneously combust from lack of coffee."

She waved goodbye, still smiling, and hurried out of the coffee shop. Adam watched her go, a satisfied sigh escaping his lips. Step one, accomplished. She was intrigued. He hadn't revealed anything overtly suspicious, just enough to make her wonder. And that was the key. He wasn't here to be Kara's personal Wikipedia; he was here to be her witty, supportive, incredibly wealthy boyfriend who happened to have uncanny good luck and a knack for being in the right place at the right time.

He picked up his espresso, took a sip, and immediately grimaced. "Blech. Still tastes like disappointment. Fine, universe, you win this round. But mark my words, I will find a decent coffee in this city if it's the last thing I do."

He checked his phone again. Still no signal. Still 2015. But now, nestled amongst his normal apps, was a new, minimalist icon: a stylized, glowing 'C'. The Copy System interface. He tapped it.

[ SYSTEM MESSAGE: Current Emotion Lock-ons: Kara Danvers (Curiosity/Amusement, 5%). Skills Available: None yet. Requires higher emotional intensity and proximity. Keep up the charming performance, Stiels. Also, your coffee consumption habits are frankly alarming. ]

"Alarming?" Adam scoffed at the invisible system. "Look, if I'm going to be dealing with aliens and evil masterminds and the existential dread of changing the timeline, I need my liquid courage. And by liquid courage, I mean industrial-strength espresso. Now, what's next on the agenda? Oh, right. Avoiding minor tragedies and making sure Kara doesn't accidentally incinerate her apartment with her heat vision. Again. That always looked like a pain to clean up."

He finished his terrible coffee, plotting his next move. He needed to be visible, but not overtly so. He needed to be helpful, but in a way that seemed like good fortune rather than omniscient interference. And he absolutely needed to find a better coffee shop. Priorities.

He pulled out his new, gleaming car keys. "Alright, fancy sedan," he murmured, heading for the exit. "Let's go subtly save the world. Or at least, subtly find a better barista."