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“Alex, I do not need a massage,” Kara whines. “And I am not stressed!” Alex just snorts.
“You are an assistant for Cat Grant, the bitchiest woman alive. You’re also rewriting all of the articles that are too awful to make it to print so you’re dealing with the wrath of the reporters and editor Snapper Carr. And then you’ve got your ‘extracurricular activities’ as Supergirl -” Alex lowers her voice for that part, despite the fact that they’re alone in Alex’s apartment. “- so, yeah. I’d say you’re a bit stressed. And I figure you need to either get laid or get a massage. And since I can’t give you a gift card to get laid for Christmas, this is the best I could do.”
“Alex!” Kara's cheeks color in embarrassment.
“Aw, come in Kara. It was supposed to be your secret santa gift and now you're making me feel bad. If you really don't want it, I'll take it. Maybe me and Maggie can do a couples thing,” Alex sighs. Kara just huffed. She really didn't want Alex to feel bad but she also didn't really think she was that stressed. But if Alex was her secret santa (granted, giving her the present three weeks before Christmas) then Kara didn't want her to feel bad about her gift. So she takes a deep breath, thinking about it for a moment.
“No, no, it's good. It's fine. I can… my shoulders have been tense lately,” Kara admits. “Maybe it can help. Not that I know when I'll find the time, ” she adds.
“J’onn can help with supergirl duty and I will tell Cat that you need an hour and a half, uninterrupted. It'll be great! Make the appointment and I will work out the rest. Glad you like it! See you later!” Alex hugs her sister quickly before running off and Kara wonders what the hell she just agreed to.
Alex waited two weeks of Kara putting off making an appointment (“there's so much going on right now, Alex! I just don't have time!”) before calling and arranging everything herself, even driving Kara to the place herself.
“Ms. Grant gave you the rest of the day. J’onn is on Supergirl duty. I made you an appointment with the best massage therapist they have. Now, go .” Alex had her hands on her hips and the look she gave Kara left no room for protest.
“Okay, okay,” Kara mumbles before getting out of the car. It was a nice enough building, set off from the center of the city. It stood by itself, white and pristine amidst gray steel structures. Kara glances back to see Alex gesturing for her to go in. So, she pushes open the glass doors and enters.
Immediately, there is a hush as the doors close. Light, calming music plays through a speaker set and Kara knows that without her powers she wouldn't be able to hear the traffic outside. The floors are wooden and highly polished and the white walls are adorned with images. In a corner opposite the reception desk, there's a waterfall fountain. Kara approaches the smiling woman at the desk.
“Hello. I'm Jess. Do you have an appointment?” The woman with dark curly hair smiles politely at Kara. Kara nods awkwardly.
“Uh, yeah. I got a, um, a gift card. And an appointment at- oh it's not for another fifteen minutes. I'll wait. Oh! My names Kara, by the way. Kara Danvers.” She retreats to sit on one of the couches in the center of the room, settling into the plush seat before the receptionist even has a chance to respond. She's just made herself comfortable, texting Alex to assure her that yes she is staying, when there's footsteps approaching her. She turns, expecting to see Jess the receptionist but instead gaping at the most beautiful woman she's ever seen (and Kara us been all over this world, plus at least twelve others so she can definitely say that she is the most beautiful). Kara is so lost in admiring her sharp cheekbones, pale skin, raven hair pulled into a high ponytail and her enchanting green eyes that she misses her mouth (oh god those perfect pink lips that she just wants to sink her teeth into) moving.
“Uh, sorry what?” She stammers. Kara can feel her cheeks going pink as the woman laughs (oh god Kara is falling faster and faster).
“Are you Kara? My 2:00?” She repeats, arching one perfect eyebrow. Kara can't help but feel like she's seen this girl before ( in my dreams , she wanted to say) but she manages to speak this time.
“Uh, yes? I don't know, my sister made the appointment for me.” The girl bites her lower lip as if biting back a smile.
“Well, you're the only appointment for the rest of the afternoon and if you're Kara, you must be. I'm Lena and I'll be taking care of you today. Why don't you come on back with me?” Kara stands quickly, following Lena down a hallway while trying to ignore the way her black pants hug her hips and her white tunic top (emblazoned with the company’s logo) accentuates her curves.
“Uh- um, you said I’m the only appointment? Why’s that?” Kara asks nervously, trying to calm down. Lena turns around to smile at Kara, shrugging.
“It’s almost the holidays. We slow down in the week or two leading up to them and then get a surge right after. Most people relieve the holiday stress after it’s all over. Right this way.” Lena stops, leading Kara through a door and into a private room. The floors are wood and the walls white, decorated with a similar aesthetic to the waiting room. More music, piano melodies this time, are playing softly and it smells like lavender and chamomile. Kara inhales deeply, letting down her walls to experience it a little more. When she does, Kara smells something tangier, like sweat and oddly enough, it reminds her of Lena.
“That’s nice,” Kara smiles. Lena nods, gesturing to the table.
“Sit, please,” Lena clarifies when Kara furrowed her brow. “I need to do a consultation before we start so that I make sure I’m helping you.”
“Oh,” Kara says softly, hopping up to sit on the table. She lets her legs dangle, kicking them softly while she waits for Lena to explain more.
“So, you said your sister called to make the appointment?” Kara nods, humming. “And why is that? Did you not want to come, or…?” Kara blushes, embarrassed.
“Um, I wasn’t… It’s not that I didn’t want to come, exactly. I-I did! Okay, so that’s not exactly true. I was just… reluctant, I guess? I-I’ve never, um, I guess I’ve never done this before? Had a massage, I mean. And I just- well, Alex- that’s my sisters, her name is Alex, I mean- um, she said I was stressed and I carry a lot of that stress in my neck and my shoulders. And she made some joke that I either needed to get laid or get a massage but she couldn’t make getting laid my secret Santa present and- oh my God! I’m so sorry, that was so inappropriate. Here I am rambling on about sex and you’re just trying to do your job. Oh my God,” Kara squeaked nervously. She bites her lip, forcing herself to stop talking. Lena just laughs. Kara blushes and stares down at the floor.
“No, no, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t laugh. I just- I wasn’t expecting that from you. But I have heard things like that before. So, you said you carry the tension in your upper back and neck, mostly. Anywhere else?” Lena steps closer, walking around the table as she speaks, trailing one finger across Kara’s shoulder blades. Kara fights to suppress a shudder. “Your arms? Your lower back maybe?” Lena teases one finger slowly over each body part as she lists it.
“Uh-uh, my legs. And, like, my feet, maybe?” Kara stammers out just to make Lena stop and let her breathe for a moment.
“Okay, and how much pressure can you take? I wouldn’t want to accidentally hurt you,” Lena continues, moving to stand in front of Kara again, smirking slightly as if she knew the effect she was having on Kara.
“Um, you can use as much pressure as you need. I can- um, I can take it,” Kara mutters. She knows her cheeks are flaming right now.
“Alright, well you’ll have to tell me if I’m doing something that hurts or pinches or you want me to stop. Would you like me to tell you how this will work? Sometimes, my nervous first timers like to know what to expect.” Kara swallows thickly as she is forced to remember that this is purely professional. Lena probably is flirty with everyone. She touches everyone’s shoulder like that. You’re not special, Kara chides herself.
“Um, yes, please,” she sighs, letting her eyes close for a moment. She breathes deeply to let the scents wash over her, relax her again. It feels good. It feels right.
“So, first I’ll leave the room. Then you’ll strip down and lie on the table, face down, covering yourself with this sheet. I’ll come back in when you’re ready and rearrange the sheet. I’ll probably start with your shoulders and work down. I have to rearrange the sheet a few times but I make sure the only thing that’s uncovered is the part I’m working on. I may need you to flip over to get your legs. Any questions?” Kara shakes her head. “Not a big small talker?”
“No, I am! I like talking. A lot! When we were kids, my sister used to say I talked too much. Well, her mom used to say she was just mad because I had come into their life. The Danvers adopted me when I was twelve, but Alex didn’t like me much at first. So she would say mean things like I talked too much and I was too weird. But we’re good now. We’re sisters and best friends. But, wait, what was the question?” Kara explodes into speaking again and Lena is smiling to bite back another laugh.
“I asked if you like small talk. And I’m going to take that for a yes,” she smiles. So, I’m going to go wait out in the hall while you change and lie down. Once you’re ready, you can ring this little bell here next to the bed and I’ll come in, okay?” Kara nods, her cheeks pink again. She sighs heavily when Lena leaves.
Get a hold of yourself, Danvers, she scolds herself silently as she kicks off her shoes and begins to strip. You need to get through ninety minutes with her hands on you. You’ve talked to pretty girls before. You’ve saved pretty girls from burning buildings. You can handle this girl. Just shut up and stop rambling. This is just a harmless crush. She leaves her clothes in neat little piles before unfolding the sheet. She wraps it around herself and lays down on the table. It moves to fit her body and she melts into it, putting her face into the structure meant to cradle her face, leaving her a hole to breathe.
“Mmmm,” she hums, reaching out blindly to ring the little bell. There’s a knock on the door.
“You ready, Kara?” Lena calls. Kara nods. Kara can hear the door opening and Lena softly padding in. “Alright, let’s get started,” she says and Kara doesn’t need super hearing to hear Lena smiling as she speaks. Kara inhales deeply as Lena’s hands adjust the sheet, folding it and moving it down until it rested just above the curvature of Kara’s ass, exposing her entire back. Lena inhales deeply and Kara smiles, proud of her muscles and aware of the effect it can have on people. Kara won’t lie and say it wasn’t a nice ego boost to know that a beautiful woman like Lena was also affected.
But then, oh Rao , but then Lena’s hands started working on her back, pressing in and dancing around all over and it felt like Heaven. Kara let out a guttural grunt, her cheeks immediately turning pink at the sound. They stay like that for a while- Lena moving her hands and applying different amounts of pressure on Kara’s back while Kara just tries to stifle her vaguely suggestive noises. After a while, Lena speaks again.
“Wow, you have… a lot of knots. Your muscles are very, very tense. Do you- do you ever stretch?” Lena asks.
“Uh… no?” Kara squeaks. “Hnngh,” she moans, biting at her lips to try and quell the sound as Lena pushes into her shoulder.
“You should stretch after you work out- well, I’m assuming you work out? You should stretch anyway.” Kara nods wordlessly as another groan escapes her. She knows her cheeks are flaming at this point, mortified that she’s making porn star noises in a public setting (well, semi-public considering Lena’s the only one there, but still! ). “Y’know,” Lena muses, sounding effortlessly unperturbed as her hands work magic on Kara’s back, “some people like to talk. About what they’re stressed about, right? They say that I work out the physical stress while they talk to relieve the mental part of it. You could try that. If you like,” she offers. Kara gasps as Lena’s elbow digs into her shoulder blade, relieving a knot of tension she hadn’t been aware of.
“I-I-I… work. Work stress,” Kara gasps out, gripping at the sheets to try and center herself. This is her job. You are in her place of business. Control yourself , she growls internally. “I get stressed- because of work.”
“Where do you work?” Kara closes her eyes as the pressure on her back becomes more intense. It isn’t painful- she wouldn’t even feel it if it were painful- but it is an odd sensation. Kara can’t quite place it- not exactly uncomfortable, but not easy to handle either.
“Catco,” Kara squeaks. “I’m Cat Grant’s assistant.” Lena whistles lowly.
“Wow, no wonder you’ve got so many knots. I used to get so many of her assistants after firings that I considered offering a special. Haven’t had any for a while though. How long have you worked there?” Lena moves around the table to get at Kara’s other shoulder.
“Almost three years,” Kara hums. The more Lena moves around, the better she feels. Relaxed. Like she’s floating, but not actually floating (she has to think for a minute and make sure her powers haven’t kicked in and she isn’t actually levitating).
“Wow. That’s the longest I’ve heard anyone lasting Cat Grant’s wrath. You must do a lot there. Lots of responsibilities?”
“Mhmm,” Kara squeaks. “Ah!” Lena pushed and twisted, working Kara’s muscles like play dough. “I basically- I organize Ms. Grant’s personal and professional lives. I-I-I have to deal with office emergencies. I-I-I- oh, that feels so good. I didn’t even know that hurt , it’s been so long since it felt good. Anyway, um, I also tend to rewrite stuff, approve layouts, write articles, deal with HR, all that.” Lena hums and works her way down Kara’s back. Kara lets it lapse into silence for a while again.
“That sounds tough. Kara, I want to work on this particularly tough knot right here-” she pauses to tap a spot in the center of Kara’s lower back “-but the best way to do that is to get a different kind of leverage. I don’t usually do this since it isn’t exactly professional . But, could I possibly get on the table? To get above you, I mean, to better get this.”
“Uh, yeah, go ahead. Anything you need,” Kara yelps, near-desperate for Lena to keep touching her. She realizes this may have been a mistake when she feels Lena climb onto the table, knees bracketing Kara’s thighs as Lena straddles her, hovering just above where the sheet ends on Kara’s ass. Kara moans softly, pursing her lips to try and muffle the sound.
“Anything else you’re stressed about?” Lena asks after a while. Kara is squeaking, grunting and trying to keep quiet.
“Uh-um, the current political climate? As a non-straight woman, I’m not exactly set up for success in this- ah!- once the inauguration happens. Add in the fact- oh, Rao - that I’m technically an immigrant and I’m really- fuck, oh Rao , what the hell did you just do?- really not doing so hot.” Lena hums thoughtfully and Kara feels like she’s simultaneously melting into the table and at risk of exploding as Lena continues working at her muscles. After a minute, she slides off.
“Alright, well, now I’m going to work on your legs.” Kara nods, exhaling deeply. She kicks reflexively when Lena touches her and Lena chuckles. She waits, patiently touching Kara’s leg again and waiting until Kara relaxes before working to tenderize the muscles. “So, sounds like a lot of stress. What do you do for fun? Any friends? I know you’ve got your sister. Got a boyfriend? Girlfriend?”
“I’ve got friends, but nothing… romantic. I tried but… No one special,” Kara hums happily. She’s content, feels a bit like a jellyfish, loose and floating without a care in the world. “How about you? We’ve been talking about me this whole time.”
“That’s because it’s your appointment, Kara,” Lena laughs. She moves to the other leg and Kara is glad she’s facing away from Lena and can hide her pout. Kara had managed to forget that this was an appointment- one her sister had paid for. “But… No, no romantic partners. Just me and my business. And my cat, Sergio.” Kara bites her lower lip, smiling brightly.
“That’s a cute name. I prefer dogs but… cats are cute, sometimes.” They’re silent again until Lena finishes working.
“Alright, Kara. Time flew by but I just have the lotion and then we’re all set here. It might be a bit cold, so I’m sorry about that,” Lena warns, smiling as she opens a jar of a sweet smelling cream. The sensation of cold doesn’t exactly affect Kara the same way it would a human but Lena’s touch makes goosebumps rise on her skin and Kara is glad she has the excuse of cold lotion to disguise her reaction to Lena’s hands. All too soon she pulls away and Kara feels simultaneously relaxed and wired. “So, you get dressed and I’ll be back when you’re ready, hmm?” Kara nods, humming and stifling a yawn as she hears Lena leave.
It takes Kara a moment to regain the strength in her legs and the steadiness to stand. She feels loose, like her limbs are brand new. Kara smiles remembering when she and Alex had watched Bambi together for the first time and she watched the baby deer shake when he stood the first time. She feels a bit like that, weak and shaky and standing on new legs for the first time. Like she’s never properly used any of her limbs. It feels good. It feels great . She’s still smiling when she opens the door to find Lena waiting in the hall.
“Feel better?” Lena asks, quirking up one eyebrow and Kara nods eagerly, still smiling like a dope. “Good. So, your sister paid ahead with your gift card number so… Unless you’d like to make another appointment, we’re done here.” Lena begins walking Kara back to the lobby.
“O-oh,” Kara says softly. She’s trying to make up an excuse to see her again, maybe make another appointment next week?
“Listen, Kara, um… This is entirely unprofessional and I understand if you say no but…” Lena bites her lip hesitantly as they pause, just around the corner from the lobby. “But maybe, you and I could do this again sometime?”
“L-like make another appointment?” Kara asks, her brow furrowing in confusion.
“Oh, no, um,” Lena laughs awkwardly. “I meant more like… a date? I… really like you and I want to see you again.”
“Only if that date ends with a private massage,” Kara blurts out. “Your hands are like magic.” Almost immediately she claps a hand over her mouth, ears red and cheeks white hot with embarrassment. Why is she like this ? Lena laughs again, full and hearty this time.
“I wasn’t going to mention it, but yeah you certainly seemed to enjoy it,” Lena teases. She’s smiling and there’s a hint of some kind of accent lilting in her voice. Kara blushes again.
“I’m sorry, oh my God, that’s so embarrassing,” Kara mutters.
“No, Kara, no, trust me I’ve heard worse. In my line of work, it’s almost expected. Especially with people as tightly wound as you seemed to be.” Lena smirks then and Kara shudders under her weighty gaze. They just stare at each other for a moment before Lena breaks the silence. “So. That date?”
“Ye-yes! Oh, yes, sure! Um, next week?” Kara babbles. “I like food so maybe we could do dinner and a movie. But that’s terribly cliche and overused, so maybe not. But cliches are cliche for a reason, right? So maybe we can get some food after work. Do you like Italian? Or maybe Chinese. Ooh! I love potstickers, maybe we could get potstickers and-”
“Kara,” Lena laughs. “Relax. We can work out the details this week. Come, let me get my card for you.” She leads Kara out to the lobby. Kara can see Alex waiting for her out in the parking lot while lena grabs a card from behind the desk, stopping to scrawl something on the back. “This is my cell phone number. Call me and we can arrange that date. Goodbye, Kara,” she purrs. Kara grins, tucking the card into her purse as she practically skips out the door and into Alex’s car.
“Well, you certainly seem better,” Alex comments. “So, was it a better stress reliever than a good lay? Because I really can’t help you out with that one.” Kara is too busy smiling and floating on a cloud to hit her sister.
Kara doesn’t bother to tell Alex that she inadvertently did help Kara get laid after that date with Lena.