Work Text:
“Country? Really?” Kara liked to know what everyone was listening to but sometimes it was disappointing. When she was younger, she could only see what a few people were listening to but her sixth sense developed over time; now she can see their most recent listen or even what song they cannot seem to shake. “How can someone possibly have a good workout if a fake southern accent and twang is playing?”
Every job she has chosen allows her to use her ability: library assistant, barista, and now at her local YMCA as a gym monitor. Most who frequent these places have headphones on, earbuds in, ready to skip the next song on shuffle. At times knowing what every person in a crowded place is listening to can be a tad overwhelming so Kara has taught herself to “mute” certain people’s music to hone in on individuals. She knows the YMCA regulars and what they typically listen to, but occasionally a non-regular will show up and it’s just another playlist to analyze from afar; it helps pass the time.
“Little Danvers! You gotta new member coming back to ya. Wants a tour and some guidance.” Maggie’s voice sounds like an AM radio station on a WalkMan TM when she radios a warning to Kara from the front desk.
“Got it. Thanks, Maggie.” She’s hoping it will not be some 74-year-old with a million basic questions and who will want help with every movement and machine. But any member interaction does one of two things: make her look busy when the supervisors are roaming, or it passes time. Maybe it will be a buff person who only wants to know if they can grunt during lifts (any easy and immediate “no, sir/ma’am” and smug grin usually does the trick).
What Kara does not expect is woman her age with a jawline that could kill and she almost doesn’t remember to put her work persona on (she is wearing that logo on her nametag and polo for a reason).
“I was told you could help me out here? I’m new to the whole working out thing and-”
“Uh. Yeah. That’s what I’m here for! Would you like a tour of the gym floor first?”
“Well...Kara,” the sharp-jawed woman says looking at Kara’s name tag. Also, she said Kara’s name? Oh boy. “I would, yes. Thank you.”
Kara just smiles and gestures toward the gym because if she uttered a single word right now her voice would definitely crack. That’s just how it goes. As Kara weaves through the cardio machines, the other woman follows in silence, nodding and observing. The questions and wide eyes come when they walk through the maze of resistance machines, though, but Kara is patient and answers them thoroughly yet quickly.
“What’s a recommended weight? How many should I do? Does this one require bodyweight strength because I do not have that. Oh and how long should I endure cardio machines?” Sometimes rapidfire, sometimes quiet and doubtful.
Once the sharp-jawed woman had seen the whole gym and Kara had answered all her questions, Kara was left to the monotonous remainder of the shift ahead. Then the woman put earbuds in and Kara was left so confused at the bubble that popped up: Haydn’s “Symphony No. 94”. (And she thought modern country music was hard to work out to.)
-----
A couple days pass and the sharp-jawed woman comes walking down the hallway toward the gym. Kara rehearses this greeting even though she does it a hundred times every shift to all walks of life (and genres of music). I don’t even know her name! Kara makes that her goal for today.
“Hi, Kara,” the sharp-jawed woman says to her with a toothy grin and a wave. “How are you today?”
“Good afternoon. I’m getting by. You?” Luckily Kara doesn’t mumble and she’s thankful when the other woman responds appropriately, signifying her words came out in order.
“I’m motivated enough for the gym,” the sharp jawline gets sharper (is that possible) as she lets out a small a laugh. “I’m Lena, by the way. I don’t wear the name tag like you all and I thought you might want to know.” Lena smiles softly and Kara is instantly weak as she watches Lena walk away toward the gym floor.
Lena. Lee-nuh. Lena. Kara’s had to have heard that name before; it has to be a common name, but, boy, does it sound rare and magical. She spends the remainder of her shift cleaning the machines, re-racking weights, giggling to herself about what people listen to, and stealing glances at Lena . Sometimes Lena is waiting for the glance only to turn away quickly like it never happened. Kara is sweating and it’s not just from re-racking weights. Lena is listening to The Village People; appropriate , Kara thinks with a grin forming.
-----
All the aspects of resistance training seemed daunting to Lena but she thought she’d give it a go because maybe Kara would see her and help her. She hops on the first machine not fully knowing where this is going but determined to get Kara’s attention. It’s a leg machine and it is easier than she initially thought so she increases the weight and pushes. Kara will not look in her direction and Lena is about ready to move on to another machine when she sees Kara walking toward her.
“I see you’re finally giving those a whirl. If you ever want to try free weights, let me know so I can help you out if need be,” Kara offers Lena, still questioning the classical music in the bubble above her head. Lena knows Kara is just being nice and is just doing her job, but she cannot help but feel like maybe there’s something more. She watches as Kara walks off to check on and greet other members like they are all old friends, as she jokes and shares handshakes and laughs. And somethings stirs inside Lena when she hears that laugh; a Feeling ™ that she wants to deny.
-----
Lena gives herself a routine for the gym; it’s good for her plus there’s a chance she will see Kara. She gets to her local Y when she knows Kara will be working but when she passes the spot where Kara generally stands to greet members, no one is there. She’s a little bummed out until she actually walks out onto the gym floor to see Kara doing pull-ups, the hard kind. Kara notices Lena walk in and smiles through the pull-up and releases one hand to wave to Lena. Wait a second. Is she holding on with one (1) hand? Lena hopes that whatever face she’s making isn’t an ugly one because she cannot focus. Wave, Lena, wave! Kara finishes her pull-up, drops from the bar, and walks toward Lena (she’s actually walking toward the office but Lena wants attention).
“Hey hey! How’s your day been, Lena?” The grin on Kara’s face screams ‘I’m pretty damn strong and I also definitely saw your reaction to what just happened’ and Lena digs the confidence. She thinks it’s making her more confident, if such a thing is possible. During the entirety of her workout that single pull-up she witnessed is the only thing on her mind and Kara sees no bubble above Lena’s head while she’s there because of it.
At this point, Kara hasn’t seen Lena listen to enough songs to determine her taste in music and she’s itching to know. Usually the regulars’ workout preferences are pinned down the first few times Kara sees them, but Lena either listens to a ten minute long classical piece or nothing at all and Kara is itching to know more about her without actually asking. She catches Lena on the way out but then chokes on her own words because did she get prettier during her workout?
“Uh, I was wondering...if um...if you’d seen the sauna yet,” Kara said, barely. She thinks she looked dumb saying it by the ‘have you finished your incoherent thought?’ look on Lena’s face.
“I actually was not aware of one. Where is it?” Lena wasn’t really interested in saunas but a flustered Kara was kind of amusing so she was definitely going to drag this out for her own pleasure.
“It’s out on-um-out on the pool deck. I can take you there if you’d like.”
“I suppose so. Lead the way.” Lena’s grin didn’t go unnoticed by Kara who didn’t want to walk in front because she’d miss out on it.
They walked through the locker room to get out to the pool deck while Kara gave the habitual ‘this is the locker room, these are the showers, here’s the water Zumba schedule’ spiel. Lena is half listening, more focused on how much Kara seems to genuinely enjoy her job (it’s kind of cute, come on).
“I think it gets up to 125°? It’s not good for your liver and kidneys, though, and isn’t a weightloss tool like some people think so maybe don’t sit in there for more than ten minutes.”
“Well, I may try it sometime. Your warning is a bit extreme don’t you think?” Lena joked with Kara who just giggled back at her. They left the pool deck, went back through the locker room, and Kara gave Lena a farewell.
As Lena walked down the hallway to leave, Maggie was coming in the opposite direction. She greeted Lena and looked to Kara.
“Hate to watch her go, Little Danvers?”
“What? No. I mean, I guess? What kind of answer do you want exactly?” Kara felt called out by Maggie (shocker), but was not about to let her win.
“Did you that when she comes in she always asks who’s on the floor? I’m not saying anything, but I’m just saying.” Maggie was good and Kara trusted her with stuff like this but Kara did not want to get involved with anyone right now.
“Maggie, we both have a job and we both know that members like the staff because we are nice and all wear the same polo.” Kara looked out to the gym floor (remembering she has a job to do) and sees all the hip hop and pop and why does that couple insist on listening to country during their workout . And with that dismissal, Maggie was clocked out and giving Kara a wave goodbye only to be returned with an eye roll.
-----
As Kara walks in to start her shift she sees the bubble coming out of her boss’s office: Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know”. She walks past and into the gym office directly across the hall quietly singing along; her boss has always had the music taste of a college kid despite her being, like, thirty. Kara hears a sudden noise coming from across the hall and turns around to her boss dropping yet still trying to catch miscellaneous fitness equipment.
“Do you need some help, Sam?” Kara asks her as she bounds across the hall and gathers everything Sam dropped and then some. “So how was that date with my sister? She refuses to tell me anything. Also, what are we doing with all this?”
“Ugh–thank you, Kara. And I am not discussing that with you.” Sam was probably going to budge so in the meantime Kara just whined in disapproval (seriously, though, why won’t Alex tell her anything). “Head towards Studio 1.”
Kara was balancing the moderately heavy fitness equipment in just one arm while opening the door to the first exercise studio– oh my god is that Lena working out? Kara froze and considered just backing out of the room altogether but she has a job to do and it was for her direct boss so she put a smile on and tried not to look at Lena.
“Okay just set them there and let’s organize the studio before the next class.”
“Got it.” Kara and Sam got to work. Kara tried not to look at Lena but the studio has mirrors for wallpaper so even if she wasn’t looking at her, she was looking at her. She couldn’t help but notice a top 40 song in the bubble next to Lena and thought it was odd for someone she’d only seen listen to non-lyrical music from the late 1700s. Kara entertained the thought of Lena listening to One Direction with her and she doesn’t catch the laugh that slips out.
“What’s so funny over there?” Sam’s eyebrow is raised as she side eyes Kara.
“Huh? Oh, uh, nothing.” Kara grins at Sam trying to hide her childish and slightly embarrassing thoughts. Her boss would not be very fond of more-than-friendly member interactions.
Lena finishes her workout, puts the studio equipment back, and (since Kara is watching her from the reflections) winks at Kara on her way out. Kara is frozen.
“Ohh. Okay. I see.” Sam saw the whole thing out of the corner of her eye. “Did you know the she anonymously pays for the memberships of families who struggle?”
“Really? That’s incredible” Kara’s jaw kind of dropped because wow . “I know it’s none of my business but how can she afford that?”
“Do you know nothing about her, Kara?”
“I know that she only ever list–no. I guess I don’t.” Don’t blow your cover, you creep.
"Well,” Sam starts slowly, “Her family is, like, super wealthy from all the businesses they’ve either started or bought. I think she owns two, herself. Oh, and she’s younger than both of us, I think.”
Kara was a little bit shocked at the sudden flood of information and had no response but to finish up the studio. It does, however, make her understand why she listens to classical music. Wealthy people listen to that, right?
-----
Kara didn’t need the bubbles once the cycling class in Studio 2–the one right next to the gym office–began and weird remixes of pop songs from the last decade blared down the hall and into the locker rooms. She sang along with them when she wasn’t on the gym floor distracting members like the good YMCA employee she is. She sang along as she greeted members in the hall. She even sang along with goofy dance moves when she saw Lena laughing as she walked toward her.
“Are you enjoying yourself?” Lena was about to repeat herself louder because she thought Kara couldn’t possibly have heard that but she responded immediately.
“Have been for”–Kara glances at her watch–“fourteen minutes. How ‘bout yourself?”
“I’m starting to think that maybe I should start taking this class. It actually looks really fun. What do you think?” Lena wasn’t really considering it but she knew Kara was about to spout off some facts or advice about it and that’s cute to listen to and watch.
“Well, first, it’s a really popular class so you’ll wanna get here fourteen minutes early, not fourteen minutes late,” Kara teased. “But if you like that kind of music, you’re more likely to enjoy the class.” Please reveal something about your music taste I don’t already know.
“I suppose I could handle it. Do you have any workout suggestions for me today, Kara?”
“You do free weights?”
“Uhm, no. Should I start?” Lena does not like where this is going. I should have kept my mouth shut!
“It’s not crowded right now so we can go over a couple of basic lifts. If you want.” Oh my god, what am I offering?
“Uh, maybe. I’ll see how my workout goes.” Lena smiles gently, dismissing herself from a conversation that would wind up awkward. All she wanted to do was focus on her cardio so she put in her earbuds and up popped her bubble. Kara sees Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone” and is kind of shocked?
There’s no intense rush of people while Kara’s working, just her regulars (which now includes Lena). She has a little bit of hope that Lena will take her up on her free weights offer but simultaneously knows that it might be an awkward interaction and doesn’t want that. She heads out to the gym floor to do a little cleaning but runs into Lena who has a question she’s clearly antsy to ask.
“Hey, can you help me with those–what did you call them–lifts?”
“Oh, uh, yeah. Of course. What do you want to do first: squat, deadlift, or bench?” Kara is screaming on the inside and suddenly doesn’t want to do her job.
“What’s the easiest?” Lena asked with a half smile that says ‘I would rather not lift anything I don’t have to, but I do want an excuse to watch you, not to be creepy.’
“I’m not sure, actually. We should just start with deadlifts, good? It’s the simplest movement.” Kara motions toward the weight rack and begins the lesson. They start with just the bar and slowly add weight to insure Lena’s form doesn’t suffer.
“What next, coach?” Lena asks, Kara’s face indicating that being called ‘coach’ is kind of new and definitely odd.
“Uhm. Bench press.” Kara and Lena set up the bench and Kara demonstrates and giving pointers while making it look light. “Got it? You’re up. I’ll spot you.”
Lena is able to lift it several times with ease and good form. She wonders how much Kara can bench and her eyes go wide; Kara asking her something about squats brings her back to reality.
“Did you hear me?” Kara chuckled at Lena’s sudden expression. “You ready to squat?”
Lena nods and listens to Kara’s instructions and watches Kara squat. Nice. She squats the bar and, much like her deadlifts, adds a little weight at a time to get a feel for what she might be able to do on her own. Before she knows it, her and Kara’s mini weightlifting lesson is over and Lena has to leave and carry on with her day.
After Lena left, Kara returns to her post in the hall between Sam’s office and the gym’s office. Sam is in her office looking busy, probably answering emails but yells out to Kara.
“I may not have a window in my office that looks out onto the floor, but I’m fairly certain she was making a move.”
“Pfft! What? She wants to get in shape and those are essential lifts, Sam, you know this.” (Kara is clearly in denial.)
“You know I’m inviting her to the staff Christmas party as a thank you for the members she’s supporting.” Sam never looks up from her desk work. “I think she’d be more likely to show up if she got a confirmation from you. Just saying.” Sam’s eyebrow raises as a smirk forms on her face.
Kara is trying to spit out some kind of response. “But I thought you said not to–”
“–I said not to dip your pen in company ink, not client ink. But it’s not like neither of those have ever happened.” Sam is grinning at Kara, finding the look on her face rather amusing. Kara is making a face in the middle of the hall and has to interrupt her emotions to greet a couple of passing members, but goes back to glaring at Sam. Just as she’s about to speak up Sam’s phone rings and she answers it with a smirk, leaving Kara to her own devices.
-----
Kara has gone to the staff Christmas party every year mainly because of the free food but also getting a slightly inappropriate gift for the white elephant gift exchange is an acceptable excuse to spend two (2) hours in Target®. She’ll likely go this year, too, but wouldn’t bringing it up to Lena be a little creepy? I’ve got to think of a way to let her know. (Kara wonders if she should get her something separate for Christmas.)
The first few attempts go like this:
Lena’s not even here today.
Oh there she is! And there she goes into the fitness class.
I’m not even working today! (Sam teases Kara by texting her when Lena shows up.)
“LENA!” Kara shouts at her despite such close proximity making Lena wince. “Oh, shit, I’m sorry. I won’t yell.” She’s whispering now.
“You shouldn’t be cussing in this good Christian facility.” Lena deadpans and Kara feels weird; you can see it on her face. “Also, why did you yell my name. I’m right here.”
“I’m...sorry? Sam, my boss, mentioned something about you coming to the staff Christmas party. I figured we could sit together and I could tell you about the lowkey drama surrounding everyone as they walk in.” Nailed it.
“I wasn’t planning on going, but I didn’t plan an excuse either. I guess I can’t pass up such an offer.” Lena’s smiling and rolling her eyes and Kara blushes.
“Well, I will...I will see you there!” Could I speak a little more eloquently, please?
-----
Kara gets to the staff Christmas party fashionably late. All her coworkers from the front desk, the gym staff, the cleaning staff, and even the clique of lifeguards (that ended up leaving early because only one of them has a car and they all rode together). She also sees Art and his wife, the only members there because they’re so invested in the YMCA, and decides to sit with them as she’s done in years past. Fifteen minutes pass and Sam is insisting that everyone start eating so she doesn’t have all these leftovers stinking up the Y. By the time Kara gets up and to the food line by the door, Lena is just coming in. They make weird eye contact but Lena smiles and it snaps Kara out of whatever dysfunction she was just in.
“I’ll let you cut me.” Kara smiles back at Lena because she isn’t actually creepy.
“Thanks,” Lena laughs and slides in front of Kara, very close to Kara. Oh my god she’s so close. Breathe, unclench.
They take their plates to the table where Art is and they sit and eat and answer questions from Art’s wife. Conversation is light until Maggie walks by and whispers “Nice work, Little Danvers” to Kara so quietly, but Kara thinks it’s the loudest thing she’s ever heard. Lena must never know. She’s immediately distracted by the commencement of the white elephant gift exchange. Lena doesn’t participate but she does laugh when Kara ends up with a gift bag that contains the hearty lunch of a third grader that Kara says she’ll keep in her car “just in case.”
An hour and a half has passed and there’s little food left. That is signal for Kara to sneak out so she does. She’s just about to unlock her door when she hears Lena shout her name. Two things go through her head: 1) I got her a gift , and 2) wait, did she just call out for me?
“I forgot to give you this.” Kara holds out a CD with Lena’s name on it. “I made it. For you. Merry Christmas, if you do that.”
“Oh. Thank you.” Lena looks down at the CD in her hand wondering what could possibly be on it. “You snuck past me and I just wanted to say good night.” And then she hugged Kara and Kara decided she would’ve died happy right then and there.
With that, Kara was silent for the rest of the night, even on the drive home. She laid flat on her back and stared at the ceiling thinking about her embarrassingly quiet interaction with Lena. But then Lena hugged her and Kara laid there just thinking about the Feeling™ in her chest during the hug. She’s surprised she slept.
-----
“Kara. Little Danvers!” Kara’s radio was sounding.
“What, Maggie?”
“I need to pee. Get up here and take over for a few.”
“Uh okay. On my way.” Kara was already walking toward the front desk. Maggie was pretty much pissing herself when she got up there and laughed as she took her place behind the desk. Almost immediately Lena walked in.
“Well, look who it is.”
“Who? Who is it?” Kara messed with Lena as she scanned her member card. Lena got close, putting both arms on the front desk and leaning onto it.
“Will I not be seeing you back there?” Lena pointed lazily toward the gym.
“I will be. Maggie had to pee. I scan and greet for, like, two minutes and I’m released into my normal duties.” Kara smiled at Lena who was laughing at her light mood. Kara loved that sound. No. Do not. Be professional. As if on cue, Maggie exited the family restroom just next to the front desk.
“Lena! Lovely seeing you. Bet you weren’t expected this tall drink of water were you?” Really, Maggie?
“Hello, Maggie.” Lena smiled toward Maggie. “I really wasn’t, but it is a pleasant surprise.”
Kara blushed and walked back toward the gym with Lena by her side.
“I listened to that CD you gave me.”
Kara’s eyes went wide. She almost stopped dead in her tracks. She’d completely forgotten that she found symphonic covers of pop music for Lena to listen to.
“It was an interesting mix, but I love classical music so I enjoyed it very much. Thank you.”
“Oh, right. Yeah. You’re welcome!”
-----
Kara is just about finished with her shift when she realizes that Lena hasn’t come in yet, despite it being her normal day and time. She missed Lena. Oh no. No no no no no. Just get through your own workout right now and this, too, shall pass. Kara clocks out and changes in preparation for her own sweaty endeavors. She’s well into her workout, listening to music, in the zone and not focusing on anyone, when Lena walks in.
Lena knows she’s later than normal and likely missed Kara. She gets that confirmation when some other gym monitor is in the office not grinning at her and brightening her day just a little bit more. Lena heads toward her cardio machine of choice when she notices Kara on the far side of the gym not in a polo and nametag. What is she–oh my god, that’s a big bicep. Back to cardio! Her thirty minutes of god-forsaken-but-it-pays-off cardio passes rather quickly so she starts on her basic resistance program that Kara help her set up (but not free weights because she will embarrass herself in front of Kara who can probably lift Lena; interesting ).
They both have their ears closed off to the breathy silence of the gym, listening to music. Lena wonders what Kara is listening to between sets when a sweaty Kara stands in front of her, grinning and dripping sweat and pushing her glasses up. Say something. Actually, start with breathing. Lena settles with smiling right back.
“How ya liking your muscle program?” Kara flexed when she said ‘muscle’ and wow.
“It’s...going great! Thank you. I see you actually workout and not just work?” That was weak, Luthor. Get it together. Lena liked the laugh she somehow got out of Kara.
“Well, I have to finish my workout. I’ll leave you to it. Have a good one, Lena!” And with that, Lena was left to finish, Kara finishing her workout a few minutes later. That was a good workout, right?
-----
Kara’s back at work covering a boring shift after a boring weekend of nothing. But then she sees Lena at the end of the hall, just having entered the Y. Kara’s about to get Lena’s attention to say hi and maybe dramatically lip sync the fitness class songs to her when a woman and two small (and loud) children walk out of one of the locker rooms. Kara watches as Lena immediately acknowledges all three people by name, even crouching down to greet the small children with a smile and loose handshake (handshakes are very Lena, even when she’s interacting with actual kids.) Kara immediately knew who the small family was to Lena: she’s paying for their membership. She turned to Sam’s office, who was in there, to confirm her assumption.
“Is it a mother with a boy and a girl?” Sam didn’t look up from her desk, something she is really good at.
“Yes. Are there multiple families she does this for?” Kara was standing in Sam’s office doorway but keeping an eye on the gym floor, her back to Lena (out of respect).
“I think there’s four right now, but she keeps asking Maggie and I if there are any other families that need financial assistance. I think she’s addicted to humanitarianism.”
“That’s...not a bad thing, Sam. You do know that, right?” Sam looked up slowly at Kara, whose smirk drops when Sam’s face showed an I don’t have time to be patronized about morals face. “Okay! Nevermind!” Kara pushed herself off the doorframe and out onto the gym floor to actually do her job. She thought about how many people outside of this quaint little YMCA Lena has helped in some way.
Kara was pushed out of her thoughts when she abruptly felt hands on her shoulders.
“Hi, Kara!” Lena’s face was close to Kara’s when Kara turned to greet the familiar voice. Oh.
“Hi.” Kara’s voice was very quiet and that wasn't because you shouldn't be loud when someone is that close, but because she didn't realize how pretty Lena’s face is. Sharp-jawed woman. Kara’s eyes were everywhere on Lena’s face, and then they were above her head where she saw Lena’s earworm: Milky Chance’s “Stolen Dance” (Kara did not expect Lena to be into indie music, but it did make sense).
“I’m going to workout now.” Lena’s grin stayed as she pried her eyes off Kara to start her cardio, Kara’s eyes following Lena across the gym.
Shit. Kara felt everything in that moment. “Sam.” She went to Sam’s office where Sam was just sitting down at her desk. Turns out Sam was watching their interaction from her doorway.
“You should just ask her out, Kara. There’s no rule against it.” Sam was really pushing it and Kara was really nervous.
“I don’t know, Sam. What if she–”
“–Kara! You don’t have an interaction like the one I just witnessed without some feelings.” Sam was right and Kara knew it, but she didn’t want to admit it.
“No, no, no, no, no. Sam, no.” Kara groaned and walked across the hall to the gym office like a different location might change things. “I’ll do it. I’ll ask her out when she’s walking out so I won’t have to deal with my emotions about her in front of her.”
“Are you telling me or convincing yourself?” Sam thinks she’s funny (she is) and laughs at her own joke. But she has a point and Kara decides to just do it as Lena leaves.
It ends along these lines:
Lena finishes up in the gym, finishes up in the locker room. She turns around to give Kara a quick goodbye but Kara’s already right next to her.
“Go on a date with me. Please. I mean, will you? Will you go on a date with me, please?” Kara attempts a smile through nervously gritted teeth and can hear her pulse in her ears. She almost misses when Lena says yes but doesn’t miss the kiss on the cheek.
Kara does completely miss Maggie walking down the hall witnessing the whole thing with a smirk on her face. She completely misses Sam and Maggie cracking jokes about them before they both head out for lunch.
Kara makes sure not to miss the date.