Work Text:
Supergirl's Super Suits
"Have you seen the latest article idea from the fashion department?" James asks her one day, a knowing smirk on his face.
Kara groans. "What is it now, cardigans are worse than white after Labor Day?"
"Take a look for yourself," James says. "I'm sure they'd like your input."
Both intrigued and worried, Kara hurries over to the gossiping girls of the fashion column to see what they're working on. She stops short at the various photos of Supergirl plastered all around them.
"Kara, you know her, right?" one of the girls asks.
"We totally need her input for this," the other says.
"What exactly is this?" Kara asks.
"Supergirl's best looks," the head of the department, Joanne, says. "Not that she gave us a ton to work with."
"I'm sure that's her number one concern," Kara jokes, "being fashion forward when she's fighting crime."
Joanne rolls her eyes. "Sure, but come on," she smacks a picture of Kara's most recent suit upgrade, the one with the pants, "a jumpsuit? Really?"
"The all black one isn't so bad," the first girl says.
"Downright hot, it's just a shame it turned her evil," the other says.
"It's not a jumpsuit," Kara defends hotly, before she can really think about it.
"Please, a belt in the middle doesn't mean it's not one piece of fabric," Joanne says.
"Can you imagine her shimmying into it?" one of the girls adds.
"That's why she's late to some emergencies," the other says, and they both laugh.
"It's not- she doesn't shimmy," Kara grumbles.
"Oh?" Joanne jumps all over her words. "You know how she gets into her suit?"
The three women watch her with amusement dancing in their eyes and Kara feels a flush coming on. "It's some kind of technology, it, like grows around her," she says, not wanting to give away anything more.
Her words don't dim the amusement of the women in front of her. "So you have seen her put it on."
"Good for you, Danvers, I always thought you didn't get enough action."
"I always wanted to give you a makeover, but maybe you don't need it if you can pull Supergirl."
"I don't know, maybe we still should; pastels and sweaters aren't the most flattering look."
"Hey!" Kara interjects, but the two are on a roll.
"She wore that skirt once, that was nice."
"Yeah, really showed off her legs."
"And her arms in summer, we could work with those."
"Seriously, do you work out with Supergirl too?"
"Or does she work you out?"
They cackle again and Kara's blush deepens. She's not used to anyone talking about Kara Danvers's attractive points, and she's definitely not used to people implying she's sleeping with herself.
"It's not like that," she mumbles. "I just saw the suit appear during an interview."
"And your legs? Your arms? You have to give us your routine."
"I don't do anything special with them."
"You could put them around me," one says, and the other smacks her arm with a grin.
"Horndog."
"Alright, enough, any more of that and Danvers is going to combust," Joanne cuts in, though she's smiling as well. "So how about it, think Supergirl will care to comment?"
"I think you three would eat her alive," Kara answers truthfully.
"I want to."
There's another round of laughter as Kara retreats.
Later she recounts the topic of the article and the conversation to Lena as they cuddle on the couch in Kara's apartment, hoping for a sympathetic ear. There isn't a lot of sympathy, but Lena at least makes a show of hiding her laughter. When she collects herself she puts a hand comfortingly on Kara's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, darling, I enjoy fashion but I'm not much of a fashion designer myself."
"It's not your fault," Kara sighs. "It's theirs, for not appreciating clean lines and practicality."
"Practicality is not something you want in the world of high fashion," Lena says.
"Well it's- it's something I appreciate," Kara says, and Lena gives her a brilliant smile. "I think it looks good, too. And it has pants."
"For what it's worth, I think you pull it off wonderfully," Lena says.
Kara leans back in the couch they're snuggled up on and sighs again. "Thanks. I know it shouldn't bother me, but it's a pretty big part of who I am."
"Do you want me to redesign it?" Lena offers. "I'm sure I could find a designer willing to consult for me, no questions asked."
"No, I really am happy with my suit," Kara says. She meets Lena's eyes and holds her gaze until she's sure the other woman understands that she really means it. "So unless there's something you'd want to change, I'll take my Lena-designed suit seven days a week."
"I'm glad to hear it," Lena says. Kara leans her head into Lena's shoulder and rests it there. "Although I am a little curious about one thing."
"Yeah?" Kara asks without moving from her spot.
"You wore the skirt for so long, I thought that was something you liked. Why didn't you change it sooner?"
Kara shrugs. "I don't know, habit I guess. I don't mind skirts generally, but that one was just a little short. And, you know, I was flying in it."
"Tell me you wore underwear at least," Lena says, though Kara can her the smile in her voice.
She snorts. "You know very well I had shorts on under it."
"Do I? I would never look up Supergirl's skirt," Lena jokes again, and Kara laughs this time.
She sighs when her amusement fades. "I really don't know why I didn't change it earlier. I'm pretty sure the skirt is half the reason that 'Supergirl' stuck as a name instead of 'Superwoman.'"
"Oh?"
"Maybe," Kara says. "I mean, a skirt that short just feels less mature, I guess."
"I see your point," Lena says.
"It's my fault for letting Winn design it. Of course he was probably perving out about the skirt. I mean, you should have seen his first design."
"What was his first design?"
"Imagine me in a blue halter top and red boyshorts," Kara says with an ironic laugh.
Lena chokes and Kara raises her head from her shoulder to check on her. Lena's face is red and she's decidedly not looking at Kara, and not for the first time Kara wonders if there's more than platonic feelings there. She knows there is on her part, that ever since they had resolved things between them, the secrets kept and the betrayals, the pain and damage inflicted on each other, she's been dancing around her growing feelings for her friend.
Perhaps it's time for her to do something about them.
"I could show you," she says.
Lena's eyes snap to hers and her mouth works without sound. Kara fights a smile and Lena finally manages to speak. "That's- that's fine, I'm sure you wouldn't be comfortable showing me something like that."
"You're the only one here," Kara says. "I wouldn't mind showing you."
"I- if you like."
In a flash Kara is in her room, searching through her drawers and closet until she finds the scraps of fabric that had made up Winn's first design. She changes into them and checks the mirror. No, definitely something she wouldn't even wear to the beach, let alone to fight crime and save lives, but as something to show off to Lena...
It might just be perfect.
She steels herself- and tries not to laugh at her own pun- and returns to the living room, where Lena is sitting up on the couch, still facing the television and stiffer than she usually is in Kara's apartment.
"I'm back," she says. "Take a look, tell me what you think."
Lena seems reluctant to turn around from how slowly she moves, but when her eyes land on Kara she lets out a sound like she's been punched in the stomach. Her eyes drop to Kara's chest, then lower, then lower still and Kara swears her super hearing picks up a muttered 'Goddamn' before her eyes meet Kara's again. Her face is undeniably red and there's something in her eyes that Kara has only seen a few times before.
Desire.
She wants Kara, and Kara feels ready to get everything out in the open, her own feelings on the matter and the way her own gaze has traced Lena's form time and time again. She licks her lips.
"I take it you like the look?" she asks.
Lena coughs and takes a deep breath. "I- I don't know about that, it isn't- I mean, you look very good- fit, you know. Just not- ah, not, um... not-"
"Not heroic?" Kara guesses with a smirk.
"To- to put it lightly, maybe."
"That's what I thought too," Kara says. She takes a few steps closer and revels in the way Lena's eyes drop again, the way the other woman seems to trace every inch of skin she can see- which is a lot of skin, with what she's wearing, and Kara swears she almost feels the heat from Lena's scrutiny. "Still, I'm glad you like it."
Lena coughs again. "Yes, I really do," she whispers.
When Kara is close enough to touch Lena's cheek over the back of the couch she does, and when she does Lena looks up at her, startled.
"Hey, Lena, can I tell you something?"
"Of course," Lena says.
"I wouldn't wear this for anyone else. I- I wanted this reaction from you."
Lena blinks at her. "What- what reaction?"
"Like you want to eat me alive," Kara says, recalling her earlier conversation.
"I- I don't- what do you mean?" Lena says, her voice low, her eyes darting away from Kara's.
"I've noticed... things, between us," Kara says. "Looks, and words, and... heartbeats." Lena looks at her again, her lip between her teeth. Kara continues. "And I've looked at you the same way."
She doesn't need super hearing to make out Lena's gasp, but her friend can't seem to find any words, and Kara feels a hint of doubt, and she covers her midriff with her arms.
"Unless I've misread things," she says, "in which case we can totally forget this conversation ever happened."
"You haven't," Lena finally says. Kara shivers at the husky tone she hears. "You- you're saying you feel... something for me too?"
"I feel a lot for you," Kara says. "Not just as a best friend. And I'd like to see what's there for us."
Lena lets out a sigh. "Me too."
Kara feels a bubbling excitement and has to fight the urge to fly. "And you're not just saying that because my abs are, like, right in your face, right?"
Lena blushes to the root of her hair and splutters what sounds like a denial, but Kara can only grin. She grabs one of Lena's hands and brings it to her stomach.
"It's okay, that's why I wore this," she says.
"Jesus Kara," Lena whispers, staring at the hand that's mapping the muscles of Kara's abdomen.
Kara licks her lips at the open hunger she see on Lena's face. "Part of me thinks we should talk about things before we, you know, do anything."
"Yeah?" Lena's voice is distant, her attention still on Kara's muscles, and Kara flexes to draw a gasp from her.
"Yeah. But a bigger part of me wants to make up for lost time."
Lena lets out a breath and Kara can feel it on her stomach. The idea of more, of Lena's breath trailing lower, has her drawing in a shuddering breath of her own.
"Kara?" Lena says. Her eyes dart up to meet Kara's again, and a liquid heat pools right where Lena's hand has come to a rest, just above the waistband of her shorts.
"Yeah?"
"Take me to bed."
In a blur and with a squeal from Lena, Kara does just that, and they spend the rest of the night making up for lost time.