Sue Should Ask Nairobi Out On A Date

"A date," Sue Storm said flatly, as if she hadn't heard Dr. Stone clearly.

"Of course," Dr. Stone said, as if the idea was eminently reasonable. "So far, you and Nairobi have only interacted in a professional setting. You're not used to thinking of her as a potential social contact. There's that gap, that divide, that I'm-paying-for-your-time-with-money. You should try and get to know her in a non-work setting. Invite her out for coffee or protein shakes or something."

"Coffee," Sue repeated. Except now, there was a thoughtful tone to her voice. She imagined herself and Nairobi, sitting in a coffee shop, fully clothed. There was nothing untoward about that. In fact, Sue Storm always struggled with female friends, due to her relationships. Most of her "girlfriends" were fellow heroines, and while most of those weren't married and didn't have kids, they also had little in common with Sue other than heroing.

Maybe it would be a good idea to get to know a civilian better.

Then the Invisible Woman's brow creased.

"What if she says no?" she asked. "What if Nairobi just wants to keep this professional?"

Dr. Stone gave Sue Storm a benign expression, as if to say that there was no way that a masseuse currently being paid to give the Invisible Woman happy endings would in any way ignore a chance to get closer to the woman she got off on a semi-regular basis.

Then she smiled, and for a second her glasses caught the sun and Sue got a slight headache.

"Then maybe you'll have to convince her," Dr. Stone said, and the words sank deep into Sue Storm's consciousness.

Sue Storm wiped clammy palms on her pants before she entered the massage parlor. Her smile felt **** as she checked in, heart hammering. Her hands shook as she undressed, and she had to take three deep breaths to calm herself before she walked into the massage room, where Nairobi was waiting. The young, dark-skinned woman was smiling, dressed in a black sleeveless t-shirt and matching pants, dark eyes laughing as she ushered the naked blonde to lie down on the table.

The heroine bit her lip as she settled down on the table. Not sure when to pop the question.

As she began to go to work, Nairobi sensed the tension in her client's body. Muscles that didn't want to relax. Hints of perspiration that had nothing to do with the temperature.