Daniel woke up to sunlight streaming through his window, the light hitting his eyes and making him squint. It reminded him of the first day he'd met Diana—how everything had changed so suddenly. These past few days felt much longer than before, like he was living in some kind of stretched-out dream.
He crawled out of bed, letting out a yawn as he stretched his arms above his head. His body ached faintly, the kind of dull soreness that came from a mix of stress and not enough sleep. He shuffled to the bathroom, splashing cold water on his face before brushing his teeth. As he looked at himself in the mirror, he absently ran a hand through his hair.
"This isn't too long, right?" he muttered to himself, tilting his head to get a better look. The thought had been bothering him more than usual, but he quickly brushed it away and rinsed his mouth.
The house was quiet. Carmine had already left for work, and it felt strangely empty without the usual background noise. Just as he was about to head back to his room, he heard a faint groaning sound. He froze, listening closer. It seemed to be coming from the attic.
Worry prickled at the back of his mind. He quickly ascended the ladder, poking his head into the attic space. Diana was there, lying on the old mattress, rolling around and groaning in pain.
"Diana?" he called out softly, concern lacing his voice.
She stopped moving and looked up at him, her eyes half-closed and her face scrunched up in discomfort. "Are you okay?" he asked, climbing fully into the attic and walking over to her.
"No," she mumbled, her voice strained.
"Do you need help?" he asked, kneeling beside her.
She thought for a moment, then let out a long sigh and lay flat on her stomach. "Can you give me a massage, please?" she asked, her voice small and almost shy.
Daniel blinked, feeling a sudden jolt of surprise shoot through him. A massage? He wasn't sure he'd ever done that for anyone before, much less someone in a completely different body than his own. "Uh, I don't know if I'm any good at that," he admitted, feeling his face heat up a little.
"Doesn't matter," she muttered, her eyes closing as she lay there, looking utterly miserable.
Daniel hesitated but nodded. "Okay, um... where does it hurt?"
Diana gestured vaguely to her shoulders and upper back. "Everywhere."
Daniel gulped and carefully placed his hands on her shoulders, unsure of what to do. He'd never done this before, so he went with his gut, starting to apply gentle pressure. His fingers moved awkwardly at first, fumbling over the tension he could feel in her muscles.
Diana let out a small noise, somewhere between a sigh and a groan. Daniel froze, his fingers hovering uncertainly.
"Sorry," he mumbled, worried he was doing it wrong.
"It's fine," she murmured, her voice muffled against the mattress. "Just sore... keep going."
Taking a breath, he resumed, his movements slow and tentative. His hands covered her shoulders almost completely, and he could feel the warmth of her body through the thin fabric of her shirt. As he applied more pressure, she let out a soft "agh" when he hit a particularly tight spot.
He hesitated. "Did I hurt you?"
She shook her head, relaxing a little under his hands. "No, it's just... that spot's really tight. Keep going."
Hyper-aware of every small movement, Daniel tried to settle into a rhythm. His heart pounded as he pressed his thumbs deeper, feeling the knots in her muscles give slightly under his touch. The quiet sounds she made each time he eased a sore spot sent his mind racing, and he could feel his face heat up. He was acutely aware of the closeness, his hands large enough to span the width of her back as he kneaded her shoulders.
After working his way down her back, he noticed her legs shifting slightly, a hint of tension still lingering in her posture. He hesitated, then cleared his throat. "Um, can I try massaging your legs?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Diana hummed in agreement, her voice relaxed. "Yeah… they're really sore."
Daniel moved his hands lower, settling them just below her thighs. He started tentatively, pressing his thumbs gently into her calves. The muscles were tight, and he worked slowly, trying to ease out the tension without pushing too hard. His hands slid upward, carefully kneading her thighs. They felt softer than he expected, yielding slightly under his fingers, but still firm beneath the surface.
He pressed down gently, feeling the way her muscles gave under his touch, and couldn't help the thought that flashed through his mind. Her legs are really squishy. The thought made his face heat up again, but he pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand.
Diana let out a contented sigh, her body melting into the mattress. "We should do this more often," she murmured, her voice soft and drowsy.
Daniel swallowed, trying to keep his tone steady. "Okay," he said, feeling his pulse quicken. He continued to knead her thighs gently, his movements becoming more natural as he saw her relaxing under his hands. His awkwardness began to fade, and for a moment, he found himself focused entirely on easing her soreness.
Another soft sigh escaped her, and he glanced up to see her eyes closed, her face peaceful. The tension seemed to be melting away, and Daniel felt a small surge of satisfaction. He was helping her, even if it was just a little.
"Okay, your turn," she said suddenly, her eyes fluttering open.
Daniel blinked, surprised. "What?"
"Come on, it's only fair," Diana said, sitting up and gesturing for him to lie down. "You've been carrying all this tension too."
Daniel hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't think—"
Diana rolled her eyes, and before he could protest, she grabbed him by the shoulders and, with a surprising burst of strength, rolled him onto the mattress. He landed awkwardly on his side, and they both froze for a moment, their bodies pressed close together.
She gave him a playful smirk, her eyes glinting with mischief. "Heh, heh," she chuckled, her voice light.
Daniel stared up at her, his expression flat, eyebrows raised slightly. "Seriously?" his look seemed to say, a mix of exasperation and reluctant amusement. He let out a sigh, closing his eyes as if giving in.
Diana grinned and shifted to his back, placing her hands on his shoulders. "I'll try not to break you," she teased, before carefully pressing down, her touch tentative at first.
Daniel felt her hands move across his back, smaller and softer than his own. Her fingers pressed into his muscles with a gentle firmness, and he couldn't help but notice the difference. The sensation was new, unfamiliar, but not unpleasant. Her palms were warm against his skin, and he could feel her effort with each movement, the way she leaned in, her breath coming out in quiet, steady puffs.
Her hands moved with surprising confidence, and as she pressed into a particularly tense spot near his shoulder blades, he let out a small, involuntary groan. Her hands paused, and he could almost feel her hesitation.
"Did I hurt you?" she asked, her voice soft and concerned.
"No," Daniel muttered, his eyes still closed. "Just... tight."
Diana nodded, even though he couldn't see it, and continued, her touch more measured now. Daniel focused on the sensation—the way her fingers seemed to know exactly where to press, the unexpected strength behind her touch, the way her soft breathing matched the rhythm of her movements. He could feel the tension slowly easing out of his muscles, and despite himself, he felt his body relaxing, a sense of calm settling over him.
Her hands moved lower, tracing the line of his spine, and then to his lower back. He felt a light pressure, her thumbs pressing in small circles, and his mind drifted, the steady rhythm of her hands and the soft warmth of her touch lulling him into a kind of trance.
"You're good at this too, you know," he mumbled, his voice barely audible.
"Maybe we should open a massage parlor," she joked lightly, her tone playful but gentle.
Daniel let out a soft laugh, the sound muffled as he lay there, eyes still closed. "Yeah, maybe."
They fell into a comfortable silence, the only sound the quiet, steady rhythm of her breathing and the soft creak of the mattress. For the first time in a long time, Daniel felt the tension in his body melting away, replaced by a sense of peace that he hadn't realized he was missing.