Of Knights and Aliens

Chapter 8

The rest of dinner is a quieter affair, with everyone quietly worrying about how the people of the Danvers Kingdom will respond to Kara being an alien.

Alex tries to tell herself it will be fine. After all, the people that were around when Kara revealed herself seemed okay with it. She knows they could have easily been in shock. Alex resists the urge to sigh, knowing Kara will hear her and worry. Though Alex is a pro at pretending everything is okay, she had always been terrible at lying to herself.

The others all say goodnight to Kara and Alex when Alex gets tired of being around people. Sometimes she thinks Kara knows her better than she knows herself. They leave together and Alex can tell her sister is dying to ask her about everything that has happened today.

Nerves bubble up in her stomach as Alex tries to mentally prepare herself for this conversation.

"So what's been going on?" Kara asks when they pause in the halls outside their bedrooms. "And do not say you have been worried about me, because I know that isn't it. Not all of it, at least."

Alex's mouth opens and closes but she can't get the words to come out. Or herself, apparently. She lets out a shuddering breath and glances around anxiously. There are guards out here, and they are the worst gossipers in the castle. If she is going to come out now, she's going to do it on her own terms.

"Come on," Alex says quietly.

She opens her door and lets Kara go inside her bedroom first before she does. She closes the door behind her and locks it. Alex doesn't want any surprise visitors. People in the castle know she values her privacy and that she will not hesitate to fight anyone that comes in uninvited. After she punched a particularly annoying and sexist DEO agent in the face for walking into her room like he owned the place, no one comes in without knocking. Except for Kara and her parents, of course.

Now that she is in her room with Kara, the quiet gets to her like an oppressive smoke. She paces back and forth, trying to figure out how to start this. Alex has imagined coming out to her sister dozens of times but now that the moment is here, none of her speeches seem good enough.

"Alex?" Kara's soft voice comes from her bed, where she's sitting. Alex bites her lip, hearing the concern in her sister's voice. "Are you alright?"

"It's just... A lot, you know?" Alex responds quietly.

It's not exactly an answer but Kara lets it go. They have a pact where they won't keep anything bad from each other. And this, this isn't bad. She knows it's not. Alex accepted it a while ago. But thinking something and being able to say something, to tell someone is an entirely different matter.

"Alex," Kara repeats her name, patting the bed next to her. "Come sit."

Alex hesitates so Kara pats again, just as softly as the first time. Alex complies and sits next to her sister. Kara raises an arm and Alex snuggles up against her, taking solace from her warmth. Kara rests her arm over her shoulder. She swallows and lifts up her head enough to face Kara but not enough to look her in the eye.

"Alex, why is this so hard for you to tell me?" Kara asks, keeping her voice low and kind. "You know you can tell me anything."

"I know Kara," Alex breathes out. "I just, I don't know. I don't know," she repeats.

"Take all the time you need," Kara reassures her. "You don't have to tell me now. Or today. Or this year."

"I'm just not ready yet," Alex says quietly. If it were anyone else, they would not have heard her.

"That's fine." Kara frowns and speaks quicker as she starts to ramble. "Unless it's something dangerous or sad. It's not something dangerous or sad, is it? Is it anything I should be worried about?"