“I am not sure an appearance at my niece’s festivity is entirely appropriate.”
“You know Kara has forgiven you. She expects you there, and I will be there, too. Think of it as moral support.” Alex suggested, fiddling with her hands on her lap. She still tried to convince herself that her nervousness around Astra related to the Admiral’s ability to snap her like a twig, and nothing else, obviously.
“She may very well have, but I have not forgiven myself.”
“Good thing then that Christmas is also the season of forgiveness.”
“I do not understand.”
“That’s OK, just believe me, it is. And Kara’s Christmas parties are always fun. There won’t be too many people, either. It will just be James, Winn, you, and I, and, well, Cat.”
“Pets are invited to Christmas parties as well?”
“What? Oh, no. Cat Grant. Kara’s boss.”
“Is that another common practice? Inviting your superior to a private celebration?”
“No, but that’s just Kara. I find it better, or, let’s say, less headache inducing, to avoid questioning my sister when it comes to Cat Grant.”
“And you are sure Kara will be amenable to entertain me, amidst her friends?”
“Friends and employer, yes. Of course.”
“You are an odd one, Agent Danvers. I also believe you drink too much of that tarlike beverage you are so fond of, the psychoactive stimulant? You are always twitching.”
“Huh? You mean coffee?” Alex laughed, clasping her hands. “Yes, good catch, Astra.”
Astra smiled, and Alex clenched her hands, knowing what would happen next, and cursing Krytonian’s ability to register human heart rates.
“Yes. Your heart is also racing a lot. You should consider abstaining from that… sludge.”
Alex closed her eyes, and nodded. “Yes, one more side-effect of too much caffeine. Anyway, I’ll see you at Kara’s apartment tomorrow?” Alex jumped to her feet.
“Yes, Agent Danvers. I shall make an appearance.”
“Oh, and remember, it’s an ugly Christmas sweater party. So, you need to wear one.”
“Excuse me?”
“Of course,” Alex muttered under her breath.
“How about I’ll take you shopping tomorrow morning?”
“That would be acceptable.”
“Great. I’ll be here by nine.”
“Good-bye, Alex.”
Alex gave a tight nod and rushed out of the door. That damn smile.
***
“These sweaters are atrocious. Why did they not have anything in black?”
“That’s the point of an ugly Christmas sweater. You were the one who chose the birthday boy sweater.”
“The woman in the store said that you are celebrating this man’s birthday. It seemed appropriate. I still do not understand this Grinch character, or why the Christmas tree on your sweater is crooked.”
“Kara used to call me Grinch after we had watched the movie, where the Grinch steals Christmas-”
“How-”
“Not important,” Alex waved. “I may have accidentally crashed the Christmas tree that year, and my dad had jokingly said they’d have to cancel Christmas. Kara was devastated. She didn’t talk to me for days, until she realized that my dad hadn’t been serious. Then, after we saw the movie… well, she called me Grinch for a while.”
“Your human customs are strange.”
“Yes, well, oh, look, we’re here.”
“Alex,” Astra touched Alex’s arm. “Are you sure Kara will accept my presence?”
“She won’t accept it, Astra. She’ll welcome it.” Alex smiled when Astra dropped her gaze.
“I have missed being in her presence, and I had never thought…”
“I know.” Alex squeezed Astra’s arm before ringing Kara’s door bell.
“Why is the cat woman not wearing an ugly Christmas sweater?” Astra whispered to Alex, standing next to the sparkling Christmas tree. “And I thought you wanted to quit drinking this beverage?”
“This is hot chocolate, not coffee.” Alex nodded at the cup in her hand.
“And no one in their right mind expected Cat Grant to wear a Christmas sweater.”
“But if this is a festivity of such sweaters, everyone should be wearing one.”
“You are just sore because you wish you’d also refused to wear one. I’m surprised that wearing anything other than black did not blind you with its brightness.”
Astra sniffed. “There’s alcohol in your hot chocolate.”
“Yup! You betcha.”
“Well, at least the cat wears one Christmas color.”
“Better not let her hear you call her that.”
“I am not afraid of this tiny human.” Astra glared at Cat who was in deep conversation with Kara.
Alex chuckled.
“Agent Danvers, I think you better call in your agency.”
“What?”
“What is going on?” Kara had joined her sister and aunt.
Astra marched to the window. “Ash. It is raining ash. Is there a volcano nearby? But no, we would have heard an eruption. Fires somewhere? I cannot hear anything unusual.”
“Ash?” Alex stepped next to Astra.
“Aunt Astra, this isn’t ash, it’s is snow.” Kara smiled.
“Snow?”
“It’s a form of precipitation. Much like rain, only snow is frozen crystalline water. It has to be cold enough for snow to fall, and the ground has to be frozen for it to stay. Often, it just melts right away.”
“It looks like the ash rains on Krypton.”
“I’m sorry.”
Astra smiled at Alex. “Can… is it harmful to be in this snow?”
“No, it’s not. You want to go outside? When we were younger, Kara and I sometimes would try to catch snowflakes with our tongues.”
“Yes, please.”
Alex dragged Astra’s hand and pulled her into the backyard of Kara’s apartment building.
“Come on. It’s cold, but not like you’ll feel that.”
Astra traipsed after Alex, lifting her gaze toward the night sky. Her eyelids fluttered and Alex felt all air leave her body at the sight of sheer wonder on Astra’s face.
“It is like petals brushing against your skin.”
“Do you feel that they are cold?”
“I can tell that those snowflakes are not warm or hot, but it is not icy as you perceive it.”
“Must be nice.” Alex shivered.
“You are cold.”
“It’s OK. Look, over there! Those are icicles.”
“Icicles?”
“Frozen, dripping water.”
“It’s pointy.”
Alex laughed. “Come on, let’s break them off.”
“Why?”
“Why not?” Alex grabbed an icicle and bent it. She pulled hard, knocking the back of her hand into other icicles. Startled, she snapped her hand back, scraping it against the stone wall.
“You are bleeding!”
“It’s just a scratch.” Alex’s voice hitched when Astra gently cradled her hand.
“You are so fragile.” Astra’s thumb stroked over Alex’s hand.
“Not everyone is an invincible alien.”
“There are wounds that do not show on the outside,” Astra whispered, still focused on Alex’s scrape.
“Astra,” Alex sighed, reaching up to cup Astra’s cheek with her other hand. “I am so sorry.”
“I know,” Astra nodded, blinking away tears filling her eyes. “I do not deserve this. Kara, you… I-“
Alex’s lips found Astra’s in that second, interrupting more fears, guilt and self-recrimination spilling from lips she’d been dreaming of kissing far too long.
Astra groaned, pulling Alex closer, deepening the kiss before pulling away. “I am not sure my niece will approve of this.”
“I don’t really care. It’s not like I fully approve of Cat, but Kara is still with her anyway.”
“My niece is mating with that cat woman?”
“Let’s not talk about Kara and mating in the same sentence, please. In fact, how about less talking and more kissing?”
“I suppose I can support such a suggestion.”
“You can, huh?” Alex laughed before pushing Astra against the wall behind her, reclaiming her lips.