Day Two: Coming Out

This is more of an episode fixer that I've wanted to write for a while, and this seemed the perfect place to put it. Please note, this is literally as "angsty" as this series will get. I do have a whole list (finally) for prompts and fandoms I plan to do every day this month, so if you're interested if any fandoms in particular are on there, or are interested in joining, hmu!

Love y'all! As always, next prompt and fandom will be at the bottom of this fic.

The bar door's hinges squeaked violently as Kara pushed them open, and she winced a little at the sound. So much for coming in quietly – everyone in the bar (not many people, thank Rau) was staring at her as she rounded the corner. The moment they saw who it was, they turned back to their own drinks and the chatter started back up.

She supposed the squeaky hinge probably made it hard for underage people to sneak in, but damn if it wasn't like nails on a chalkboard to her super hearing.

She let her eyes peruse the room, dancing over the day-drinking crowd until they landed on Kate Kane, nursing a Bud Light at a booth tucked back in the corner. Her gaze was zoned out, like she wasn't all present, but Kara had no doubt that she'd heard her come in.

Kara was glad she'd chosen to wear flats there – heels would have been disgustingly loud on the concrete floor she had to cross to get to her friend. She nodded to the bartender on the way over, and then focused her gaze on the way Kate was holding herself.

Tense, but then, she was always tense. It came with the territory of being a superhero; Kara could relate. Her fingers tapped on her bottle without rhythm, her leg bounced under the table, her lip was bitten and worn from gnawing on it. Anxious.

Kate hadn't given her a reason why she wanted to meet here, at the halfway point between Gotham and National City, and Kara hadn't pushed. She knew Kate well enough to know she wouldn't appreciate pushing.

She shrugged off her jacket and dropped it in the booth seat across from Kate. The woman didn't even flinch, further proof that she wasn't as zoned out as she appeared. "Hey," Kara said, sliding into the seat and sitting on her hands. "What's up?"

"You want a drink?" Kate asked instead of answering, looking up at her finally.

"Alcohol doesn't really work on me," Kara said with a chuckle. She shrugged at Kate's surprised look, her lips quirking in amusement. "No big. If it'll make you feel better, though, I'll get something."

Kate's shoulders sank just the tiniest bit, and Kara gestured at the bartender. Ordered a rum and Coke, short, easy, not disgusting, and a water for both of them. When the woman left, she turned back to Kate. "Is everything okay?" she asked, lowering her voice a little. "At home, I mean? Do you need help?"

Kate shook her head. Her fingers tapped on her bottle again. "Not that kind of help, I'd call if I did. I just…you're a reporter."

Kara lifted an eyebrow and looked down at what was essentially a pants suit, complete with neck scarf. "Gee, what gave me away?" she teased. She was trying to make Kate smile, to stop looking so anxious.

Kate's lips twitched upwards, and Kara figured that was the best she was going to get. She softened her voice. "Yeah, why?"

"I have a scoop for you."

"A…what?" Kara was genuinely baffled.

Kate paused, her lips pressed into a fine line as the bartender came back with their drinks and left them again. Kara took a sip of her rum, gesturing for Kate to continue.

"I have…news," Kate amended, staring back down at her bottle. Her leg was bouncing again full speed. "And I don't trust anyone but you with it."

"What is it?"

"Yesterday…yesterday Alice planted bombs in the Gotham highschool," Kate started, and Kara sucked in a breath. She didn't speak, let Kate continue. "I was already there, confronting a teenager who we'd figured out was hacking into the city's network, playing pranks, whatever. I was there to stop her, figure out…figure out why."

"Wait, she wasn't with Alice?" Kara clarified.

Kate shook her head immediately. "No. Alice just took advantage of a situation. But the girl doing it all…was outed against her will to her parents. And I tried…I tried to help? But she just assumed I was another straight hero reciting a set of lines that all straight heroes recite to kids like that."

Kara wrinkled her nose, nodding. She tried hard not to make those kinds of speeches, especially now that she had Nia working with her. It just didn't ring true from someone who didn't get it. It sucked, because she wanted to help those kids, those people, but that's how it was.

"Alice took her hostage," Kate continued, her grip tightening on the bottle. "Forced me to reveal my identity or she'd kill her. So I did, obviously. We fixed everything in the end, the kid got a message to the cops, and then afterwards…she told me it meant a lot to her, when she realized that I…I was someone like her."

Kara nodded, stirring her ice around her glass with her straw while she waited for Kate to put her thoughts together. She could kind of see where this was going, now, but she didn't want to butt in and assume anything.

"So I guess…I want to come out," Kate said, huffing a humorless laugh and letting her shoulders sink fully. She looked up at Kara pleadingly. "As…I mean, I want Batwoman to come out as a lesbian, I guess. And I want you to write it. If that's okay. If you're okay…with that."

Kara reached a hand out, hesitated, set it next to Kate's on the table. "I'd be absolutely honored to write that, Kate. Thank you for trusting me."

Kate managed a weak smile, but it was one that went to her eyes, so Kara smiled too. She reached into her purse and rummaged for a moment, coming out with her tape recorder. "Just for quotes," she promised Kate, when she saw the look of suspicion she was giving it. "I won't put anything in you don't want me to, and I'll send it to you to proofread before I give it to my boss, okay?"

Kate nodded. Her fingers stilled on the counter, and she took a breath. "Why is this almost harder than coming out to my father?" she chuckled dryly.

"People can be judgy," Kara said with a shrug. "They don't matter. That girl you saved? She's the one who matters. You're the one who matters, Kate. To a lot of people out there. Ready?"

Kate nodded, downed the rest of her beer, and Kara hit record.

Tomorrow's fic: Sharing Headphones, Miraculous Ladybug