Moment-of-Sen on Tumblr asked for Kayo & Birth.
"How did you find out? I thought only your father, grandmother and Colonel Casey knew." Kayo looked at John, trying to remain stoic. Hoping that this new knowledge wouldn't change things between them. She could hear the tone of her voice, begging him not to turn from her.
He smiled at her, his arm tightening his hold. "Tanusha, I've known for a long time. At least since the Hood began operating against us. I tried to find him, and that's when I found out who he was."
"And you don't hate me?"
"Why would I? You aren't responsible for what your Uncle does. Who our relatives are doesn't make us the people we are." He grinned at her. "Otherwise can you imagine what I'd be?"
She shivered. "Still… I'm frightened. What if your brothers hate me?"
John put both arms around her and held her tightly, kissing her. "I promise you – they won't hate you. They'll be surprised. And they may be angry that it's been kept a secret. But they won't hate you. Just like you haven't changed because of who your relatives are, the Tracy brothers won't change because of that. But you need to tell them. The longer you put it off, the harder it'll be. And I promise – I'll be beside you when you do it."
In the end, it was surprisingly easy. Eyes widened, because for the Tracy brothers, the idea of their Kayo being afraid to tell them was foreign to the Kayo they knew.
In the end, all they wanted to know was when she and John had become "an item" (in Scott's diplomatic terms) and was it as good in zero gravity as it was in the water (Gordon's rather racier question).
But even better was Virgil's cuffing Gordon on the back of the head and his words "stop it – you're embarrassing your sister". And it was then that Kayo realised that sometimes, the family you were born with didn't matter.
It was the family who your heart gave birth to that really counted.