Eris and Valerie sat together on the couch. They weren’t cuddly with each other, as they often were. There were a good 10 inches separating them.

Valerie sighed deeply. How the fuck was she supposed to start this conversation?

She decided to go for a soft start. “Do you, uhm. Do you know what this is about?” If Eris had already figured it out, then there was no reason to re-explain it.

Eris looked down to the ground. “I… Think I might.”

Dammit. Of course she’s figured it out, though. She was smart. It made sense.

Valerie just nodded, finding it difficult to meet her eyes.

“I… I’m sorry,” Eris said.

“What? What are you sorry for?”

“You know. For hiding it from you,” Eris whispered.

Wait. What?

“I… Wait. I’m confused. I… I’m the one who’s been hiding things from you,” said Valerie.

Eris raised her eyebrows, looking at Valerie. “Oh. Uh.”

Valerie looked back at her. She smiled and giggled, slightly relieved and slightly nervous. “Well. That’s awkward.”

“I guess we’ve both been hiding stuff.” Eris grinned a little too. “Well, uh. I guess I’ll forgive you if you can forgive me.”

Valerie looked down again. “Mine might be hard to forgive.”

Eris nodded somberly. “Mine might be too, honestly. But you’re worth forgiving.”

Valerie grinned. “So are you.”

The two giggled together.

Valerie sighed. “So. Who goes first?”

“Ah. Uhhh. We could do that really cliché thing where we both try to say it at exactly the same time,” Eris suggested.

“That… Sounds incredibly confusing.”

“Heh. Yeah, I guess so.” Eris shifted, looking towards Valerie. As she did, her hand landed on Valerie’s. She jerked it away. “Oh. Sorry.” She blushed.

“It’s okay.” Valerie blushed too. Then tilted her head. If Eris hadn’t figured out that Valerie had a crush on her, then what was she blushing about?

“I… I can go first,” Valerie offered. “I, uhm.” Gosh this was hard. She started to fidget. How did she explain this?

Eris reached out her hand, intentionally this time, to Valerie’s. Offering to hold it comfort. It was messy, but Valerie took it gratefully. It helped.

“I… Recently realized. That I, uhm. I have. A…” Valerie gulped. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I have a really big c—,” the word caught in her throat. “C-crush on you,” she stammered out. She kept her eyes closed, afraid to see Eris’s reaction. But she felt her sister tenderly squeeze her hand.

“Aww, Valie,” Eris giggled. Valerie opened her eyes to see her sister beaming at her. “Sorry for laughing, I just. I’ve…” Eris paused and swallowed. “I’ve had a crush on you for years.”

Valerie blinked, her eyebrows raising. “What?”

Eris smiled sheepishly. “Yeah. Seriously.” Eris slid her fingers between Valerie’s, interlocking them.

“I…” Valerie was shocked. But. The good kind? How? What? She found herself smiling as well, mirroring her sister’s emotions.

Eris reached out her free arm to her and pulled her into a tight hug. “Holy shit,” Eris said.

Valerie hugged her right back. “I…” Valerie couldn’t find the words. But maybe she didn’t need to. She let her hand rub up and down Eris’s back. Feeling her closeness. Letting herself bask in the intimacy. Her thumb ran tenderly over Eris’s hand. This… was actually fine. Not just fine. Incredible! Eris actually felt the same way as her. Holy shit. “Eris,” she whispered.

“Valie,” her sister breathed back, the words brushing over Valerie’s ear. “I love you so much. In so many different ways.”

“I love you too. I. Wow. Wow.” Valerie didn’t even know how to feel. It was like she wanted to jump and run and laugh, all at the same time.

Eris pulled her head back a few inches. Just enough to put the two face-to-face. Valerie found herself locking eyes with her. Looking into those beautiful silvery cat-eyes with their lovely blue-magenta flecks. Eris raised her hand to Valerie’s cheek, rubbing it with her thumb. Valerie found herself gasping softly, her heart ablaze.

Eris glanced downward for a second. At her lips, Valerie realized. Then Eris blushed, looking back up into her eyes and grinning an awkward grin. “Are you gonna make me ask?” she said.

Valerie giggled and grinned back. Giddy with excitement and relief, she leaned in and softly kissed Eris’s lips. They were so soft. Eris kissed her back gently. Valerie’s hand rubbed Eris’s waist as their kissing gradually grew deeper. Eris let out a soft whimper, and gods, did that make Valerie feel things. Her tongue explored those soft lips, then inside Eris’s mouth. Valerie squeezed her sister’s hand. Both of them let out soft moans and breathy exhales, releasing a tension that had been building for weeks.

Eris broke away, panting, “You have no idea how badly I’ve wanted to do that.”

Valerie blushed. “I might have some idea, honestly.”

Eris giggled, smiling at her. “Holy fuck I love you.”

Valerie laughed and grinned back. “I—I love you too. I love you so much. I can’t believe this. This is unreal.”

“Unreal in a good way?”

“Yes. Absolutely.”

Eris pressed herself against Valerie, one arm wrapped behind Valerie’s back, the opposite hand pulling Valerie into another kiss. Which Valerie accepted, eagerly. Valerie lost track of time as they made out with each other, feeling each other tenderly.

Eventually, Eris pulled away again. “I, uhm.” She blushed. “How far do you wanna go tonight?”

Valerie blushed back. “I’m… not sure I’m ready for. You know. That.”

Eris nodded slowly, “That’s fair.”

“I-I mean I do want it. With you. Just. Not yet. If that makes sense.” If she was being totally honest, she was very turned on, but… “Maybe I want our first time to be special. Or. Something?”

“Ahhh. Do I need to take you out for dinner first?” Eris asked, smirking a little.

Valerie thought about that. “Honestly… That sounds really nice.”

“Awww, you’re a romantic.” Eris squeezed Valerie’s waist, grinning.

Valerie smiled and nodded.

“Ohh, maybe I could take you out for froyo. I owe you a few.”

“Oh, come on, you don’t owe me anything for that,” Valerie protested.

“Fine. I don’t owe you. But I do wanna take you out on a date. A real one,” said Eris.

Valerie’s smile grew even larger. “That sounds amazing,” she said.

“Good,” Eris said before kissing her lips again. Which led to a few more minutes of them kissing and caressing each other. They cuddled each other close.

“Valie?” said Eris questioningly.

“Yeah?”

“Can I fall in love with you?”

Valerie’s heart did a somersault. “Gods, yes.”

Eris kissed her deeply yet again. Wow, every single kiss with her was so wonderful. “Good,” Eris said as she broke away. “Because I think I already have.”

Valerie blushed and hugged her tight and close, making a soft happy whimper.

Eris leaned into the hug. “Wow. So. Uhm. What now?” Eris asked.

Valerie giggled. “Good question. Uhm.” She checked her watch. It was almost four in the morning. “Right now, I think it’s time to sleep. I guess we can talk more about it tomorrow?”

“Fiiiine. You still cool with me sleeping with you?”

“Yeah. Obviously.”

“Oh, wow, yeah? You wanna sleep with your sister?” Eris waggled her eyebrows in an exaggeratedly suggestive fashion.

Valerie blushed fiercely. “I-I. H-heyyyy…”

Eris put her hand to her mouth and giggled with mirth. “You have no idea how hard it’s been to not make that joke.”

Valerie found herself laughing too. “You fucking dork.”

“Not my fault you’re easy to teas—mfff.” Eris’s sentence was cut short by Valerie kissing her again.

“Hehehehe. Come on. Let’s go to bed,” Valerie said.

Eris nodded happily, and the two went upstairs together. Eris stopped in her room to change into sleeping clothes. As Valerie brushed her teeth, she reflected on what had happened. It had been totally unexpected. But… she was so relieved. And so excited. She and Eris were going to be… a couple? In a relationship? Something like that? The details didn’t really matter, for now. But it felt amazing to admit to Eris how she really felt about her, and now they could have those conversations together. She did a little happy dance as she thought about it.

Of course, there would be tricky parts too. Them being siblings definitely made things complicated. They’d probably have to stay closeted. But some people would be safe to tell. Danni came to mind.

But they could figure that out later. The two of them. Together.

Gods, was that crazy to think about.

At that moment, Valerie spotted Eris in the bathroom mirror as she walked in. Valerie’s eyes flicked down to Eris’s bare legs very briefly. Well. Maybe for a couple of seconds.

As she looked back up at Eris’s face, she saw suspicious eyes and a devious smile. Eris walked up to the sink, standing beside her. “You know, Valie, there were a few times I thought I caught you checking me out. But I convinced myself I was just imagining things. You sly bitch.”

Valerie blushed bright red, but couldn’t really defend herself while her mouth was full of toothpaste.

“Hehehehe. Sorry, I’m just teasing. You’re not a bitch. And I don’t mind if you check me out. As long as you don’t mind me doing the same.” Eris eyed Valerie up and down as she said it.

Valerie blushed even deeper, eyes wide.

“Only if that’s okay with you, of course.”

Valerie nodded enthusiastically. Even if she was embarrassed about it, it was a fun kind of embarrassment.

“Great.” Eris gave her a kiss on the cheek, then grabbed Valerie’s toothpaste off the counter and started brushing her own teeth.

Valerie finished up and then climbed into bed, taking her nightly estradiol pill and placing it under her tongue. She got under her covers and laid down, facing towards Eris’s side of the bed. Eris hopped in shortly after, looking back towards her as she cuddled up close, wrapping an arm over Valerie’s waist.

“Hey,” said Eris.

Valerie smiled. “Hey. … I’m excited.”

“Yeah, I could tell. Your underwear isn’t very good at hiding that,” Eris said with an absolute deadpan.

Valerie looked at her, dumbfounded, for a moment, before breaking out in laughter. “Is our entire relationship just gonna be sex jokes now?”

Eris giggled. “Look, they’ve been building up for a while—which is another good opportunity for a sex joke, by the way. But no, seriously. What are you excited about?”

“About… Us, I guess. I’m excited to see where this goes.”

Eris smiled. “Yeah. Me too.” Then she leaned forward and gently kissed Valerie’s lips. “Also, I’m so glad I don’t have to keep this a fucking secret anymore.”

Valerie nodded, and, after reaching back to turn off the light, cuddled her close. “I love you,” Valerie told her.

“I love you too.”

“Good night.”

“G’night.”

Valerie couldn’t help kissing Eris one last time. The kiss lasted for a few minutes, after which they fell asleep in each other’s arms.