Words Are Hard

Summer 2021, Week 5

Saturday afternoon

DeAndre Walker's Home, The Heights

DeAndre Walker (Victory)

Landing on the driveway outside his apartment, duffle bag slung over his shoulder, he trudged up to his front door. Why do my legs feel like the weights they made me throw around? A full week of high intensity training, both physical and mental, had exhausted him when you added in the late nights he spent reading about powers, the Interview, and all the extra training he put himself through. It got to the point he didn't even have to be convinced to take two days off. Sleeping for 48 hours? I'm about to find out if its possible. The state of his mind allowed Andre to ignore the fact his door was unlocked. But the sounds of his TV being on was something he couldn't just shrug off. Jolting awake, he flew into his living room, literally, to find two slippered feet hanging over his couch. Feet attached to a tall woman who looked a lot like him.  

Tiana Walker

She was shaken from her nap by the door opening, only to widen her eyes when she saw her brother literally zip float in front of her. "The fuck..." Rubbing her eyes, she sat up a bit more on her couch and took in his form. "Oh shit, it's you. Where the fuck have you been? I got here Tuesday and no one was home. Thankfully your landlord is easily swayed or I would have been sitting on your porch. You're out of soda by the way. Any everything else."  

DeAndre Walker (Victory)

"Tiana, why--what the hell--" Words are hard. Granted it was probably due to the fact that he first hadn't expected anyone, and second expected the person in his house to be someone--anyone--besides his younger sister. Dropping his bag, he ran a hand through his hair and swayed on his legs for a moment. "P--Tiana. What are you doing here?" Looking around his house, he saw it was a mess. The couch was made up into a bed, and woman's clothes were strewn around the place. Did she just make herself at home?  

Tiana Walker

Blinking slowly, she let out a small sigh. “I really needed a cup of sugar so I thought ‘Hey, let’s run all the way across town to your brothers house and ask for some.’ Then you weren’t here so I figured I’d wait days, just to ask for a cup of—Okay fuck it. Even I can’t stand being that obviously sarcastic.” Swinging her legs off the couch so she was in a sitting position, one arm draped over the arm rest, she stared at him. Their twin sets of eyes locked onto each other. She hated and loved their eyes. It was complicated really. Growing up, she was smaller, darker, sort of resembling him. But their eyes linked the two together. No one that saw the both of them ever doubted they were siblings when four suns locked onto them. “I originally came to tear you a knew one for being a glorified cock block. Then you weren’t home, so I figured I’d wait a bit. A bit turned into days. And I have to say it’s just been kinda nice relaxing. Girl needs to put her legs up once in a while, ya hear?”  

DeAndre Walker (Victory)

A shudder ran through him when she said cock block. That was definitely an image—images—he wanted to forget. Forever. Forever and fucking ever and burn it with fire. “It wasn’t on purpose. I was bringing Satsuka home. I had no clue you were her roommate. Actually, I had no clue you were in the City, Tiana. A heads up would have been—“  

Tiana Walker

“Eh.” She held up a hand to stall the lecture. “Fuck off, Satan. You don’t get to ask for that. In fact, you’re lucky I’m even here. And it’s not like I knew you were here either until I saw your golden ass on TV calling yourself Vengeance or whatever.” Okay so maybe that was a lie. Andre actually did keep her informed where she was via their friends in New Orleans. She just never responded. When she took the offer at St. Maria’s she assumed that she’d never see him in a city so large. That plan flew out the window right quick.  

DeAndre Walker (Victory)

“Victory. It’s—nevermind.” He lowered himself to the floor and sat with a plop. Legs sprawled out, one arm supporting him, he felt the exhaustion creeping up. “Still leaves the question unanswered, Tia. Why are you here?” Seeing her face scrunched up, he returned the favor and cut her off with a look. “I’m not saying I’m not glad to see you. I’m just asking since you made it clear you didn’t want to see me again. Color me surprised and curious is all.”  

Tiana Walker

Normally right now is when Tiana would have a mental conversation in her head about why she showed up, what she wanted to say, etc. That particular conversation took place on Tuesday, so today she didn't have to play around with it. "Well you're already sittin', good boy. So now ya listen." She stood up from the couch. She was wearing short running shorts and a tank top, which would have made any other guy gawk. Her brother was unphased. Thank god we weren't born two states over. "You fucked me up, buttercup. I don't care what you think you were doing but Lord and Momma know that the shit your perfect ass put me through created more than a few demons. Demons that weren't yours to make. You. You over righteous son of a bitch. You were supposed to be my protector, not my zoo keeper. And I--" She paused, frowning just a bit before returning to her resting bitch face. "I needed you to know that. I said what I said that night. That I half hoped you were dying. But it didn't feel right to say that without you knowing why. God knows your ignant oblivious ass probably never put it together since--"  

DeAndre Walker (Victory)

"I know." Two simple words stopped his sister in her growing southern rant and she just looked at him. Taking command of the silence, he went on. "I didn't know the pain I caused you. You're right there. That night, with Satsuka and Damian, well that night when you said all those things pieces started to click I guess. Memories flooded back and--I was so focused on protecting you. Hiding you. That I never took the time to tell you how special you were...are, Tiana." He stood up slowly, words tumbling out as he talked. "I tell kids that every day now. Little evo children I see, because its true. For you...I let my fear of what would happen make me forget that you needed that too. Especially from me. It was just us...and I made it so it was just you. I don't expect you to forgive me for that. Honestly I don't want forgiveness, not yet. But I want you to know I realize that I messed up, big time. And I'm so sorry for that."  

Tiana Walker

“Look at you, such the hero. Shaking hands and kissing baby’s. Bet ya up on all the walls now as a literal poster boy.” Deflection and sarcasm. Defense mechanism. As per usual. She wanted to ignore the apology. Pretend it wasn’t said. Tell him to fuck himself raw and hard in a certain place he wouldn’t—well maybe he would? She hadn’t seen him date anyone since high school. Should she ask? No. That’s an actual serious convo for when she wasn’t pissed and confused. She wanted to leave. She wanted to punch him right in his smug ass face. Wanted to tell something that would hurt him.   Instead, she found herself on the floor, crawling towards him and feeling her arms slide around him. Her skin brushed the raise skin of his scar but she didn’t flinch. She nuzzled her face into his chest and felt the warmth come from him. “I hated you, Dre. I wanted you to die.” She murmured. The feelings bubbling up as she felt his hand rest on her head and stroke it like he used to when she was scared of some monster in the dark. “I thought it’d be so much easier if you just—“  

DeAndre Walker (Victory)

“No you didn’t.” His words were assured. Solid. As true as truth could be as he held his little sister. The young woman so much bigger. So much older. But tucked into him just like she did the day she came home crying that she was a ‘freak.’ And just like then he held her and told her the truth. If only he did that every day and didn’t change his attitude out of fear. How would things be? “You wanted to hate me, and you should have. I wasn’t what you needed. What you deserved. But you still couldn’t. That’s why you came.” Pausing at her movement he said, “Nurses told me. And that’s because you’re strong, Princess. Stronger than I ever could be. Stronger than I ever will be. But it sucks for you that your big brother can’t be gotten rid of that easily. You’re stuck with me, brat. And I’m not letting you get away.”  

Tiana Walker

“I don’t think I can forgive you…”  

DeAndre Walker (Victory)

“Then don’t. Just give me the chance to prove I’ve changed.”  

Tiana Walker

She paused, thoughts whirling before she finally pushed off him and wiped an eye. “I can’t yet. Not yet. I need…Let me think on it. I just…so fucking much going on in my head.”  

DeAndre Walker (Victory)

He could almost feel his heart break. That’s what he got for thinking it’d be that easy. That quick. “I understand.”  

Tiana Walker

“Let’s…we can do like dinner at your place once a week. Does that work, for now? But I swear to the Mother, tell anyone I let you hold me like I was some kid who just wet the bed and I’ll make you wish you died.”  

DeAndre Walker (Victory)

Hope. A small kernel, but enough for now. “Yeah. Yeah that sounds great, Tia. And I won’t tell a soul.”