Tanner looked across the room to his stepsister as if he were looking at some kind of apparition. It didn't elude him that this moment was a long time coming, he never considered the possibility that Julie was going to get right into it. As for Ingrid, she looked the same as always for the most part; not that he should expect any different, granted it did appear that there was a lot on her mind.

“I know it caught you by surprise but you don't have to get that quiet on me. It won't be good for anyone if you're both under the same roof with so much unresolved tension so...” Julie sat Tanner down on the opposite end of the sofa. Then she sat down in a chair that she brought in beforehand. “You two are going to talk it out right now.”

It was a sound plan in theory, in practice though there was a whole lot of nothing. For the next several minutes both siblings were looking everywhere but at each other. The few times there gazes met they averted away. There were a few glimmers where it may have appeared one of them would say something only to change their minds at the last second. Neither of them had a clue on where to begin and the only noise gracing the room was the ticking of the clock on the wall.

“Can't say I'm surprised...” Julie thought to herself, she didn't expect anyone to open up immediately, but she did want to start out leaving the floor open for someone to take the lead. She was glad she stuck around in case they needed a kick start, she didn't intend to stay for the duration since it was a moment that they needed to have together.

“Alright, since that went nowhere lets start here. Ingrid what happened on Friday night?”

Ingrid blunk in apprehension, if she had the ability she'd rather erase it from her mind forever. “I was dru-”

“Not to me, talk to Tanner.” Julie specified.

Ingrid huffed and turned her body to face Tanner. Julie was right about there being tension, the step-siblings both recognized it, had a lot to get off their chests, and didn't know how to go about it. “Marcelle came into my room and persuaded me into drinking... I had one too many and the next thing I knew I walking to you. I started talking..” She remembered bits and pieces of what she said and did; her cheeks were losing color the more she recounted what happened.

“You mocked me for being in love with you, you called me a freak, and said you were always better than me.” Tanner summarized.

Ingrid was stunned how bluntly he stated it all and hearing it made her tightly clench the cushion. No matter how astute it wasn't an easy thing for Tanner to say, nor was it for Ingrid to hear. “...It was a mistake.”

“A mistake?” Tanner repeated. Was it really? The physical actions he could accept being a heat of the moment impulse where she knew no better while being intoxicated. Her words were another matter.

“Yes...” Ingrid sighed. “I wish I hadn't said any of that. I don't...” She stopped looking for her train of thought, it was a rare day where she had to express herself so verbally. “I don't even know why I said any of it.”

What was coming over Tanner was tough to explain. Perhaps this is what is called coming full circle? After biting his tongue for so long, here was a chance to have a chat with no filters where he could just... talk. “I know why.”

“What?” A perplexed Ingrid asked.

“You said it because that's how you really feel.”

Ingrid doubled down. “No, it isn't!” Her grip on the sofa's cushion was hard enough to nearly tear into the fabric. By the skin of her teeth she managed to catch her momentary temper flare, though she was still offended. “It isn't.”

“So you don't think I'm a a burden to you?”

“Ugh, what's wrong with you today!? No, I don't!”

“I don't believe you.”

Ingrid's face was in a scowl at the sudden distrust and cynicism being displayed by Tanner. “What do you mean?” She tried her best to keep her voice calm, the irritation was still evident.

“You don't get upset that Ivory comes down so hard on you about me and Marcelle says-”

“Fuck Ivory and fuck Marcelle!” Ingrid snapped. One was never there for me and the other was a good for nothing bitch and still is! I'm sick of always getting dragged through the mud and I'm sick of this!” Having enough Ingrid prepared to stand up and end their discussion before Julie intervened for the first time since the siblings started talking.

“Ingrid, stop. Your honest feelings are important to Tanner.” Coincidentally that statement really set her off.

“You know what else I'm sick of?! Hearing about Tanner all the time! Tanner this, Tanner that, I'm sick of always being an afterthought! What about me?! I was an afterthought after Dad died and I was an afterthought after you came into the picture! Why do I always have to be put second to you?! Do you know how it feels to be an outsider in your own family!? To feel like you don't matter?!”

That did it, that outburst from Ingrid triggered something in Tanner that he's kept in for far too long that's been begging to be released and he wasn't going to ignore it anymore.

“Ingrid... LOOK AT ME! I don't matter to the freaking world!” He seethed. “The story of my life is about degradation and humiliation! What do you or anybody else know about having to go day after day seeing the world grow around you!? I've had to live with MY INDEPENDENCE, MY DREAMS, MY FUTURE, withering away! Here I am, 3 ½ inches tall and I hate it, I hate it,I hate it,I hate it, I HATE IT.” Tanner paused to catch his breath. His throat was almost burning from all the venom that he unleashed and he wasn't finished.

“I hate it... and it hurts. It hurts to know I have to wake up every morning knowing I can't do anything for myself! It hurts that there's nothing out there for somebody like me! It hurts that I love you and I know you don't love me the way I love you!” He wanted to hear it. “Just say it...”

The fury of words he unleashed hit Ingrid completely out of left field and almost left her speechless. “...Tanner.”

“Admit it...” He needed to hear her say it. He didn't need any explanation, only the confirmation right out of her mouth.

Ingrid didn't understand why he wanted to hear it so badly. Was it going to grant him some kind of peace of mind to have confirmation of his presumption? She couldn't help thinking that she was about to impale a knife right into his heart, but he was so hung up on it that she didn't have a choice. “I don't.... not in that way.”

“Heh..heh...heheheheh. I knew it.” A couple of uneasy chuckles escaped from Tanner. Certainly the last reaction Ingrid expected. There wasn't anything humorous about it, but he still found it self-deprecatingly hilarious. He bet he looked like an utter fool laughing at his rejection while tears streamed down his face and he thought he was a bigger fool for clinging onto the abysmal hope that he'd be wrong. Reality was a cruel thing. “...I don't blame you. I don't even think I love myself. Heheh” His last laugh was notably empty and his out pour of emotion had left his tone somber.

“The worst of all of it is that I've been watching... Watching you grow into a woman, while I've regressed. Soon you're going to graduate high school, head off to college, you'll end up playing soccer professionally. The sky's the limit for you. Me? This.... This house is my limit. I'll just be here while you're out tackling the world, experiencing things I'll never get to experience, seeing hings I'll never get to see, doing things I'll never get to do. You're going to live your life and forget about me, your tiny step-brother who you'd be better off without.”

Pain, what came out of both of them was nothing but unfiltered pain. Julie figured she overstayed her welcome and decided to silently leave the room to let the siblings have their moment. For as many sob stories or tragic events that she's heard or seen throughout her career even she couldn't hide the formation of a tear that she quickly wiped away as she exited.

Ingrid and Tanner were in the exact same predicament, both in emotional shambles, bawling their eyes out, and there wasn't any immediate solution or magic word that would fix everything. In the face of such a wrenching moment the two comforted each other the only way they knew how in an embrace, if for anything else to let the other know that they understood their pain.

Time was practically nonexistent; they had long lost track of it and the floodgates kept pouring until their eyes were incapable of producing anymore tears. The two remained in a hug for a few minutes longer while they got a hold of themselves. As they finally regained some semblance of calmness, Ingrid stretched out on the sofa laying flat on her back, while Tanner stretched out on her stomach. They both stared aimlessly at the ceiling.

“...I've never seen you cry before.” Tanner noted at the rare sight.

“Shut up, I've seen you cry plenty of times.” Ingrid rebuked, wiping her eyes.

“Someone put onions in the room is all...” Tanner poorly attempted to explain.

“Someone must've been doing that a whole lot to you.”

“You have no idea how many times I've wished I could be you.” Tanner digressed.

“Are we really getting melancholy again?” Ingrid playfully asked.

“Sorry, sorry. It's just, you're everything I wish I could be. Talented, strong, independent, selfless, and you've done so much for me. It's unbearable that I can't do anything for you.” Luckily in there current seating arrangement Tanner couldn't see the blush on Ingrid's face prompted by his praise.

She felt Tanner tensing up as he admitted to more of the insecurities that plagued his mind. Gently, she moved her hand over his torso, the warmth emitting from her palm soothed his rising nerves. “You've done a lot for me too Tanner.”

He wasn't buying it. “You're just saying that.”

Ingrid shook her head. “I'm not. I always acted like I had something to prove to someone and being the best was the only way to prove it.” Thinking back for all the accolades she received, it didn't come without it's share of detractors. For every sentiment of praise for her talent there was another for the poor sportsmanship she once displayed. “Things were rough at first, but you taught me something that I never knew before. Even if it was inadvertent you taught me how to care truly care for somebody and how to have compassion.” Ingrid paused, having one more thing to make clear.

“..Tanner if you're ever going to believe me about anything believe me when I say I won't ever forget about you and I'll always be here for you. No matter where we end up or what size you are, you're the best brother I could've ever asked for.”

This time it was Tanner who was lucky that his position didn't allow for Ingrid to see his face sporting a crimson hue.

“I love you Ingrid...like a...not like..but, err... You can stop me at any time.” Tanner stopped before he dug himself further in awkwardness. His stammering drawing a faint laugh from Ingrid.

“Yeah, yeah. I know what you mean. I love you too Tanner.” It wasn't the way he wanted her to love him, but that was okay.

“So, what now?”

“I dunno.” Ingrid honestly admitted. Neither of them knew where they went from here, however it did make them both feel better to just talk and so talk they did. Having their fill of serious subject matters the two reminisced on more comical and light hearted moments.

“I can't believe my first rejection came from my step-sister.” Upon reflection Tanner thought it'd make for an interesting story in the future.

“What's that supposed to mean?” Ingrid smirked, dragging a finger in Tanner's hair. “It's better than how mine went. I confessed to a guy I liked in 6th grade with a note I left in his locker, when he left his response in mine he put that I was too scary and intimidating!”

Tanner tried his best to keep a straight face before caving into the humor.

“Oh you think that's funny wise-guy? How does it feel to admit Blair was your first kiss?”

That comment stopped Tanner right in his tracks as he shuddered at the memory. There were worst first kisses out there and she was admittedly attractive, but the boisterous giantess was a lot of woman to get used to. She and the rest of the family came over during Christmas a few years back when he was around a foot and a half tall. Near the bathroom he found himself being underneath the mistletoe with her. She was all smiles and before Tanner knew it she was lifting him up, telling him not to be so embarrassed. In fairness Tanner realized it was partly his own fault; she was honestly trying to kiss him on the cheek, but he was squirming so much that her lips made contact onto his. Having witnessed the event, Ingrid got a lot of mileage out of that incident.

“I don't blame the guy you liked for being scared, you probably would've kicked him to death if he ever pissed you off like you almost did to me that one Halloween.” Tanner referenced.

“Wait a minute, if memory serves you were hiding underneath the kitchen sink and jumped out to surprise me.” Ingrid filled in with the context of her actions, she remembered screaming and nearly kicking him through the wall on reflex for scaring her so badly.

“Okay, that was my bad. There's not too many moments to use my size for fun.”

“It took me a while to talk you into it, that same year though you dressed as a baby and I put you in a stroller while I went trick-o-treating as a teen parent.”

“That almost worked too well. More houses took it seriously and gave you cash than they did candy.” Tanner recounted; that memory drawing several chuckles from both of them.

The two went on and on, until there trip down memory lane came to a close. Being both mentally and emotionally exhausted neither were ready to get up yet. Ingrid found it oddly therapeutic making small gyrations of her finger on Tanner's mid-section; while the latter was drawn into relaxation by the lifts and drops of his sister's stomach from her every inhale and exhale. With them both quiet again they were accompanied again by the ticks of the clock that was rhythmic enough to lull them both to sleep.