>you really need to stop listening to your coworkers.
>this is the 3rd blind date they've set you up with in a month. at this point, you consider it's a weekly ritual.
>every friday morning, those old fucks will "surprise" you with a dinner reservation at some hole in the wall restaurant deep within the city.
>you never would've bothered if they hadn't decided to bribe you with a $50 bill that first time around. and every time since then...
>though that isn't enough to make you take these outings all that seriously.
>times have changed since the 60's, and hooking up your college aged daughter with a handsome young man from work isn't going to get her to married and out of the house anymore.
>whatever. as long as you show up and stay off of your phone for at least a minute or two, the free dinners will keep rolling in.
>it's either that or another pizza from Little Cicero's. again. for the fourth time this week.

>your mind continues to wander as the subway carries your closer to tonight's terminus.
>you hearken back to what the old elephant hag who handed you the cash told you this morning.
>"you are going to LOVE this girl, she is such a sweetheart! i think she came from the same town that you grew up in; you two are going to get along real well, i'm sure of it!"
>your stomach churns at the thought of your hometown.
>you dropped out of high-school and left that shithole good reason. maybe this girl did as well?
>then again, trusting the judgement of your matchmaker is quite foolish, considering how she hooked you up with a male hyena last month.
>that she'd even consider doing such a thing was a massive insult to your manhood. sure, you've never gone on a second date with a girl, but that doesn't mean that you're gay or anyth-
>the loud beep of the subway's intercom pulls you out of your thoughts.
>"now arriving: Cathedral Parkway."
>your stop, time to move.

>your destination is only two blocks away from the subway station
>you take in the scenery; plenty of people are walking about, cars crawl along the grid-locked streets.
>the cool autumn air and fair weather has brought out many of the city's residents.
>the restaurant itself isn't all that fancy. it's a small, family run italian joint. not quite full, but certainly busy.
>its interior is noticeably cramped and a bit crummy, but the smell of delicious food emanating throughout entices you nonetheless.
>the waiter shows you to your reserved booth, far away in a secluded corner. it's unoccupied.
>looks like you're here early.
>you mull over the menu for a couple of minutes, occasionally glancing at the door to see if anyone's heading your way.
>but it's a fruitless endeavor; you don't even know who you should be looking for.
>eventually you give up and order your meal. your soda arrives, and you start doomscrolling on your phone to pass the time.
>hey, at least you tried.
>all things considered, getting stood-up is actually the best outcome you could expect in this situation.

>you lose track of the time. minutes pass.
>footsteps. boots on hardwood. getting louder. getting... slower?
>you look up.
>before you stands a tall, dolled up bearded vulture.
>overdone mascara, torn jeans and an oversized black t-shirt. brilliant red crest.
>your heart drops.
>you're not the best at differentiating anthros, but even you can identify one you've lived with for 18 years.
>and considering the wide eyed look fixed directly onto you, her beak slightly agape; she's already recognized you.
>yeah that's her alright. that's your big sister. the one you ditched all those years ago.
>the one who screamed her lungs out at you and nearly tore you in half the night you left.
>your legs move on their own. you don't think to yell at her, you don't even think to look at her. your mind is entirely blank save for one thing, one thought. leaving.
>getting as far away from here as possible. getting away from this bitch that you left behind long ago.
>looking past your sister, your eyes lock onto the door, and you begin to march towards it with more purpose than you've ever had in your life.
>she grabs your arm with both hands when you walk past her.
>"please, anon..."
>you ready your body to break away from her grip with all the strength you can muster, claws be damned.
>but you make one fatal mistake. her soft, quivering voice has chipped away at your focus. your gaze breaks from the door and moves to her face for a split second.
>those big, red, watery eyes complete the look of pure desperation on her face. she's on the verge of tears.
>you've never seen her like this before. it stuns you for just long enough to let her speak.
>"please don't go. i'm so sorry..."
>her voice breaks, and so does your concentration. your legs remain frozen.
>the grip on your arm loosens. she wraps herself around your body and hugs you as tightly as her delicate avian body can.
>you don't reciprocate.
>her head rests upon your shoulder. she whispers faintly into your ear, you can barely hear her over the noise of the bustling restaurant.
>"please don't go please don't go please don't go..."

>despite your best judgement, you decide to hear her out.
>you sit together at the booth.
>she gathers herself. her composure remains, however weak it may be.
>she orders. spaghetti and calamari.
>you talk.
>pleasantries, at first.
>about what you two have been up to, about your jobs, hobbies. normal first date discussion, funnily enough.
>she's been waiting tables. you, a cushy desk job.
>you talk about how you both knew your elephant coworker, about how she really knocked it out of the park hooking you two up.
>she laughs.
>the anger you've had towards her for the past few years begins to melt away.
>food is delivered.
>you ask about what happened at home since you left.
>she looks down at the table.
>mama is dead. drank herself to death. liver gave out. good riddance.
>papa is out on the streets, shooting up again. probably dead. good riddance.
>house is gone. bank finally took it away.
>silence falls between you two. there's no point in talking about anything else from that place, neither of you care.
>your food remains untouched.

>she breaks the ice by asking about what you've done since you left home.
>you tell her everything. she looks back into your eyes, taking in everything you say.
>you tell her about wandering the streets, about enlisting in the army.
>about getting out, going to college, graduating, getting a decent job, decent apartment.
>you ask her the same question.
>mama and papa's fighting only got worse after you left.
>factory closed, everything closed. no jobs.
>she shoplifts, steals things for cash.
>arrested, jail, halfway house.
>bouncing between home and the streets, depending on how drunk mama was that day.
>getting out of town, taking a bus to somewhere far away.
>dead-end jobs, shitty apartments, but making ends meet, just barely.

>she falls silent once more and lays her head upon the table.
>you stare out the window into the night. you've been talking for hours, now it's pitch black outside.
>all you can see is the reflection of you and your sister. she's staring at you through the mirror image.
>after a couple minutes of silence, she finally speaks.
>"anon, i always wanted to ask; why'd you do it? why'd you leave?"
>the real question she should be asking is why would you ever stay? she did just that and look at how that ended for her.
>no, deep down in your heart you knew the real answer.
>you knew that you were saving up enough cash for two tickets out of that town.
>you remember how you were going to finish high-school and drag both you and your sister out of that shithole.
>the sister who always had your back, who always defended you when mama or papa set their sights onto you.
>the sister who clawed the ever loving shit out of those kids who always gave you shit at school.
>the sister who was right by your side when you spent a week in the hospital after nearly cracking your head open at the skate park.
>the sister who bridal carried your drunk ass halfway across town after you passed out at that party you shouldn't have been at.
>you turn your head back to her
"i left because of this..."
>you lift your shirt and point at the scars she left on you the night you skipped town.
"before that night, i thought you were different. i trusted you. i didn't care about what mama or papa did to me, as long as i had you there with me."
>her eyes jump to the scars which stretch across your stomach. you lower your shirt.
"but after you snapped at me, after you hurt me..."
>she looks away from you and down at the table.
"i thought you hated me, that you'd treat me just like mama and papa did. so i left. i didn't have a reason to stay anymore."
>several seconds of silence pass before she responds.
>she starts to speak, barely above a whisper.
>"i never wanted to hurt you. i was mad at something. god, i was mad at everything back then. all i wanted was something to take it all out on, somebody to blame."
>"and you were the only one there. i don't know why, but when i looked at you that day, all i could see was red. first i yelled and yelled, and when my voice gave out, all i could do was..."
>she trails off. the tears that she's been holding back all night finally begin to flow. she does her best to speak through them.
>"i felt so fucking bad right after. i wanted you to come back so i could apologize for everything. i wanted it so fucking bad. and i waited and waited. but you never came."
>she covers her eyes to try to stymie the tears. it's no use.
>"and every night since then, all i've ever wanted was to see you again, just one more time. to say sorry. for everything..."
>the sobbing finally overpower her voice, silencing her.
>you move across the table and take her into your embrace. she buries her face into your chest as she weeps out eight years of pent-up regret.

>after a while, the tears stop flowing. you sit together in silence, her head resting on your shoulder as she softly strokes your hand.
>the restaurant is empty, all of the other customers have left. you paid your bill long ago, but a few staff still remain, cleaning things up for the night.
>you finally speak up.
"we should get going. i can walk you to the subwa-"
>she cuts you off.
>"i want to come with you. i don't care where."
>she sits up. her gaze moves to your face.
>"i've spent all this time waiting for you, i'm not ready to lose you again."
>after all these years and all that hatred, you've forgotten how much you've missed your sister. maybe she's right, you wouldn't mind spending just a bit longer with her.

>you set off together.
>the subway ride back to your apartment is long and quiet. the slow, rhythmic rocking of the train puts your sister to sleep with ease.
>after arriving at your station, you carry her out of the subway and into the cold night. she's surprisingly light for her size.
>down the block, up the stairs, and into your apartment.
>you walk through the door and gently set her down on your couch.
>you step out of the room to get her a spare blanket. when you return, you find your sister's clothing carelessly strewn about in front of the couch.
>she's dressed down to her underwear.
>you walk to her and cover her with the blanket before retiring to your bedroom.
>but as you turn away, she reaches out and tugs at your arm.
>"mmmmm... stay..."
>she lets go and pats the spot next to her on the couch.
>"please anon... sleep here. just for tonight."
>she looks at you longingly, crimson eyes half open. a faint smile curls at the corners of her beak.
>you stare at her for a second, dumbfounded. the dried mascara running down her face tells you all you need to know.
>she needs this. tonight, she needs you. more than anything else in the world.
>you reluctantly lie down on the couch.
>before you realize what's happening, she climbs on top of you, and her feathered stomach settles on top of yours. she wraps both arms around your back, and lays her head upon your chest.
>she falls back asleep in moments. you watch as her back rises and falls in sync with her breath. it looks so soft...
>your arms drape across her back. you move them slowly, appreciating the heavenly feeling of her feathers.
>you want more of this. you don't want this to end. not ever.
>but your eyelids are getting heavy, and carrying your sister from the subway station has really tired you out.
>you give her a final kiss on the forehead before checking out.
>goodnight, big sis.