Daughter Dearest

seven

After a while, once Venus had calmed down enough to form a coherent thought, she abandoned the gesture of making something to eat to go up to the room that Charlie had so kindly allowed her to have. 

It was dark, the only light spilling across the hardwood floors as a faint glow. The dark walls didn't allow the heavenly light to distribute evenly. That was going to change. 

Having been glad that she had been granted permission to do as she pleased with the room that would be hers, she immediately began on making the space more. . . Her. 

She didn't mind the flat panel wainscoting, so she allowed it to stay its original dark oak color, though the dark wallpaper on the other two thirds of the wall soon became a pristine white. The room became brighter in an instant. 

Any damaged part of the floor was repaired instantly under Venus's watchful gaze. The dark wood bed frame mended back together and a much firmer yet soft mattress sat on top. 

Sheer white fabric adorned the four-poster bed in a canopy fashion, secured at the posts with gold cords. 

The curtains weren't changed much, only made longer to brush up against the cool wood of the floor. Venus made it her priority to have the windows look nice so that the light would filter in at a much better rate. 

A few miniscule details later, such as attire for the closet, and her room reminded her vaguely of a combination between her room in New York and on Asgard. A whole section of her wall by the door was dedicated to pictures she had taken with the team since she moved into the tower full time, back when Tony was having repairs from the battle made. 

A lot of the earlier pictures were just of her, Tony, Bruce, and Natasha, but slowly everyone else began to integrate in as more and more people moved to the tower and joined the team. Joined the family. 

Venus looked away from the pictures, turning to the large bed. Black sheets, red comforter, and fluffy white pillows, warm and welcoming. 

She sat on her bed in deep thought until a soft knock pierced the silence of the room. “Come in.” 

Her voice was quiet, yet heard as the door slowly opened just a moment later. Charlie poked her head in, gaping at the state of the room. It was stunning! She entered and closed the door behind her. 

“Hi, Venus! Just checking in. Hah, um. . . I accidentally overheard your call earlier and you seemed pretty upset. . . I hope I'm not overstepping, but I wanted to see if you were okay.” She said, watching for Venus's reaction. 

The woman smiled slightly and directed her saddened gaze at Charlie, her lips upturned into a sweet smile. “I'm okay, Charlie, I promise. . . I just expected to have longer before my brother spilled his guts.” 

As if on cue, her phone on the bedside table lit up with the ninety-eighth text message notification to the Avengers group chat since she stopped opening the chat.

“What's it like having a brother? . . I don't have any siblings, so I've always been curious about what it's like.” Charlie guided the conversation smoothly. 

Venus chuckled and gently patted the bed next to her, urging Charlie to plant herself there. 

“I have two. . . So it's like having these two men that you grew up with, that you love with every bit of your being. You'd easily give your life for them, but you won't let them have the last cherry turnover, and you'll fight them if they try to take it. And let me tell you a secret — I always get the last one.” 

Charlie giggled at the revelation, continuing to listen eagerly as Venus shared some of the more normal and acceptable versions of childhood stories. Without being prompted, either.