"But Yakkoooo!-" Yakko barely even looked up from the storybook that Dot had chosen for bedtime. Most people would say it was a cruel fate, to be locked in a water tower and left to take care of your two much younger siblings. Yakko looks at his situation in a different light. He looks at the situation as the ability to spend as much time with his siblings as possible, and this way he could raise them the way he wanted. Definitely not saying that if given the chance to leave, he wouldn't take it. He would jump at the first chance to let his sibs have as normal of a life as they could, unfortunately that wasn't going to happen. They'd been locked away for a whole five years already, and Yakko was beginning to think there was no longer any escape. Instead, he will spend every night for the rest of his life reading the same few stories every night at eight o'clock sharp.
"Wakko, I already told you no. Cookies aren't for bedtime. They are for after lunch." Near to every night, Yakko ended up stating the same explanation for the same problem. Cookies are not a bedtime snack. They are for rewards and after lunch.
Yakko sighed, he hated telling his siblings no. He knew that they needed to hear it sometimes, but he hated it. They were already locked in the stupid water tower, not even able to go to a park or meet new friends. The eldest had begun to look at the water tower as less of a home, and more of a prison… That was the point though, wasn't it? The fact that the animators couldn't stand what they had created, had ended up sealing their fate of isolation. Little did the children know, they still had a rough fifty-five years left.
"I bet if Dot asked, you would say yes. You just don't like me anymore." With that said, Wakko ran out of the living room where they all shared their bunk beds, and locked himself in the bathroom. This was also not uncommon. Of course he would have told his younger sister 'no' if asked about a cookie, but six year olds throw tantrums and that's just what was happening. Yakko was a mature ten year-old. Or at least, that's what he would tell you if asked. He did still like to partake in the mischief his siblings caused around the water tower, unfortunately he ended up having to clean whatever they had done. Sometimes he enjoyed and relished the life they had, other times he felt alone or like the only adult, though only ten.
The only reason his younger brother believed Yakko would allow their sister a cookie was because one night, he had. Not that he won't let him under the same circumstance. He can have an extra cookie on his birthday. Only two days prior had been Dot's fifth birthday, and Yakko had to explain to his brother that he would get one on his too. There wasn't any way to get new toys for his siblings, so cookies seemed to be his go to. Of course a few months feels like years to a six year old.
With a knock on the bathroom door, Yakko cursed himself for not removing the lock one of the other times he had locked himself in there. Then again, sometimes he does need alone time, and that's the only place he can get it. "Come on Wakko, you know the rules buddy. Let's go read some more."
"I don't like stupid princess books. Only stupid girls like stupid princesses." A muffled raspberry came from the other side. Yakko had told them not to spit or they'd get their mouth popped, but a locked door sure had a poor way of allowing that. Deciding to let it go, Yakko tried to coax out his brother. It was almost eight-thirty, and the trio usually would be in bed soon. He tried almost everything short of giving in to his plea of wanting a cookie. He would stand his ground on that one. Pouters don't get their way.
"Wakko please, you don't want to spend the night in the bathroom do ya'? Just come to bed with us." The older brother almost held his breath waiting to hear the lock turn. A short few seconds, and he had gotten the desired effect. His brother had finally emerged from the bathroom.
Leading his brother to the bunk beds, where Dot had apparently decided to fall asleep in Yakko's bed instead of awaiting his return, he ushered Wakko to the ladder. Of course he let Wakko have the top bunk, what kind of brother would he be if not. After settling in, the three seemed to have all fallen asleep, though one child seemed persistent.
Yakko was many things, but stupid wasn't one of them. He had heard the bed creak and the ladder shift. He heard his brother stub his toe and muffle curse words brewing within. The younger boy made his way to the kitchen, and Yakko decided he had to follow. With a sigh, he pushed back the blankets, careful not to wake his sleeping sister, and peeked into the kitchen. There he saw exactly what he had expected. Wakko was pulling himself up on the table from the chair as Yakko walked in. Instead of instantly making his presence known, the eldest simply leaned in the doorway to watch this play out. Seeing his brother within a hand's grasp from the forbidden cookies, Yakko decided to finally make his move.
"So, Chumley. I don't suppose you ever listen to what I have to say, ay?" His words broke the silence in the room, nearly toppling over the younger Warner. Composing himself last second, Wakko turned to face his brother.
"I don't know what you're talking about." The look of defiance on his brother's face almost made Yakko laugh. He looked like he believed that he could lie his way out of it.
"Oh? Then what were you doing exactly? Up on the table, reaching for the cookie jar?"
"I was- was- dusting the fridge."
"Why did you choose just the fridge then?"
"Have you ever dusted the fridge? I'm sure it never even crossed your mind." Wakko made sweeping motions with his hands as if he were actually dusting. Yakko crossed his arms, and continued to stare at his brother, until the younger let out a sigh. "Whatever, you caught me."
Yakko moved from his authoritative stance, and headed over to help his brother off of the table. No more words were spoken, as Yakko knew he didn't have to say anymore, lest it be in one ear out the other, and Wakko was too embarrassed. With a yawn, hidden by his defeated look, Wakko began the ascension of the ladder. Yakko motioned for him to join him instead. He already had one sibling invading his space, might as well have the other too.
Wakko never was one for "cuddling" or the mushy stuff, even at the tender age of six. He was always moving and playing, he never wanted to just sit with his brother, yet something was different after bedtime. He was calm and relaxed then, no more games, only sleeping. It did make him feel safe to be there with his siblings.
A chorus of goodnights rang through the water tower, as Dot had woken up at Wakko's poor excuse at stealth as well. All three Warner's were to finally get some sleep. Some cookie-filled dreams, sleep.