Yakko snapped alert as the door to the water tower suddenly swung open and quickly shoved the Cosmo magazine he'd swiped from Dot's collection between the couch cushions. He just looked at them for the girls, of course, but if she caught him he wouldn't be alive to see next month's issue. But as his younger siblings stormed in, each looking so mad they almost steamed, the oldest Warner brother knew his relaxing evening was over.
"Not that I'm surprised, but what're you so mad about?" Wakko snapped at Dot. She gave him a scowl that could've frozen a rabid bull.
"Just stand in one place for five minutes and don't act stupid. That was all I asked you to do!"
"I did!" he protested, throwing his hands up in frustration. His sister stomped her foot. "You burped musical scales the entire time!"
"I needed to practice!" Dot glared at him fiercely and Yakko could swear her eyes were burning.
"You can't do anything right!" she snapped. Wakko looked so angry by now that Yakko was half expecting the mallet to come out, even though he never did that with either of them.
"Well, guess it's a good thing you've got another brother then!" he snarled bitterly.
"At least he knows how to be one!" Dot yelled back at him. "Do you even try or are y' just that horrible at it?" Yakko's jaw dropped open as Wakko shrank back as though he'd been punched in the stomach. There was dead silence for a minute as the younger Warners stared at each other, then Wakko pushed past Dot without a word and ran from the room. She turned around, looking startled, as the bedroom door slammed shut. Then she finally noticed her oldest brother still on the couch.
"How long…?" He crossed his arms.
"Long enough." He tilted his head toward their room. "That was a little harsh, don't y' think?" Dot looked down and shifted her feet.
"It was just a stupid fight," she muttered. "I didn't think…" When she hesitated, Yakko scooted over and patted the spot beside him on the couch.
"Have a seat, sister sibling." Dot sighed dramatically and plopped down next to him. She hated these talks; it was weird when her brother went into lecture mode. Seriousness wasn't common in her life.
"Why's he have to be so annoying?" she muttered.
"I annoy you too." Yakko replied. "What's the difference?" Dot shifted uncomfortably,
"I don't know…" she sighed. "You just seem to know how to do stuff better." After a while, Yakko cleared his throat.
"Well," he said. "I'm eleven and Wakko's just seven. Haven't y' ever thought of that?" Dot shifted again, and Yakko continued. "And he deals with a lot more than you'd think. I mean, I'm the big brother, you're the cute little sister, but he's the middle kid; a big brother and little brother at the same time. Can you imagine having both your problems and my problems?" Dot frowned.
"Well, no…" she said. "But I still don't get why he took what I said the way he did." Yakko raised an eyebrow.
"How'd you feel if someone told y' you were bad at being cute?" He couldn't help smirking as his sister's eyes went wide; he figured that would help her understand.
"I think you hurt him pretty bad, sis," he said gently. Dot crossed her legs, drawing them up on the couch, and hung her head in shame. No matter how much her brothers embarrassed her, she loved them both and never stopped caring.
"I didn't mean to," she said softly. "I really didn't." Yakko put an arm around her shoulders. "Yeah, I know. But I don't think I'm the one you should be telling that to." He nodded toward the still closed door. Dot seemed to shrink a little and looked up at him.
"You're not gonna come?" Her older brother grinned mischievously.
"Sorry, Dot… after witnessing World War 3, I think I'll stay out of the line of fire." He nudged her forward. "I'll tell you this though… if the mallet comes out, remember, duck then cover." Dot rolled her eyes.
"Thanks a lot." As she walked toward the bedroom, it occurred to her that she'd never really apologized to her brother before. She also found herself recalling that no matter how angry she made him, Wakko never caused her any physical harm like he did to most people who made him mad. And the few times she came to him with a problem he never teased her about it and treated it seriously, which was quite a feat for him. By now she'd reached the door.
With a deep breath, Dot quietly pulled it open and went in. She looked up at the top bed of the triple bunks she shared with her brothers. Wakko was curled up on it with his back turned to her, and she felt even worse when she heard him sniffling. She walked to the base of the ladder.
"Hi," she said quietly. Wakko turned his head, quickly sat up and wiped his nose.
"What do you want?" he asked bitterly. "Get sent to apologize?" His sister sighed and pulled herself up the ladder to his bunk.
"Look, I'm not here 'cause I have to." She swayed a little and lowered her eyes. "Well, maybe a little, but… I don't want you to be sad either." Her brother hesitated, and then shifted sulkily to make a little more room. Dot smiled slightly and sat down on the edge of the bed; he was still upset, but at least he'd tolerate her, hopefully long enough for her to set things right.
"I'm really sorry for what I said before. It was awful and I didn't mean it." Wakko frowned, then sighed heavily and started fiddling with his tail.
"It's still sort of true," he said sadly. "I do try, but… I can't change how I am." Dot caught his eyes.
"Actually, I don't really want you to change. You do drive me crazy a lot, but you're still my big brother." She grinned. "Besides, if you weren't this way you'd be a lot less fun." Wakko looked up and gave her that goofy smile of his.
"I'd have less fun, too!" They both laughed, and then Dot scooted up beside him and batted her "cute eyes" at him.
"So pwease forgive your baby sister?" she asked sweetly. Wakko grinned and shifted again, making more room.
"Y' know we can't say no to those eyes," he said. His sister snuggled closer as he slipped an arm around her and sighed contently.
"Why do y' think I use 'em, dummy?" He chuckled at that. When Yakko came in later to make sure everyone was still in one piece, he smiled. His younger brother and sister were dozing on the top bunk, Dot curled up against Wakko with his arm around her protectively. Many were the times he'd done the exact same thing. As he shuffled up the ladder to the top bunk, his brother yawned and looked up sleepily. "Hey," he muttered. Yakko grinned and looked down at their sister, still sound asleep with a peaceful smile.
"She's nice like this, huh?" Wakko gave him a grin, and Yakko ruffled his hair playfully. "So, got any room for your big brother?" At the nod, he found a space beside Wakko and flopped down, his own arm coming to rest around him.
"You okay now?" he asked. As he leaned against his big brother, his little sister's ears tickling his chin as she nestled against his chest, Wakko smiled happily and nodded. Being in the middle really wasn't that bad sometimes.