Wakko ran straight out of the water tower, panic consuming him. It certainly didn't help that the weather reflected his mood; thick, dark gray clouds covered the sky. Rain poured relentlessly on him as he ran, his heart pounding in his chest.

Guilt seeped into his mind as he realized too late what he had done, he had hurt Yakko who had just been trying to help him. Slammed a mallet right in his face…

Oh, you're such a fucking disgrace.

No. No, no, nonononono shut up. SHUT UP!

If those thoughts started creeping back up he wouldn't be able to deal. The thoughts that always lurked in the back of his mind like that of a serpent, always ready to strike him down. The thoughts that made him want to just give up and 'leave'-

-Shut up, shut up. SHUT UP. STOP THINKING!

But don't you see? You'll always, always be nothing more than a punching bag. That's all you'll ever be. People will use you up and once they're done they'll go away.

Wakko shook his head, desperate to get those awful, awful thoughts out of his mind. He flung himself off the balcony, toon-landing on the concrete below before then getting up and continuing running.

Where do you plan on going? To that silly park you call your "safe space"?

I-I dunno…

Exactly! See, you can't even think right. Don't you know I was right? You really are dumb.

Wakko shook his head again, hoping that the dark thoughts would go away but they stayed, stuck to his mind like insects on sundew.

Why, I bet Yakko and Dot would be better off if you 'left'-

And there it was. That thought. That truly horrid thought that plagued him. The one that made him want to-

-just give up.

Just give up and be done.

Rain poured relentlessly on Wakko as he continued running blindly. Old memories started shoving their way to the forefront of his mind. The kind of memories that he tried to forget about, and yet, no matter how many times he tried, they never fully went away…


"Go ahead, leave!" Memlo shouted. "but know that if you do, I'll start hurting your dear brother or better yet, your precious sister."

Wakko stopped dead in his tracks. Unable to comprehend what he had just heard. He had been so dead-set on leaving but now? Now he was frozen. Frozen in complete and utter terror.

He knew right then and there he couldn't, no, wouldn't let Memlo hurt them. Neither one deserved it…no…but he did. He deserved it. It was like Memlo had always told him, he'd always be nothing more than a punching bag. Why try to change that?

Wakko sighed before turning back around to face Memlo. Memlo was staring at him with a wicked grin on his face. Like he was delighted in the pain and agony he caused him.

"That's right, that's right Wakko-baby," The way Memlo said it made Wakko's skin crawl, it sounded almost like he was purring. "I knew you would come to your senses."

"It's like you said, 'm nothin' more than a punching bag." Wakko whispered. Maybe if he said it aloud more often he'd start to truly believe it. Maybe if he said it enough he'd stop trying to get away from Memlo. Eventually the truth would just ingrain itself in his brain and he'd never forget it.

Ever.

So that's what Wakko did. He looked up into Memlo's dark eyes and said, "'M nothin' more than a punching bag." Fully choosing to ignore the way his heart twisted in his chest as he said it.

"There you go, you're finally getting it." Memlo got up out of his seat and made his way over to Wakko. That wicked grin still plastered on his face.

Fear gripped Wakko's heart as Memlo got closer to him. He didn't know what he was gonna do. Everything within him was screaming to leave, just leave, go! but he remained right where he was.

Memlo reached down and brushed his hand lightly against Wakko's cheek. He stared up at him, unsure of what was gonna happen next.

"M-Memlo?" As soon as the words left his lips he knew he was done for.

Rule #1: Never. Ever. Under any circumstances call him Memlo. It was always, always Director or Mr. Director in his presence.

Some horrid, dark emotion sparked from Memlo's eyes, striking deep fear within Wakko.

"M-Mr. Director! I meant Mr. Director!" but it was too late. The damage had already been done.

Wakko could feel it, Memlo's hand going for his scruff. His mind kept screaming for him to run but he wouldn't. No, whatever happened next…he deserved it. The sooner he learned

that, well, the better.


A sudden blooming pain in Wakko's back was what jolted him awake. He sucked in a breath as he took in his surroundings only to get a vision full of Memlo's face instead. He pulled away on instinct, trying to put some distance between them.

Memlo was glaring down at him, nostrils flaring.

"So, I see you tried to 'leave'."

Wakko was just about to ask what he was talking about when suddenly an empty pill bottle was flung in his face. It smacked him in between the eyes before falling with a soft thump onto the couch. He rubbed the spot, eyeing Memlo.

"You really thought that sleeping pills for humans would kill a Toon like you?" he asked, incredulous.

"How did you know I tried to-" Wakko tried to say but stopped himself when Memlo raised a hand up.

"Don't get smart with me, Wakko-baby. I know how you are. Ya get oh so sad and ya just mope, like you were earlier." Then he snorted, as if he found this entire situation funny. "Too bad it didn't work, huh?"

"I hate you." Wakko didn't know why he had said that, he knew all too well what smarting off to Memlo meant. A slap to the face. DIP poured down his already bare, scarred back. Hurtful words, etc. etc.

Perhaps he had finally grown tired, tired of…everything. Maybe if he kept it up Memlo would finally put him out of his misery but then….Memlo would end up hurting Yakko and Dot afterwards and he couldn't let that happen.

So here he was, stuck between a rock and a hard place. Wanting to die but at the same time not wanting to. Trying (and failing) to live — for them. For his siblings.

Wakko was yanked out of his thoughts by a sudden burning sensation on his cheek.

Huh.

Memlo had slapped him.

What a surprise. (Not)

Wakko lifted a hand and pressed it to his cheek before glancing at Memlo. He had a dangerous expression on his face, one that was slowly morphing into triumph.

His eyes began to burn but no tears came. Really, what was the use? Tears wouldn't solve anything. Memlo would simply laugh in his face if he cried. So no tears. No tears at all.

"Get cleaned up." Memlo snarled. "You're wasting company time anyways." and with that he walked away and left. Meanwhile Wakko just sat there, trying to get a grip on his fragile emotions.

Wakko sucked in a breath before letting it out through his nose. Then he dug his claws into the palms of his hands, trying to ground himself back down to reality. He needed to get cleaned up, get ready, and go out on stage with a great big (fake) lopsided grin on his face like usual.

Smile away the pain. Mask it, always.

He was okay. He was fine. Totally, completely fine. He was Wakkoreno Winter Warner. He could do it. He knew he could.

So he did.

He smiled.


Wakko shook his head, trying to bring himself back down to reality. He needed to focus on the now, not the horrible, awful past that just wouldn't let go of him no matter what he did.

Eventually he found himself in a nearby alleyway and in the process ended up tripping and falling into a puddle of water. Those dark thoughts scattered through his mind as he stared at his broken reflection in the water.

What're you gonna do now? Lay down and cry like a total baby?

Please, please just go away.

You're just upset that I'm right.

Go away. Just go away. Leave me alone!

You'll always, always be nothing more than a punching bag. That's all you'll ever be. It's just like Memlo said. And wasn't he right? You know he was right, don't you? Deep down you know the truth.

Wakko dug his fingers into the cold, wet, gravel beneath him. He could feel tears stinging the corners of his eyes as those dark thoughts continued to swirl around in his mind like a hurricane.

Rain continued to pour on him relentlessly, drenching his fur in the process.

Deep down you know, you know that you're better off 'leaving'.

And with that thought, something inside of him just broke. Wakko let out a heart-wrenching scream that echoed throughout the cramped alleyway. He slapped his hand across the surface, distorting his broken reflection.

Weren't those dark thoughts right though? If he just 'left' right here, right now he wouldn't have to worry about the pain anymore. He could finally be free. Free from all the heaviness; the emotional distress, the crippling depression, the constant nightmares….all of it would go in the blink of an eye.

No. No. No, nononononono. I'm not leaving them.

He couldn't leave them.

Even if he craved it so, so badly; he couldn't leave.

At least, not right now…

You piece of sh-

Wakko slapped himself, hard. It burned so badly — he had no idea how strong he really was — but it was enough to clear his mind. Then he sucked in a deep calming breath and slowly let it out. Once that was done he crawled over to the wall and layed there.

He closed his eyes and dug his claws into the palms of his hands, trying to ground himself back down to reality. Then he continued the deep calming breaths that Scratchy had taught him a while ago. And as he did, two memories (better, happier ones) popped to the forefront of his mind.


Wakko was laying in bed, bored out of his skull. Turns out being bedridden was a lot less fun than he had originally thought.

Well, it wasn't at a complete loss. Lon had gifted him a red hat but that was about it. Other than that, he simply drifted in and out of sleep until the pain in his broken left leg woke him up.

Wakko was just about to fall back asleep when, suddenly, Yakko walked in.

"Bonjour mon rayon de soleil!" Yakko greeted him.

Wakko couldn't help but smile, seeing how his brother was doing now. He seemed a lot happier than he was before — even sporting a necklace but not just any, this one was silver with a lion's head attached to a dagger with wings.

"I can speak the language of the baguettes too." Wakko replied, with a cheeky wink.

Yakko shook his head in disbelief. "You're a baguette." Then he did a mini twirl before leaping up and onto the bed in a graceful arc.

"That I am."

A warm feeling settled in Wakko's chest as Yakko pulled him close.

"So, uhhhhh, how's that leg of yours doing?" he asked. "Getting any better?"

Wakko frowned. "No, it still hurts…"

"Rrright." Yakko nodded lightly.

Wakko's frown deepened as he saw the guilty look on his brother's face.

"Wasn't your fault."

"It kinda was, Wak." Yakko looked away, rubbing his shoulder. "I mean, y'know, Dot was right. We shouldn't've been in that tree anyways. Branches were gonna break any second and-"

"-It was jus' an accident."

"I don't think it was-"

"-Well, whatever. I lived, right?" Wakko asked, staring intensely into Yakko's eyes. Hoping that he'd give up and finally agree with him.

It was just an accident. That was all.

Yakko stared back at him just as intensely.

"What're ya trying to do?" He asked, cocking his head to the side. "Hypnotize me?"

"Maybe?"

"Try all ya like Wakkoreno, it ain't gonna happen. 'Cause I've got a mind of steel."

Wakko sighed, before an idea struck him. He reached up and quickly bopped Yakko on the nose. Yakko raised a brow at that before falling into a fit of laughter. He doubled over, cackling like a madman.

There was something about his brother's laugh that just made everyone else around him laugh too. Nobody could ever quite pinpoint it, it was just something that happened. Like some kind of spell…

And so, Wakko laughed too.

Warmth and happiness radiating in his chest.


Wakko was pretty sure it was never a good idea to anger Dot. Too bad that never stopped him from trying! She had chased him around outside, waving a frying pan wildly through the air.

"Wakkoreno Winter Warner, tell me where my makeup kit is or so help me!" she shrieked.

Despite the amount of adrenaline coursing through his veins he couldn't help but feel a glimmer of pure joy as he ran.

"It wasn't me, it was Yakko!"

Now that, in and of itself, was a flat out lie. They always worked as a pair whether for tree climbing, pranking, etc. etc. anything they did, they always did together.

"What a load of horseshit, I know you two! Always the brain-dead duo!"

"Oh, c'mon Dot, give us a-" but Wakko was abruptly cut off by him tripping and landing knee-first on the ground. Pain shot up his leg as he folded over onto the unusually soft, forgiving ground.

Wakko laid there with tears in his eyes. Letting out little whimpers of pain. He heard Dot gasp as she ran over to him, the little pitter-patter of her footsteps getting closer to him.

She knelt down beside him, brushing a soft, gentle hand across the back of his head.

"You alive?" she asked, a quiver in her voice.

He groaned in response as pain was still radiating up his leg. Sheesh what was up with him and his leg? Could it be a curse put on him by some deranged author? Nah, there was no way that could be it.

"Can you get Yakko?" he asked, trying not to cry.

"Sure thing."

So he laid there, waiting for Dot to go get Yakko. He hoped that they would make it back soon, his knee was absolutely killing him.

Eventually they came back.

Yakko knelt down beside him.

"Hey baby bro, how're ya feeling?"

Wakko whimpered. "It hurts…"

"I know, I know. C'mere you."

He was swiftly scooped up in Yakko's arms and was being carried back to the house where they would lay him in bed and tend to his knee. Luckily it wasn't broken, just really bruised and hurting.

Afterwards, Wakko had layed in bed, with Dot snuggled up on his left and Yakko on his right, practically laying on top of him, arms firmly wrapped around him.

"Guess I'll have to start carrying ya around everywhere." Yakko joked. "You're so accident prone nowadays. I'll be a lucky charm for ya."

Wakko stuck his tongue out at that.

"What?" Yakko asked, confused. "I thought you'd like that idea."

Dot shifted a bit. "Who the hell wants to be carried around 24/7?"

"Hey, swear jar!"

"I'll swear jar you in a minute, mister."

"Mister?" Yakko said, his voice going up an octave. It was hilarious seeing the indignant look on his face. "I am four years older than you!"

Wakko glanced at Dot who had her eyes closed.

She merely shrugged. "And?"

Then Wakko glanced at Yakko who was opening and closing his mouth, as if to say something but nothing would come out.

"Exactly." she said, smugly. "Now, go to sleep."

"Are you my mother?"

"Do you want me to be?"

'WHAT?" Yakko shrieked, his eyes wide. "That would be way messed up!"

"Calm thyself, son."

"S-Shut up, baby sis." He looked away, scarlet creeping across his cheeks. "You'd make a terrible mother anyways."

Dot gasped. "How dare you!"

Wakko covered his face, trying desperately not to laugh at the exchange going on between them. It was just too much sometimes.

"Well, whatever. Go to sleep, brain-dead duo. Y'need sleep, for yo brain. Though neither one of you was given one." Dot mumbled.

Wakko nodded, then turned to his brother. "Y'know, she's got a point there Yakko."

Yakko rolled his eyes. "Well, it's like they say; a broken clock is right twice a day."

"I will gut you for that in the morning. Dot growled. "Mark my words."

"Oh, your words have already been marked, sister sib." Yakko shot back.

"Good." she huffed, turning away from the two.

Yakko grinned a bit. "Great."

"Fabulous."

"Excellent."

"Go to sleep."

"You first."

"'Kay."

And so the three had eventually fallen asleep, clinging to one another like koalas.


Wakko squeezed his eyes shut, trying his hardest not to burst into sobs. It hurt, thinking about those times…the good times before…before….

…before everything had gone to crap in a handbasket. Before Lon had died, before Memlo had really started ramping up his abuse. Before then it had just been the three of them and Lon, together, against the world. But after that….things had just rapidly declined.

He missed it. Those times. Missed them with a deep-seated yearning that hurt and twisted his heart like a pretzel knot.

Missed when Dot used to be playfully angry and not scarily angry. Missed when Yakko used to be closer to him, when they used to wear the title 'brain-dead duo' like a badge of honor.

Honestly, thinking about all of that. It just made him want to sob.

For a while he simply laid there, in that cramped alleyway. Letting rain pour on him, drenching his fur. Letting the cold seep into his skin. Trying his hardest not to cry.

At some point Wakko felt himself being scooped up. He sniffled, he could smell the sharp scent of rosewood. He knew that it was Yakko even before he spoke.

"I got ya, everything'll be okay."

Wakko wrapped himself around Yakko like a koala, pressing his face into his shoulder. Yakko rubbed a tentative hand up and down his back as he walked away, carrying him.

A particularly strong wave of sadness washed over him as he let out a little half-sob.

"'M sorry for leavin'." he whimpered.

Yakko hushed him softly. "It's okay Wak, shhh…."

Wakko cracked open one eye and saw Dot walking closely beside them. Every so often she glanced at him, worry clear on her face. Their eyes finally met and her eyes narrowed in thought before she flashed him a lopsided smile.

Wakko sucked in a sharp breath as he realized those were the kind he used to give to her. The kind he used to flash when she was feeling low.

He let out a loud whimper as sorrow gripped his very core. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying his hardest not to cry.

"Shhh…it's okay, you can cry." Yakko whispered. "It's okay, just let it out. I've got ya."

Wakko shook his head, although he knew he was barely hanging off the edge. Eventually the familiar scent of the water tower washed over him and he realized that they were right back to square one.

Fear and dread crept up his spine as he wondered what was gonna happen next. Sure, Yakko and Dot had come after him. Sure, Yakko was holding him in his arms right now, despite the fact he had swung a mallet straight in his face earlier but he had every right to be mad at him.

If Yakko was planning on punishing him, then, good. He deserved it. For what he had done. Freaking out like that and then running away….he deserved it. He'd accept it; whatever Yakko had planned, he'd go along with it.

I won't scream. I won't cry. I'll just take it.

A gentle tap on the shoulder broke Wakko free from his thoughts and he nearly flinched at the touch.

"Earth to Wakko, ya still with us bud?" came Yakko's gentle voice.

"Y-Yes?" he answered, though he kept his eyes shut tight.

A few comforting rubs on the back and then,

"Hey, ya want a tissue?"

Wakko sniffled. He wouldn't mind one, not one bit.

"S-Sure?"

He could feel Yakko shift a bit, which made him cling tighter.

"Hey, uhhhhh Dot?" Yakko called out.

"What?" Dot called back. Wakko briefly wondered where she'd gone off to.

"Ya mind getting me some tissues? I'm kinda…." He paused. "busy at the moment."

"Yeah, sure."

"'Kay, thanks."

A few more comforting rubs on the back. Wakko sighed, letting himself slowly relax. Only for the tension to return as soon as it left. He started wondering when it would happen.

"Yakko?" Wakko whispered only to immediately wince at how crackly his voice sounded.

"Yeah, baby bro?"

" 'M sorry for hurting you…."

"Nah, it's fine. It's all good. Don't gotta apologize for it." Yakko began to rock him, gently.

Wakko was just about to say that it wasn't all good when he suddenly heard the little pitter-patter of Dot's footsteps getting closer to him and Yakko. The floorboard creaked as she made her way over to them.

"Here's the tissues." Dot said, presumably handing the tissue box to Yakko. Although there was something off about her voice, almost as if she were suppressing her anger. But then, why would she need to be angry?

Unless….

Unless she was angry at him…

Heh, not like he would blame her.

"Thanks, Dot." Yakko replied. "Hey uh, where do ya think you're going little missy?"

"Gonna go…read. Yeah. Read." Her footsteps got quieter as she walked away from them. "Yup. Read. Definitely." Then a door slammed shut, the door to her room if he had to take a guess.

"Hmm, well that was odd." Then Yakko shrugged, simply turning his attention back onto Wakko. Wakko felt himself shrink as Yakko rubbed his back. Silently waiting for whatever would happen next.

"Here's those tissues ya needed."

As Wakko pulled away from Yakko he suddenly noticed the snot that clung to his fur and he realized that he had done that. They say, snot was gross, disgusting, etc. etc. Snot was on his brother's shoulder. Grossness was on Yakko, thanks to him.

So his ill brain decided to come to the conclusion that he had contaminated his brother. Contaminated Yakko — and by extension, Dot — with his grossness, his own sickness. Something that he had tried avoiding for so long, always telling himself that they were better off not knowing. He could carry the burden alone.

And yet, look at how that turned out. They knew. Now, he couldn't just shove all that darkness back down like he used to and wear a great big (fake) smile on his face. No. It would never be like it used to.

And that petrified him.

Wakko simply stared at the tissues being offered to him. Even as Yakko flashed him a gentle smile, it didn't erase the sudden tension thrumming its way throughout his entire body.

"They're just tissues, Wak. That's all."

"I-I know…I jus'..." he trailed off before grabbing hold of the tissues and furiously wiping his nose with them.

"Just what?" Yakko asked.

Wakko tensed up. He didn't want to say, he'd already said enough. What was the use really?

Someone's being a scaredy cat. Typical.

"Nothing…" he balled up the used tissues, placing them somewhere else. Suddenly unable to look Yakko in the eyes.

"C'mon Wakko, you can say." Yakko said, beginning to rock him in his arms. "Just talk to me, please?"

Oh, c'mon. Won't you just contaminate your poor eldest brother some more?

"Wakko?"

Should've 'left' while you had the chance. Now you get to live with your stupid guilt and emotions. Get to keep contaminating those poor siblings you love so much.

Wakko let out a heart-wrenching wail before burying his face in Yakko's shoulder again. Trembling harder than he had ever before. Tears sprung to his eyes but he refused to let them fall.

Yakko swiftly wrapped his arms around him and squeezed tightly. Wakko silently thanked him, the pressure was keeping him from sinking too deeply in his mind.

"Shhh….hey, hey it's okay. Just let it out….I've got ya."

"I just can't get that stupid voice out of m'head! It keeps tellin' me 'Jus' give up. End it already.' but I can't!" he sobbed. "I don' wanna leave you or Dot….I don' wanna hurt you….I jus' wish it would go away…please….please make it go away. C-Can you make it go away?"

Wakko had never felt so low in all his life, not even during those horrid months of being constantly hurt by Memlo….not even after they were forcibly locked in the tower for sixty plus years. No, if anything all of that had just been building, slowly, gradually getting higher and higher until finally it fell…crushing him under the weight of it all.

If it weren't for Yakko holding him, whispering that he had him, that it'll be okay. Then…Wakko knew, heh, he knew deep down he would've 'left'. 'Left' a long time ago…

"I hate m'self, I hate m'self so much…" he shuddered. "'M nothin'...nothin' more than a punching bag…"

"I - Wak, i-is that really how you see yourself?"

Wakko sniffled. "It's true, r-right? I mean I am nothin'..." a wave of sorrow washed over him as he said that. His ear twitched at the sound of a low hum.

"Well, y'know what I see when I look at ya?" Yakko said, softly.

Wakko whimpered. "W-What?" Another strong wave of sorrow washed over him.

"I see someone who's been strong for way, way too long. I look at you and I see…" he stopped his rocking for a moment. "Someone who just needs to know that he's safe and that he's loved." Then the rockin continued. "And you are. You're so loved and safe. You're safe. Memlo can't get to you. I promise."

Some unknown feeling washed over Wakko. Was it true? Could it really be? Was he really safe?

"Y'promise?" he whispered. Clutching him even tighter, Wakko knew he had dug his claws into Yakko's back and a sliver of guilt pierced his heart at that.

"I promise, you're completely safe." Yakko whispered back. "I love ya, mon rayon de soleil."

No, no, please…not that nickname. "My sunshine" in French. Please no…

Wakko was just about to plead with Yakko not to call him that when — oh, oh no — he began to sing. It wasn't just any song, no, this song was one that he used to him when he had horrible nightmares all those years ago.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know, dear, how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away."

Something inside of him just broke. Maybe it was the fact that Yakko had told him that he was safe, or the fact that he was singing to him like he used to…or maybe it was that he was tired…tired of being strong.

Maybe Yakko was right, maybe things would be okay if he just let it out. If he opened up…maybe he wasn't contaminating him or Dot…they wanted to help, right?

So Wakko let go. He let himself cry, hard. Harder than he ever had before and Yakko held him, whispering in his ear that it was okay, just let it out.

And that's exactly what he did.