Prompt: ….Too long to write out.

Evan was the joker. He knew that. He was well aware of it, in fact, and did things on purpose to live up to that image. At least one member of his family needed to know how to crack a joke, right? Someone needed to keep everyone (Smalls) from falling into a pit of darkness, sometimes literally, right? Evan was willing to be that person.

The first time he remembered making someone laugh was a memory he buried deeply, not because he regretted it, but because it was also his first memory of pain. In the memory he was maybe six or seven, and Smalls was about five. Smalls hadn't begun talking until he was nearly six, something that Evan had heard called 'delayed speech'. It had something to do with the Afterterrors and trauma. Evan didn't understand it and he doubted Smalls did either, it was just something that had happened.

Evan didn't remember the exact predicament they had been in, it was before Daggler had gotten ahold of them but after their mother had left, whom was only a vague shadow of memory by the time Evan turned ten and a mystery to Smalls. All Evan remembered, really, was shouting. And screaming. Maybe it was his older siblings, maybe it was something else entirely, but he and Smalls had been locked up in the nursery anyways. Asher had gone to sleep, unperturbed by the noise outside. Smalls had climbed up onto his bed and was looking at a book quietly, when all of a sudden, a loud bang outside had scared them both half to death. Smalls had started crying, and Evan remembered wanting to, but being distracted by Smalls. Even then, he rarely cried.

"It's okay." Evan said, confused slightly at this reaction from his younger brother. "Nothing can get in here." That hadn't helped a bit. Evan climbed up on the bed beside him. "It's alright." Smalls glared at him and tried to shove him away, but Evan wouldn't budge. He made a stupid face, And Smalls had to try not to smile. Evan had kept at it until Smalls finally laughed, but at that moment the door opened, and Smalls suddenly went quiet.

After that Evan tried to censor the memory, tried to censor the pain, but it didn't work very well.

Smalls had forgotten it, Evan was certain, but he hadn't. He knew he was the joker, he only wished people would see more than that.

They…had a very tough childhood.