There was an unspoken rule within the Water Tower; never blow an air horn when Wakko was around. His siblings didn't know the reason behind the rule but they had more than obliged when he asked them not to.

Dot had asked him about it before, a curious glint in her jet-black eyes, eyes so black that he could almost see his own reflection in them. And boy had his reflection looked rugged and unkempt at the time.

"I dunno," he had said softly, trying his best not to rub his arm. A sure sign that he was uncomfortable. "I jus' don't really like 'em…y'know? They're kinda loud and leave my ears all ringy."

He never told her about the hearing loss.

Never mentioned the hearing loss that was caused by a certain director that they had worked with back in the 1930s. A certain director that had loved to torture him via air horns in close proximity. A certain director with a knack for hurting anybody and anyone he came into close contact with.

Dot didn't need to know about it. Neither did Yakko. He could deal with it by himself. Even if it meant that people thought he wasn't a good listener and that he just wasn't paying enough attention. Even if it meant hiding the effects away from others; specifically his siblings.

The only one who really knew was Scratchy and he wanted it to stay that way. A therapist was supposed to know your deepest, darkest secrets…right? That's the only person who needed to know. It was nobody else's business or at least that's what Wakko tried to tell himself, despite the guilt that ran rampant through him.

Dot gave him a critical glance over, as if she were searching for something. What she was searching for, Wakko didn't know. And it honestly had dug into him at the time. Especially when she started her little flexing ritual, popping her claws in and out rhythmically; a habit she had picked up from Casey Cat no doubt.

Wakko bristled. "Would you stop!"

Dot startled. "I'm just looking at you, gosh!" she scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You're acting like you're keeping some big secret in." Then her gaze turned serious as she added, "Are you? 'Cause, no offense, wait, maybe offense, you look rough today, Wakk."

"Well, I'm not." He crossed his arms across his chest, determined to hide the slight tremble in his hands. "So you can stop lookin' at me like my fur just turned green or somethin'." he mumbled, unable to look her in the eye.

A wicked grin had spread across Dot's face as she replied, "Wow, that was a pretty weak comeback bro." Her deadly-looking curved, ivory-colored claws left tiny rips in the tips of her pristine white gloves.

"I'll show you a weak comeback!" And with that Wakko had launched into a chase with Dot. Anything to make her forget about the question. Anything to make her not see what was behind the fake smiles, behind the trembling arms and hands, behind the sometimes rugged and unkempt fur.

Anything to keep her from knowing the truth.

She never asked him a question like that again.

Thank Ruegger for it.

Everything was fine between them…until now.

Until Dot was freaking out on the couch, as if she had a nightmare, and all he wanted to do was comfort her—to know what was causing her to flail around like that in her sleep. He could've sworn he heard her mumble Memlo's name under her breath…

But it didn't matter to Dot, even when he was spilling out his heart to her, she didn't listen to a word he was saying, just refuting everything he was saying. Terror shone in her eyes but she had stayed strong in front of him. Always such a Dot thing to do; a protective outer shell with a soft and mushy center hidden beneath.

The worst offense when she had brought out that dreaded air horn and blasted it, like she hadn't cared. Like it wasn't going to hurt him.

Just another way for her to push him away.

A whimper tore from Wakko's throat.

Terror locked his trembling limbs.

Wakko hated air horns.

He really, truly hated them.

Wakko clutched at his ears like his life depended on it, that awful ringing slowly fading away into the background as his heart hammered against his chest. He never thought that Dot would do anything like that to him.

It's okay, it's okay, he tried to tell himself, Dot didn't mean it. She doesn't know. I-I never told her…she didn't mean it. She's not him. She's not Memlo…

After a few deep breaths in through his nose and out through his mouth, Wakko finally let go of his ears and began to make his way towards the big shield-shaped door that led to the balcony outside.

He felt determination flood him as he went, he knew he needed to make this right. Whatever was bothering his little sister, he had to help her. Even if it meant she was going to blow another air horn. It wasn't like he was prepared or anything now.

After a moment of steeling himself for the worst, he pushed open the door and stepped outside into the cool night air. Right away he could see Dot leaning against the railing of the balcony, the fur along her spine was fluffed up and there was a tension in her shoulders he hadn't noticed before.

"Dot?" he said tentatively. "We gotta talk…"

"Go away."

"I know you're upset but we really gotta talk about what happened…" Despite the tremor that seized him, he continued onward. Every step felt like lead in his legs but he knew he needed to do this.

"Leave!" Dot shouted. "Go away! I-I can handle this by myself!"

Wakko knew he couldn't hold his own against Dot's verbal assault; nobody really could. Yakko was a solid match but even then sometimes he'd end up crumbling beneath her spitfire attitude. But Wakko was well prepared to take it, if it meant that she could finally unwind and be the sister he knew and loved.

"I'm not leaving." Wakko steeled himself for the worse. "I'm not leaving 'til you tell me what happened." He stepped up beside her, leaning against the railing.

"You don't get it," she lowered her voice, her eyes downcast. The fur along her spine was still fluffed up. "What he did to me…he ruined me, Wakko. I mean, I know what Scratchy says, but he's wrong. I'll never be the same again…because of Memlo." Much to Wakko's own surprise and budding relief, Dot leaned up against him. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything…I kinda had a nightmare and then a complete meltdown. Oops."

Wakko sighed. "I know. It's okay." The urge to rub his arm overcame him and so he let it happen, just for once. Hyper aware of the scars just beneath the fabric of his sleeves. "He did horrible stuff to me too. I try to hide it but…"

"It still comes back to bite you in the ass?" Dot finished off for him with a small grin. Wakko met her gaze and saw his reflection in her eyes once again; staring back at him was that same scared, ragged kid from before.

"Yup."

"Megalomaniac directors, go fig."

Wakko couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips, nor the short, barked laugh that managed to worm its way out of him. Even in the darkest moments Dot somehow managed to make anyone laugh.

It was just Toon nature after all.

A comfortable silence fell over them as they looked up at the stars shining brightly overheard. Wakko's ear flicked as he heard Dot's soft sigh, followed by her wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I'm sorry for blasting that air horn. I know you said before not to but…I was just trying to push you away." Dot confessed. "I knew it was gonna hurt but I did it anyway."

Wakko hummed. "Nah, it's okay Dot. You didn't mean it. There's nothin' to apologize for."

His gaze flicked to the bars as he waited for her response.

"Can we…?" she swallowed hard before continuing on, "I…I wanna confess something." The fur along her back was still stuck up. Worry rushed through Wakko as he noticed. "Memlo hurt me. He tried to mold me into the perfect feminine girl." Vitriol drenched her voice as she spoke the second to last word. "He'd shame me if I wore anything more than a skirt or a dress…"

"Is that why you stopped wearin' suits 'n masculine stuff?" Wakko asked gently. "'Cause of him?"

Dot looked up at him. "You noticed?"

"Of course I noticed!" Wakko couldn't believe it. Did his sister really think that little of him? "You're my sister, I-I always noticed!"

"Sure, pal."

"I…" Wakko racked his brain to say something, anything to assuage her sarcastic remark. But nothing would come up. "I noticed…" Didn't he notice? Didn't he notice her wardrobe change back in the 30s going from more androgynous clothes to strictly feminine? Surely he noticed, he was her second big brother after all. Surely he noticed.

Dot pulled away from him and he let her go, regret clogging his throat. She took a few steps away from him, looking up and away at the stars above them. After a few moments she turned back around and her eyes were full of shining tears.

"You noticed?" she said, her voice quivering with such sadness, it made Wakko's heart ache. "You really saw me?"

Wakko swallowed hard. "I did…I do see you, Dot." Slightly trembling, he beckoned her over and she leaped over and hugged him with all her strength. It unbalanced him and they both went falling to the floor of the cool, metal balcony.

Despite the back and forth mood Wakko couldn't help but laugh, soon followed by Dot's own cackling. They both hugged each other as hard as they could, just glad to finally have somewhat talked it out. And maybe, just maybe, there was a better understanding between them.

"I love you, Wakkorino." Dot nuzzled her nose against Wakko's forehead and, as warmth surged in his chest, he repeated the gesture right back to her. "Even if you annoy me with all your gross jokes and eating habits…I still love you."

Wakko smiled brightly. "I love you too, Princess Angelina."

"Y'know, sometimes I wish I was a real princess," Dot said softly. "I think it'd be cool. We would have our own country…maybe dad could've been king. Doesn't that sound awesome?"

Wakko hummed. "Yeah, it does." He pulled Dot closer to him and she didn't object, simply nuzzling closer to him. "We'd be together and nothin' could hurt us."

Dot made a small noise in agreement.

For the rest of the time, Wakko and Dot looked up at the stars and pointed some out. A comfortable silence settled over them like a warm blanket as they bonded and joked, sometimes roughhousing on the balcony, not caring if it slightly shook beneath them. Neither one wanted to revisit what happened before.

Things were fine now. That's all they really needed.

It wasn't long before Yakko came back.

Wakko and Dot had resorted to playing Wakko's new weird mashup of Go Fish and Chess when they heard someone climbing up the ladder towards them. And soon, up came their eldest brother, looking utterly exhausted, but his eyes lit up as he took them both in.

"What're my two fave sibs in the entire world doin' outside on this lovely night?" Yakko announced dramatically, as if the rest of the city wasn't asleep at the moment. "Lemme guess, uhhhhhhh you guys couldn't wait for me to get home, eh?"

He held out both hands and, after a quick knowing glance, Wakko and Dot took each one and pulled. Yakko let out an indignant squeak as he fell into their arms, as graceful as ever. Soon the trio were in their signature cuddle pile, staring up at the stars together.

"Sooooo," Dot said, a deviousness edging her voice. "How did the meeting go?"

Wakko perked up. "Yeah, Yakko. How'd it go?"

"I got one word for you sibs, boring. It was so boring! I think I fell asleep like uhhhhhh about ten times." Yakko held up all of his fingers. "Yeah, easily ten times…maybe even more than that!"

"I bet Plotz was pissed!" Dot snorted.

Yakko rolled his eyes. "I keep forgetting to make you a swear jar."

"Hey!" Dot punched Yakko in the shoulder, albeit lightly. "Don't you dare!"

Yakko leaned up onto his elbows, giving her his signature smarmy grin. "What're you gonna do if I do? Huh?"

"I'll fight you in the parking lot!"

Yakko's grin grew. "I'd like to see you try!"

Dot got up, bouncing like a kangaroo. "Wanna try me?!"

Wakko couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips, an easy-going feeling warming his chest. It was nice to see Dot relaxed again and joking with Yakko. Maybe things tonight hadn't completely resolved themselves but at the very least things were better than they were before.

That had to account for something, right?

Yeah, Wakko thought to himself as he, Yakko, and Dot made their way back inside to the warmth and safety of the Water Tower. We're okay. We're fine. It's all good now.

Little did he know what would befall them, a week later.