-
>It’s kind of funny, really
-
“No, I get it, it’s just—”
-
>She can hug whoever she wants, claiming that they’re like her brothers
-
“No, I don’t—”
-
>She can speak with whoever she pleases
-
“Yes… Yes…”
-
>But, hell, God forbid you go to cheer on CHS, your alma mater of years past, when the soccer team makes it to the state championship
-
“Yeah… alright, I… yeah.”
-
>The CHS soccer team has only made it to state how many times?
-
“Sorry… I love you too, beautiful.”
-
>Oh, right
-
>Once
-
>Sighing, you end the call and shove the phone back into its usual pocket
-
>Lips being singed by the clearly-spent cigarette, you spit it out and reach for another one with a shaky hand
-
>Flicking open your lighter, you take in a deep breath…
-
>”H-hey, Anon?”
-
>Blinking, you turn to meet a set of eyes
-
>A set of nervous, hopeful, and purple eyes
-
>A smile, however forced, comes to your face as you flick the cancer stick to the ground before stomping it out
-
“Yeah, what’cha need, Looney?”
-
>Her eyes flicker to the floor as your eyes meet, a small blush appearing soon after
-
>”I, uh, I… help… need help.”
-
>Without another word, she reaches up and grabs your hand
-
>Or, rather, grabs a whole finger with her baby hands
-
>Yeah, she’s still waiting out on that growth spurt
-
>Wordlessly she leads you back into the house, your mind alight with ideas all the while
-
>She see another spider?
-
>Can she not reach the animal crackers?
-
>Or does she need some help with some school project?
-
>...Probably not the later
-
>She always did her homework on the ride home
-
>”Second grade is easy,” she would always say
-
>Pfft
-
>She must’ve gotten the good genes—
-
>”Stuck.”
-
>Blinking, you shake yourself from the reverie
-
>You look up to the television
-
>A smile slowly creeps its way onto your face
-
>Subspace Emissary?
-
>And the first boss no less?
-
>A faint chuckle escapes your throat as she leads you to the couch
-
>”Help.”
-
>And so with a quiet shake of the head, you plop your ass down
-
>A moment later, though, you notice something very, very wrong
-
>She tries handing you a Wiimote
-
>M-maybe she isn’t the prodigy after all…
-
>Giviner her head a quick pat, you stand up, quickly making way for the little box besides the TV where all the game supplies are held
-
“For your first problem, Looney…”
-
>You pull out two gamecube controllers
-
>A bit worn, yes
-
>A bit nasty if you looked at the gunk between the gaps, sure
-
>But, fuck, these things have to be the greatest battle implement ever devised
-
>You hear a small gasp as you flip open the top of the Wii
-
>”Y-you broke it!”
-
>You shake your head, plugging the things in
-
“Nah, these are the controller ports.”
-
>”...Wait, what?”
-
>She scampers her way to your side before peering over your shoulder, a scrutinizing look in her eyes
-
>She stares at it for a few moments, tilting her head like a confused puppy
-
>Her gaze soon melts into a neutral, if not happy, one
-
>”Oh, I saw that and I wanted to open it, but I was afraid I would break it!”
-
>You begin to make your way back to the couch, little sister in tow
-
>”I mean, I tried finding the manual to figure out what it was, but I couldn't find it or anyone to help me find it... sis is always busy at college, mom’s always in bed, and dad’s always at work…!”
-
>You nod, taking your usual seat at the couch
-
>”And then I tried getting on the computer to look for a digital version of the manual, but then I remembered the computer has a password on it!”
-
>She scrambles onto the couch before crawling into your lap
-
>She takes the proffered controller, quite literally chucking the Wiimote to the side
-
>...Thankfully it lands on something soft
-
>”So, wait, if it can use gamecube controllers, does that mean it can play—”
-
>The gleam in her eyes makes you fear for your heart
-
“W-wait, so you didn’t know it's backwards compatible…?”
-
>Ah
-
>So that explains it
-
>That's why she made such a big fuss about the GameCube breaking last week
-
>Speaking of which, she’s already scrambling for the game binder
-
>You laugh for the second time today
-
>Maybe your Sunday isn’t ruined after all?
-
>...
-
>......
-
>You swear, this is the happiest you’ve seen her in months
-
>From the way she always talks about how she just loves certain townsfolk to how she commentates about always catching sea bass…
-
>She just looks so eager
-
>So happy in the fact that she has someone to play with
-
>...
-
>...Wait, when’s the last time you actually spent time with her?
-
>I mean, sure, you always drive her home from school because nobody else can, but you’re usually doing that on your lunch break because nobody else can
-
>No, like the last time you actually spent time with he—
-
>”Oh, oh, look, a shark!”
-
>Right
-
>Back to Animal Crossing, Looney's undisputed favorite game
-
>She bounces up and down in your lap, absolutely giddy at the prospect of finally paying getting a second room for her little house
-
>”You, you catch it, I don’t trust myself!”
-
>She all but shoves the controller in your face, her little hands shaking at the thought of finally being able to do it
-
>”I’ve counted… fifty two times I’ve failed catching him!”
-
>...Wow
-
>Fucking casul
-
>Chuckling, you warm up your hands before taking the proffered controller
-
>Alright, time to show this little shit how it’s really done…
-
>*Plonk!*
-
>...
-
>*Dibble dibble*
-
>*Dibble dibble*
-
>Silence reigns king for several moments
-
>Little Moonie holds her breath in, physically leaning in and balling her fists in anticipation
-
>*THUNK!*
-
>The gasp you hear from Moonie would make one think that you just cured cancer
-
>All you did was press and hold A
-
>”Again, again!”
-
>She’s…
-
>She’s clapping, eyes wide and astounded
-
>Raising a brow, you shrug
-
“I mean, if you really want…”
-
>”Again!”
-
>Smile slowly growing, you give her a nod
-
>Heh
-
>At least you can make someone smile
-
>With that in mind, you turn your attention back to the screen
-
>Why...
-
>Why is this the funnest you've had with vidya in so long?
-
>...
-
>......
-
>”Awww, c’mon!”
-
>Giving her hair a gentle tousle, you find chuckle away the small feeling of guilt as she gives you the eyes of a kicked puppy
-
“Sorry, Looney, someone’s gotta cook dinner—”
-
>”Pizza!”
-
>You blink
-
>That was fast….
-
“Looney, we had pizza yesterday.”
-
>”So?”
-
>You scoff, beginning your walk to the kitchen
-
“Pizza’s a once a week type’a food, if not once a month.”
-
>”Lies!”
-
>You can hear her above the gentle hum of the freezer as you parooze through the thing
-
>”Lies and slander!”
-
>Whistling a low tune, you gently pick out some peas… a bit of broccoli… and, last but not least, some chicken breast
-
>She’s still hard at work fishing, which you recently just taught her was much more profitable than shaking trees, but finds time to glance your way
-
>”Aw, awww!”
-
>You chuckle aloud, digging around for just the right pot
-
>”Pizza, pizza, pizza!”
-
>She begins to chant
-
>”Pizza!”
-
“Nope.”
-
>”Pizza!”
-
“Nah.”
-
>”Pizza!”
-
“Nein.”
-
>You’re more than a bit surprised to find out that she has an iron will when it comes to this sort of thing
-
>And by that you mean she continues chanting it up until the moment you have her ass seated at the table
-
>Like, holy shit, props for dedication and all, but god damn…
-
>”Hey, Anon?”
-
>You look up from the tray, laden with a plate and drink
-
>”Is mom going to eat with us today?”
-
>You glance down at the tray, already knowing the answer
-
>A sad smile is sent her way, along with a shake of the head
-
“Sorry, mom’s… not doing too well.”
-
>Her eyes slowly fall to her plate, her voice dropping
-
>”Oh… okay.”
-
>With a sigh, you pick up the tray of food and make way the stairs
-
>Hopefully mom will eat more than a quarter this time…
-
>...
-
>......
-
>This…
-
>This sucks
-
>Sure, it’s good for you in every sense of the word, but you still hate it
-
“Why can’t pizza be healthy?”
-
>Anon looks up from his plate, raising a brow
-
>What?
-
>This is a serious question!
-
“No, seriously, think about it!”
-
>You tap your forehead just like he does whenever he says something smart
-
“If we made healthy stuff taste good, imagine how much more we’d eat the stuff!”
-
>He snorts before returning to his meal
-
>”It’s called acquiring a taste, Looney.”
-
“...”
-
>”...”
-
“Wait, so where do I get this taste?”
-
>You tilt your head slightly as he goes to rub his forehead
-
“Do you have it? Can I borrow it?!”
-
>He laughs, though you don’t know why
-
“Can I? Please? C’mon, I’ll actually eat all the green stuff if you—”
-
>”I’m home!”
-
>You both blink, looking to the direction of the front door
-
>Oh
-
>Dad’s home
-
>Well, not Dad, but new Dad
-
>That makes sense, right?
-
>Right
-
>The loud thuds of heavy boots give way to the familiar and husky musician that lazily makes his way around the corner
-
>He eyes you two warily, barely returning Anon’s wave
-
>”What’s for dinner?”
-
>”Veggies and grilled chicken breast.”
-
>He grumbles something you can’t quite catch before heading behind the counter
-
>He joins you two at the table a few minutes later, plate filled to the absolute brim
-
>”Hey, what’s up?”
-
>Your eyes dart to the neglected vegetables on your plate
-
>Anon, thankfully, speaks so you don’t have to
-
>”Eh, not much, just hung around the house, keeping Looney company… small stuff like that.”
-
>”Ah, cool, cool…”
-
>You’re not so sure why you’re suddenly quiet
-
>You’re also not so sure why Anon seems to have the same problem
-
>Hmmm
-
>Maybe you should eat these green things so you and Anon can go back to fishing?
-
>...That’s actually a lot more inspirational than you thought
-
>...
-
>......
-
>That…
-
>”Aw, c’mon, I’m not even tired!”
-
>That went better than expected
-
>”It’s like, eight thirty!”
-
>Probably had something to do with the lingering scent of weed, though
-
“It’s nine forty, and you’ve still got to brush, floss, and settle down.”
-
>She doesn’t offer much resistance as you carry her up the stairs
-
>Little shit never did complain about a free ride…
-
>Eventually, with the little one quieting down in your arms, you make your way up to her room
-
>...Well, as much as it can be her room, what with it being shared between her and Morning Roast
-
>Though, what with Roast now living in her dorm, it’s more or less hers
-
>Reaching the entrance, you slowly open it and flicker on the light
-
>You set her down and give her a gentle rub on the head
-
“Alright, now get ready for bed, and I might just read you a good one.”
-
>Her eyes widen slightly at the proposition, all notions of annoyance forgotten
-
>”Ooo, ooo, how about The Giving Tree?”
-
>You snigger, idly tousling her hair again
-
“Sure, kid, now scram, I gotta’ get ready too.”
-
>With a smile, she runs off to her bathroom, the faint sounds of running water hitting your ears as you head to your room
-
>Hmmm
-
>Maybe you can finally get a full night’s sleep?”
-
>That thought is enough to make you slump and give a happy groan
-
>What you wouldn’t give…
-
>...
-
>......
-
>How…
-
>”C’mon, tuck me in already, tuck me in, tuck me in, tuck me in…”
-
>How did she get all the adorable genes while you and Roastie got shafted?
-
>Sighing, you relent to her high-pitched demands
-
>Soon only her head is poking out above the covers, content smile still showing
-
>Tousling her hair one last time, yourself now sitting at the edge of her bed, you gently open the book in your lap
-
“Once there was a tree.... and she loved a little boy.”
-
>You take time to try and put out your best narrator voice, each page followed by a slow showing of the page
-
“And everyday the boy would come and he would gather her leaves…”
-
>There comes a noise…
-
>A very faint noise, but one that you try desperately to ignore
-
>An angered yell from just down the hallway
-
“And make them into crowns and play king of the forest.”
-
>You try and speak a bit louder to drown out the second voice that always comes shortly after
-
>Mom’s voice
-
>”He would climb up her trunk and swing from her branches and eat apples.”
-
>Just as you go to flip the page, however, you hear it
-
>The shattering of glass and a distant thump
-
“And they would play hide-and-go-seek.”
-
>More screaming
-
>This…
-
>This is worse than usual
-
>Gently, slowly, you close the book and lay it on the floor
-
>Placing a kiss on her forehead, you place a palm on her cheek, trying to calm her
-
“Hey, I’ll be right back, okay?”
-
>Her eyes dart about before finally settling on yours
-
>She’s nervous
-
>”O-okay…”
-
>Nodding, you suck in a deep breath
-
>Planting one last kiss on her forehead, you make to stand before heading for the door
-
>Looking back, you give her the most reassuring smile you can
-
>And then you shut off the lights and close the door
-
>...
-
>......
-
>Anon…
-
>Is Anon going to be okay?
-
>You stare at the sliver of light coming from the crack underneath the door, eyes straining without your glasses…
-
>The screaming continues, though there’s no more crashing sounds…
-
>It reaches an apex before another shout reaches your ears
-
>It’s Anon’s
-
>Then, a moment after, there’s silence
-
>Total, deafening silence
-
>The ringing in your ears is more terrifying than anything that came before it
-
>Wait, are you shivering?
-
>That’s bad
-
>You shouldn’t shiver, because Anon’s going to keep you safe
-
>He said so—
-
>There’s another crashing sound followed by the screaming nearly doubling in intensity
-
>Another crash, another string of thunderous curses and other things Anon tells you to never say
-
>You pull the covers under your head
-
>It usually isn’t this ba—
-
>You seize up at the sound
-
>It’s loud
-
>Almost deafeningly so
-
>Kind of like someone smacked down a paper clip board right next to your ear as hard as they could
-
>There’s another scream after this, though it sounds different from the others
-
>More clear
-
>Less angry
-
>You seize up again as the another one of the terrible sounds goes off
-
>You whimper as the third comes in
-
>By the fifth you’re whimpering under the sheets, palms cupped to your ears
-
>This…
-
>This has to be thunder
-
>There’s nothing else that it could be
-
>Everything will be fine
-
>You just have to wait for Anon
-
>He’ll be back
-
>He’ll be back any moment now
-
>He’s never lied to you
-
>He’ll come back
-
>He’ll come back
-
>He’ll come back
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A Little Pick-Me-Up (Little Sister Moon Dancer)
By OniiChansFablesCreated: 2020-10-29 17:20:19
Expiry: Never
by OniiChansFables
by OniiChansFables
by OniiChansFables
by OniiChansFables
by OniiChansFables