>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