#bc fr when i sat down it write it took like- 3 hrs tops

[janetbrown711]

"It won't happen again, I swear" Yax?

Once Wakko ran out of the room, the first thing Yakko did was try and see if he could catch up to Max. He had to make sure things were okay- that Max didn't hate him. If he did- oh god-

Max was... everything to Yakko. He couldn't afford to lose him.

Thankfully, Max still hadn't made it outside, and was at the bottom of the foyer when Yakko called for him to stop.

"Max- wait-!" Yakko shouted as he scrambled down the steps as fast as he could. Thankfully, Max obliged, staying where he was.

"I... I wanted to apologize... for Wakko's behavior," Yakko panted, not bothering to stop to take a breath.

"It's cool, Yakko. I get it- really, i do," Max said, putting his hands in his pockets.

Yakko blinked.

"But..?" He tilted his head slighty.

"'But' nothing. I'll admit Wakko stepped up his game but it's most certainly not the first time I've been locked in a room before, Yakko," Max chuckled slightly.

"B-but you were all snappy before- I thought-"

"Oh, right- sorry about that. I was just-" Max sighed. "I'm just worried what Dad'll think. He's... a bit of a worry-wart sometimes," He scratched the back of his neck.

Yakko bit his lip. "What does that mean for... us?"

Us.

"Hey, don't worry. I'll figure out something that'll keep both you and your brother in the clear- as well as a way to also not make him and at your parents or the kingdom. This isn't my first time," Max reassured.

"How?" Yakko asked.

Max shrugged. "I'll think of something. I always do," Max punched his arm lightly. Yakko laughed.

"Speaking of your brother though..." Max said, and Yakko felt his tone change.

"Let him know I'm not mad or anything, despite lying to me and stuff. He's probably just confused," He said.

"Yeah..." Yakko kicked the ground.

"Also... don't take this the wrong way, but I really think you should be spending more time with your siblings. They probably feel a bit neglected or something, which is why he locked me in that tower and stuff- which from what I've seen doesn't seem like the type of thing he'd usually do," He said, and Yakko felt a knot form in his stomach from the guilt.

"Yeah, he wouldn't. He hates that place- grandma locked him up there twice when he was a kid... bad memories. I swear it'll never happen again." Yakko said.

"Ah..." Max nodded his head.

"But... you're right. I've been neglecting them... I'm just sorry it's gotten this far," Yakko sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"Like I said- no big deal. You just need to go to them and apologize and stuff," Max assured.

"Yeah, I'll do that," Yakko promised. Max smiled a little.

"Good," He punched his arm again. "Now, it's really dark out, and I really have to go before it's too late," Max gestured to the door.

"Right, yes- you need to get going," Yakko agreed.

"I'll write to you," Max swore as he started to head out.

"I know, I know," Yakko smiled.

With a salute goodbye, Max ran out and left the foyer.

Well, all things considered, that could've been significantly worse.

Which meant he totally snapped at Wakko for nothing.

Shit.

Yakko had some serious apologizing to do.

"Yakko? Have you seen Wakko?" His mother entered the foyer as Yakko began to climb back up.

"No, i ran straight to Max. Why? Is he not in his room?" Yakko asked.

"He's not in the playroom, his room, any of the closests I've stopped by- I'm getting really worried," Her voice cracked despite trying to keep it together.

Shit.

"It's been a long night, I'm sure you're just stressed out, mom. You should lay down- I can search for him," Yakko said as he reached the top.

"Yakko, he could be anywhere. I-i can't rest until I know he's okay... Oh god, I feel just terrible," She whispered that last part to herself, clearly also being overwhelmed with guilt of her own.

"Look, we can get the guards to look as well, it'll be okay, we can find him and apologize," Yakko held one of her hands and gave it a good squeeze. Lena squeezed back.

"I'll give the orders..." She said, before squeezing his hand once more and going down the stairs.

Yakko had some serious, serious apologizing to do.

.o0o.

The first place Yakko checked was the playroom, but as his mother had said it was empty. He thought perhaps there was a slight chance Wakko had been moving locations, as under the table was one of his favorite hiding places, but alas, he wasn't there.

He then decided it would just be best to look through every single room he stumbled into, but most were empty or full fo servants who just gave him confused looks before he awkwardly stepped out.

He did run into Scratchnsniff though, and he gave him a quick run down and he too agreed to help.

After an hour and a half of searching, Yakko's concern had nearly tripled as he ran out of ideas as to where he could be. He looked through every room, every closet, every nook and cranny but he was simply nowhere to be found inside the castle.

However, as he was about to start all over again, it occured to the crown prince that perhaps his brother wasn't inside at all- but hiding somewhere in the gardens.

In the dark.

Late at night.

In the cold.

Yakko hurried to grab a blanket, his coat, and a lantern before rushing out to the garden

It was a windy night, and the brisk air sent a chill down his spine almost immediately. However, he just tightened his coat as he began his search anyway, determined to make that apology.

He seriously shouldn't have blown up so much. Max wasn't even mad or anything- Yakko blew it way out of proportion. Mom was right- Wakko was just feeling neglected. Hell, Dot probably was too, which meant he'd have to apologize to her too.

God- with how many times Yakko called him an idiot it's no surprise he ran off and away like this. An insult straight from dear ol' Grandma.

Yakko really had been slipping these past few months.

Though Wakko did still cross a line... but that line could've been prevented had he just listened sooner and not neglected them.

Yakko truly was going to have to make it up to them- both of them.

For awhile, Yakko wandered around the garden, holding his jacket close when there was a gust of wind, and shouting his brother's name to no response. His worry grew more and more as it grew later and later and darker and darker.

He wasn't going to give up though, he needed to find him.

"Wakko!!" he called out once again.

Still no response.

Yakko began to worry more. He had practically searched all of the garden by now- if he wasn't out here he was probably outside of the castle walls, where he could easily be lost or scared or hurt or worse, even.

Oh god, Yakko had really, really screwed up.

"Wakko!!!" He called out again, feeling a lump form in his throat.

God- he couldn't start crying now, he still had to find him.

Yakko wiped his face before going into the last place he hadn't looked- the formation of hedges that led to the flower garden his parents loved working on the most. Yakko continued on in, calling for his brother over and over again, begging to be heard and for a response.

Still, nothing.

Until- out of the corner of his eye, he saw him.

He was curled into a ball and shivering tightly, with his legs curled up under his shirt to keep warm. His face was still tear stained from before, but he seemed asleep.

"Wakko!" Yakko gasped, running to him and quickly wrapping him in the blanket.

"Y-yakko-?" Wakko snapped awake, holding the blanket tightly.

"Wakko, we've been looking everywhere for you- why-?" Yakko stopped, realizing 'why' was a stupid question. "I'm bringing you inside- don't fight," he said, as he picked him up.

Thankfully, Wakko didn't, and Yakko successfully brought him back inside and he took his little brother to the family study and quickly put on a fire to help him warm up while his brother sat in silence.

"Wakko!" Dot appeared in the open doorway of the study in her nightgown. "You're okay!" She rushed and hugged him.

"Y-yeah..." Wakko looked at the ground, but still hugged back (though rather weakly).

"I'm glad you're here Dot- I need to talk to both of you," Yakko said, going to the door and closing it. Dot winced and took a seat next to Wakko. Yakko cringed at that, taking off his coat and putting it on a hook before sitting in a chair of his own across from them.

They all sat in silence a moment, with none of them really knowing how to start. God- how do you start a conversation like this?

"Y-y-yakko, I-i'm s-so, so, so, so, so sorry," Wakko sniffled. "I-i knew it wasn't right b-but I-i really thought he was gonna- i didn't wanna hurt you- I just-"

Yakko sighed. "I know, Wak. I'm sorry for shouting at you so much. You aren't an idiot, or a moron. If anyone here's the idiot, it's me," He admitted.

"I... neglected you two. I was so blinded by Max that i seriously hurt you guys and I'm really sorry," Yakko said.

"I-it's okay, Yakko-" Dot tried to smile, but Yakko cut her off.

"It isn't okay, Dot. I seriously hurt you two. I said some really hurtful things, and I need to own up to it." He ran his fingers through his hair as he looked at the fire.

Another stretch of silence.

"Do... do you hate me..?" Wakko asked so quietly one could hardly hear it over the crackle of the fire.

"Of course not Wakko, I could never hate you," Yakko swore.

"E-even though I locked your boyfriend away? A-and tried to soak him with water? And covered your hands in spices so it hurt? A-and took and read your letters?" Wakko sniffled as tears began to stream down his face as he gripped the blanket tighter.

"Wakko, I could never hate you, you're my little brother." Yakko said. "Though those things did really hurt, I know you've learned your lesson and won't do it again, right?"

Wakko nodded his head.

"And for the record Dot, I don't hate you either," Yakko looked at his little sister, who was hugging the pillow from her chair.

"Yakko...? Do you... consider us like friends?" She asked nervously.

"I think we're friends in a way... but in a different way I think family is more than that, you know?" Yakko shrugged, not knowing how to answer.

"Not... really..." Dot looked away.

It then occurred to Yakko that they hadn't had any friends either.

God- he had spent all this time begin upset they couldn't be happy for him when they literally couldn't understand-

Oh god- Yakko was deeply embarrassed.

"I'm so sorry for getting so bad at you two- I didn't know you felt like that. I-" He sighed. "I think you two need to start meeting some kids around the kingdom and elsewhere."

"But I don't want anyone else- I want you two," Wakko frowned.

"Being friends with other people doesn't mean we're gonna disappear on you- not anymore. I promise, I'm going to make up for all of the time I neglected you two." Yakko side tracked.

"And having friends is a good thing, it means you're growing as a person and forming connections outside of your family can be really rewarding," Yakko said.

Wakko bit his lip, still unsure.

"I'm not saying immediately, I'm just saying... perhaps it'd be a good idea. But we don't need to rush it- I still need to make up that lost time," Yakko chuckled weakly.

Neither of the younger Warners replied, both preferring to look at the fire sleepily.

Yakko sighed. "I think it's late- we should tell mom you're okay and we should go to bed."

"M-mom's worried about me?" Wakko sheeped.

"Of course she is, you ran off and were nowhere to be found for hours," Yakko said.

"R-right... I should apologize..." Wakko agreed with his elder brother.

"Yeah, I should go to bed," Dot yawned, which made Yakko chuckle.

"C'mon, let's go," He said, as he put out the fire, as both of sibs were clearly very toasty.

They didn't have to walk very far before they saw their parents, both looking very stressed before they saw their children and quickly ran to them, giving Wakko big hugs with a jumble of "are you okay? are you hurt?"s, etc. etc.

"I-I'm okay- I'm so sorry for what I-i did- I just-"

"I know sweetie, I know... it's just-" Lena sighed. "I'm just... I'm just happy you're okay now."

"We're both happy," William inserted himself, which made Wakko laugh a little.

"C'mon, let's get you to bed," Lena said, scooping her youngest boy up and carrying him to his bedroom.

"...can you carry me?" Dot asked William, who laughed and nodded, scooping her up too.

"Awww, what about me?" Yakko joked to his father.

To his surprise though, his father just smirked and grabbed Yakko with one arm and carried him away too.

Right, his dad was a knight. Sometimes Yakko forgot that.

Soon enough, he was dropped off at his and Wakko's room, and Dot dropped off at hers across the hall (though she got tucked in). The brother's changed into their pajamas and were about to go to bed, when Wakko stopped Yakko.

"Yakko..?" He asked.

"Yeah?" Yakko raised an eyebrow.

"Is... Max mad?" Wakko looked down.

"No, he's okay. It's not his first time being locked in a room, he was just tired and worried about his dad."

"...would you still be mad at me if he was?"

Yakko paused.

"No, I think I would've had my senses knocked back into me anyway," Yakko said. "Mom couldn't let me be an idiot for too long."

"Okay," Wakko bit his lip and turned away.

"C'mere," He opened his arms. Wakko quickly understood and gave Yakko a hug.

Yakko didn't realize just how much he missed Wakko's hugs.

"What you did did cross a line, but you get it now and that's all that matters: that you learn from your mistakes and make up for it, like I am," Yakko said. Wakko nodded.

"I-i'm sorry for making you worried too," Wakko said.

"It's okay... you're safe and here now, that's all that matters," Yakko hugged him a little tighter.

"...I'm also sorry I keep calling him your boyfriend..." Wakko said. "I know you don't like it."

Yakko laughed at that one.

"It's a little funnier now... but yeah, maybe cut that out for the moment," He snorted. Wakko laughed too, letting go of the embrace and going to his bed.

"G'night Yakko," Wakko said, blowing out the light by his bed.

"G'night Wak," Yakko said, blowing out his light and climbing into his own bed.

Both of them had made a lot of huge mistakes, and both were still a little more hurt than either would ever say, but both knew they wouldn't make those mistakes again. They were gonna make up for it,

No matter what it took.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 The End