Nightmare

In which Sanji has a nightmare and his siblings wake him up.

"No…" Sanji whined and tossed in his bed, sweating. "D-don't lock me…" he mumbled and turned the other way. He shuddered, the blankets on the ground beside his bed. He laid on the side and pulled his legs to his chest, a whimper escaping his lips. "P-please…"

Ichiji opened his eyes and groaned. Having another restless night after rough training, he was aching for some good sleep. He let out a sigh and turned on his stomach. Just as he was about to close his eyes, his head snapped up when he heard a sob. He straightened up on his bed and looked at Niji, who was lying on bed, one of his hands scratching his stomach. He was sleeping.

"Not him…" Ichiji murmured to himself and looked at Yonji, who laid not too far from him. Yonji was mumbling under his breath, but he was asleep as well. Narrowing his eyebrows, he looked at Sanji and frowned.

"I-I'll be good…" Sanji sobbed and curled in a ball.

Jumping off his bed, Ichiji looked around, his eyes meeting with Niji's, who was now wide awake. He looked at Yonji, who groggy sat up and rubbed his eyes before he became completely alerted at the sound of sobs. The three brothers looked at each other with quiet nods. They stepped on the ground and walked to Sanji's bed.

Ichiji leaned on Sanji's bed and observed his brother. He blinked in silence and reached out his hand. His finger was millimeters away from his cheek when he gulped, hesitating.

"What are you waiting for?" Niji hissed.

"W-what if he starts crying?" Ichiji looked at him.

"Well would you rather see him wake up whole mansion or only hear him cry and wake up whole mansion either way?" He asked with a frown.

Ichiji groaned and looked back at Sanji, who whimpered. "Sanji…" His voice was quiet like a mouse; almost a whisper.

Niji gave him a look of bafflement before he looked at Yonji, who was quietly standing behind Ichiji. He was holding on his pajama. "Where is Reiju?" he looked back at Ichiji, who immediately looked around the room.

"Did she even come last night?" Ichiji asked.

Niji shrugged while Yonji narrowed his eyebrows. Their attention was back on Sanji, who startled like something scared him.

"Sanji," Ichiji called and shook his brother.

"N-no…" Sanji shivered.

"Oi, Sanji," Niji followed and poked his brother in the cheek. "Wake up…" he called, but Sanji only tossed. He frowned when he spotted Yonji on Sanji's bed, looking at him before he leaned down and shook him with both hands.

"Sanji, wake up." Yonji called rather loud. Yet he continued to sleep. "Weird…" he murmured and looked at Ichiji and Niji. "Doesn't Sanji usually wake up when he has nightmares?" he asked.

"He does," Ichiji nodded. "Must be more serious now…" he said and climbed on bed, Niji following right after. "Hey, Sanji!" He called louder and shook him.

Sanji snapped his eyes open and sat up, startling the three brothers. He was shivering as he stared in front of himself, breath hitched. "S-sorry…" He stammered when he saw all three of them watching him in silence and worry. He averted his gaze, his eyes tearing up. He hiccuped and wrapped arms around himself.

The first one to react was Ichiji, who scooted to Sanji and hugged him. "It's okay." He spoke in soft voice. "It was only a bad dream." he didn't like to say it was nightmare, knowing Sanji was more expressive than they were.

"Who should I punch in the morning?" Yonji spoke, his voice suddenly serious.

Ichiji, Niji and Sanji looked at Yonji, who stared at Sanji before he burst out laughing. Now it was their turn to look at Sanji, who was laughing. His laughter was rather quiet, but contagious. No sooner all four of them were laughing. They didn't hear the footsteps that stopped right outside their bedroom.

"My question still remains." Yonji said after they calmed down and sat on bed in a small circle.

"It's nothing…" Sanji scratched his head and looked away.

"What did you dream about?" Niji didn't hesitate to ask.

"Niji," Ichiji shot him a glare and cast a worried glance at Sanji, who quietened down. "It's okay, Sanji. You don't have to tell us if-"

"D-dad locked me away…" Sanji stuttered.

Everything became quiet. Ichiji's expression changed into unreadable, but his eyes widened when he processed. Niji gaped while Yonji quietly stared at Sanji, looking for something.

"I was scared…" Sanji continued and pulled legs to his chest, leaning chin on top of his knees. His eyes teared up once more. "I don't like dark places, but he locked me away and didn't give me food."

No one said a word, but Yonji was the first one to move. He sat closer to Sanji and wrapped his arms around him. Sanji widened his eyes and tears began streaming down his cheeks. Ichiji was second to wrap his arms before he looked at Niji. With a silent groan, Niji scurried and hugged Sanji around his neck, making them fall down on bed. All four groaned, but they laughed.

"There's no way we'll let dad lock you away." Ichiji spoke. "You're our brother and we have your back."

"That's right," Niji agreed. "If anyone has a problem with you, he'll have to deal with us."

"And be sure we'll kick their ass no matter the size." Yonji ended.

Sanji looked from one to another before his lips turned up in a wide smile. "I got your back too." He said.

They smiled and snuggled closer to each other. Sanji felt and knew he was safe as he drifted back to sleep.

Reiju quietly skipped down the hallway until she stopped in front of doors. She smiled at the worker that passed her by and opened the doors. Peeking inside, she frowned when she saw first bed empty. With a frown on her face, she opened doors wider and looked at second bed, seeing it empty as well.

"Ichi...ji?" She looked on next bed and blinked in surprise. Her lips turned up in a wide smile when she saw all four brothers sleeping on Sanji's bed. They were all snuggling closer to Sanji. The moment she was standing beside and tried reaching out to poke at Sanji's cheek, Yonji groaned.

Looking at the youngest brother in amusement, she looked at the oldest, who swatted her hand away. She chuckled and shook with head, before she rushed back to doors when she heard her father's voice.

"Yes, father?" She called, closing the doors behind.

"Where are the boys?" he asked and looked at doors.

"They weren't in the room." she answered. "I think they're already in the dining room or they went out." She said and tilted head to the side. Judge shook with head and continued walking away.

Reiju's lips betrayed her as they turned into a small smile, followed by a chuckle that was heard behind her hand. She looked back at doors, hearing murmurs of her brothers. Looking back in front she quietly walked after her father towards dining room, letting them sleep for a while more. She will protect them even if it is against their own father.